The late or delinquent registration penalty is usually imposed by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) upon the renewal of a motorcycle or a motor vehicle’s registration beyond the designated deadline. It could set you back by more than a few thousand pesos, on top of the other violations and penalties you will have to settle when you get caught driving or operating vehicles with expired registrations, which is quite terrifying.
Despite the terrifying prospect of having to face hefty LTO fees and associated violations, however, many people still end up with expired vehicle registrations. It could be due to lack of proper knowledge or maybe willful disobedience, but this article will ensure that you understand what it means to have to pay late and delinquent registration penalties.
Late vs. Delinquent Registration in LTO
Late and delinquent registration may seem like the same to you but there actually is a difference. When you fail to renew your vehicle registration on time before the deadline, then it is considered late registration and you will be penalized with a late registration fee.
Delinquency, on the other hand, refers to the late payments that are made past the payment deadline. It generally refers to being 30 days late in cases of credit payments. In cases of LTO registrations, however, this translates to registration delays beyond the registration month, based on the last digit of your plate number. In such cases, the penalty fees will be different from your regular late registration penalty.
Registration Schedule
Most people forget the date when they registered their vehicles, and that’s why so many fail to get their registration on time. You can actually use your plate number to figure out when you need to have your vehicle re-registered.
All vehicles need to be registered on their assigned week (based on your plate number’s last two digits), and if you miss this crucial period, prepare yourself for more LTO late registration expenses.
From your plate number, you can get the month and the week that you need to proceed to LTO and have your motor vehicle renewed. First, look at the last digit of your plate number, and this will correspond to the month. Next, look at the second to the last digit of your plate number, and this will correspond to the week. It’s pretty simple.
If your plate number ends in 12, your registration deadline would be as follows:
- The month of February (based on the last digit, 2)
- Week 1 or the first to the seventh working day (based on the second to the last digit
Penalties for Late and Delinquent Registrations
Now that your registration schedule has been cleared up, it’s in your best interest to settle your vehicle registrations accordingly. However, if, for whatever reason, you fail to do so, then you’d better consider doing so as soon as possible. After all, failure to do so is shameful and illegal. Plus, the LTO will only be too happy to carry out well-deserved punishments for willfully disobedient drivers and car owners.
These punishments also entail fines and penalties listed as follows:
- Getting caught driving an unregistered motor vehicle carries with it a fine of P10,000.
- Worse still, if the non-registration exceeds one month, the unregistered vehicle being driven will be impounded and released only once the registration procedures have been completed and the corresponding fines and penalties have been paid.
- If you haven’t registered your car in three years or so and you’re caught on the road, you will lose your car, have to pay the P10,000 fine, and the additional penalties to register your vehicle.
For the actual late registration fees that you will need to pay upon registration renewal, here’s more information:
- If you go beyond the seven-working-day period for registration, then you will need to pay a penalty of P100 for motorcycles or P200 for all other vehicles.
- If, however, you go beyond the registration month, but not more than 12 months beyond (based on the last digit), you will be charged an additional penalty equivalent to 50% of the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC) for your vehicle class.
- If you fail to register your vehicle for a period beyond 12 months, then the answer is a bit more complicated.
- The government will check to see if you have had any apprehensions for violations of any land transportation laws during the period of non-registration.
- If you were lucky enough not to have incurred any sort of violation or you simply never got caught violating any laws, then you will be charged 50% of the MVUC plus the cost of renewing your registration (once).
- If, however, you were apprehended for a violation while your vehicle was not registered, you will be charged 50% of the MVUC plus the cost of renewing your registration for every year that you did not register your vehicle, along with the fees to settle the violation you were initially caught for.
So, there you have it. It may seem complicated since it really is. So, if you own a car or a motorcycle, you need to make sure that you follow the rules and register your vehicle every year. After all, it only takes about half a day and you can already save on a ton of money and headaches. So just do it when you need to and get it over with.
Video: Guide on Why You Should Renew Your Car Registration on Time
Please check out this video guide outlining the details on why you need to renew your car registration before the registration expires.
Frequently Asked Questions
For more information on the late registration penalty fees and the process for renewal of registration for your car or motorcycle, then here are some information that might help:
1. Can I transfer my next registration to another LTO branch?
Yes. You can completely transfer your next registration to another LTO branch. However, note that while it is allowed, it doesn’t come for free. To transfer your registration, you will need to pay P100.00 for Change of Venue (COV) of your motor vehicle registration. It’s not much, but it’s good to know so you can prepare accordingly and won’t get short on cash when you get there.
2. How much is the fine for LTO penalty for expired motorcycle registration in the Philippines?
As of writing, the LTO still charges a weekly fine of P100 for every week of late registration. If the delay lasts for months, but not longer than a year, then the fine will be equal to 50% of the MVUC.
3. When should I renew my motorcycle registration?
Most people forget the date when they registered their vehicles, and that’s why so many fail to get their registration on time. You can actually use your plate number to figure out when you need to have your vehicle re-registered. To do so, simply take a look at your plate number. From your plate number, you can get the month and the week that you need to proceed to LTO and have your motorcycle renewed. First, look at the last digit of your plate number, and this will correspond to the month. Next, look at the second to the last digit of your plate number, and this will correspond to the week.
4. What if I don’t have a plate number yet?
Because of the backlog in LTO, some motorcycle riders are still waiting for their plate numbers even after a year of registering. If you don’t have a plate number yet, then you may refer to your temporary plate number or the date of release from the dealership and use it as a reference for the renewal date.
If referring to your temporary plate number, ypu may follow the same procedure for a permanent plate number as mentioned above.
5. Can I renew my vehicle registration in advance?
Yes. Do note that you can opt to renew your motorcycle registration at LTO in advance or at least one month before your prescribed date. But if you go beyond the prescribed deadline based on your plate number information, then and only then will you incur the corresponding penalty for late registration. If it takes many months, you will have to face delinquent registration penalties which are a lot higher.
Summary
Late and delinquent registration penalty is usually imposed by the LTO upon the renewal of a motorcycle or a motor vehicle’s registration beyond the designated deadline. What makes it scary, however, is not the late or delinquent fees, but the associated violations you might be caught with if you drive this unregistered vehicle. After all, getting caught driving an unregistered vehicle can set you back by at least P10,000.00 in penalties, that is, if you’re lucky enough and they did not impound your vehicle. Otherwise, you’ll have to settle the registration procedures first, then you will need to pay all the penalties before you can get your car or motorcycle back. Quite a hassle, isn’t it? Worse yet, if you incurred other violations, that would mean other extra charges against your wallet. So, if I were you, I’ll just go the usual way, spend half a day at the LTO office and renew my vehicle registration on time. It seems less troublesome that way.