The Vintage Vehicle Regulation Act, otherwise known as the Republic Act (RA) 11698, is a recently enacted law meant to develop the vintage car and vintage car restoration industry in the country. It was enacted in April 2022 and was meant to cover the importation, exportation, and registration of vintage vehicles or those that are already 40 years or over from the date of their original manufacturing. The law allows the importation, exportation, and registration of vintage vehicles.

With this law, the government and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) hope that the country can tap more into the international market for clients, to optimize the potential economic opportunities, develop the vintage car restoration industry, and promote historical automobiles and Filipino craftsmanship through vintage car tours and events that showcase various vintage vehicle collections.

What is a Vintage Vehicle

According to RA 11698, vintage vehicles refer to motor vehicles that are powered by either an internal combustion engine, electricity, or a combination of both and are at least 40 years old from the official date of manufacturing. It qualifies as a legitimate vintage vehicle when the vehicle’s general appearance has not been altered, and its chassis, engine, steering assembly, and suspension assembly are still either original or authentic. The law covers right-hand-drive (RHD) vehicles as well as period-correct vintage vehicles. Restomods are also still considered vintage; but replicas and reproduction models of vintage vehicles are not.

What is the Vintage Vehicle Regulation Act

The Vintage Vehicle Regulation Act or Republic Act No. 11698 is a law that recognizes vintage automobiles as “an integral part of Philippine culture” and seeks to protect and preserve these vehicles’ heritage.

It was a law created in hopes of providing an environment that will encourage entrepreneurs and industries to participate in the large and expanding international markets for vintage vehicle restoration, and to permit its businessmen, technicians, and workforce to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for the purpose.

Purpose of the Vintage Vehicle Regulation Act

RA 11698, or the Vintage Vehicle Regulation Act, is designed in order to serve the following purposes:

• To protect, preserve, enhance, and promote the nation’s heritage through the importation and preservation of vintage vehicles in historically correct condition;
• To establish and strengthen regulatory policies that encourage the vintage vehicles’ preservation, maintenance, occasional use, and registration.
• To increase economic opportunities by creating conditions favorable to small and medium industries that may participate in the international markets for the restoration and repair of vintage vehicles and the manufacture of their spare and replacement parts; and
• To encourage tourism through the promotion of automobile tours, establishment of vintage vehicle or car museums, exhibits, vintage motorsports, and similar events.
• To help the government to fulfill its constitutional mandate to “foster the preservation, enrichment, and dynamic evolution of a Filipino culture based on the principle of unity in diversity in a climate of free artistic and intellectual expression.”
• To protect and regulate the disposition of the country’s “artistic and historic wealth,” vintage vehicles and their related tools, equipment, and related accessories.
• To provide an environment wherein businessmen, technicians, and the general workforce can be better equipped with the necessary know-how in the industry.

Types of modifications allowed on vintage vehicles under RA 11698

Some of the modifications allowed on vintage vehicles as allowed by the provisions of the Vintage Vehicle Regulation Act includes:

• Major mechanical modifications such as upgrades to the brakes, suspension, axles, or running gear that were made to improve efficiency and safety are allowed.
• The use of non-OEM carburetors and fuel-injection systems to improve efficiency and environmental performance are also permitted. 
• Installation of aftermarket accessories such as radios, air-conditioning, and directional lights, to permit the convenient or safe use of the vehicle are allowed, except those which are expressly prohibited by law.
• Engine swaps are acceptable provided that the new engine is of the same brand or manufacturer and of the same general specification as the original power unit in the vintage vehicle or in vehicles belonging to the same automobile lineage brand. The latter refers to the original car manufacturer’s name or the latest brand name that is being used as a result of a merger or acquisition.
• Lastly, other modifications that can be proven to have been made when the vintage vehicle was still in production or within 10 years from the end of production are also allowed.

Note: Whenever a modification is alleged to have been made while the vintage vehicle was still in production or within ten years from the end of its production, the registered owner shall submit a notarized affidavit describing in detail the extent of and the reason for the modification, the shop or person that performed the modification and the appropriate date the modification was carried out. This affidavit shall be attached to and made an integral part of the Motor Vehicle Inspection Report (MVIR) for the initial registration under a vintage vehicle subclassification.

Guide to Vintage Vehicle Registration with the LTO

All vehicles benefitting from this law, including vehicles with RHD layouts, RHD vintage vehicles intended for racing or other motorsports, as well as those imported after law was enacted, will have to be registered as a vintage vehicle under the Land Transportation Office (LTO). The registration is optional for vehicles that are kept stationary or those not in running condition. The registration will have a three-year validity and will be done through the LTO’s dedicated system for on-site registration of vintage vehicles that are not regularly used or are on permanent display at a certain location. The agency may also charge additional fees for this. 

Registration Requirements for Vehicles under the Vintage Vehicle Subclassification

Vintage vehicles seeking to benefit from any exemption or privilege under these Rules must be specially registered with the LTO under a vintage vehicle subclassifications, which shall be reflected in the Certificate of Registration.

For vintage vehicle imported after the effectivity of RA 11698

Vintage vehicles imported after the effectivity of these Rules and imported vintage vehicles with source documents which are not yet registered, will have the same procedure and documentary requirements for the initial registration of vintage vehicles as those for used imported vehicle, except for the application form for registration as a vintage vehicle and the compliance to the prevailing inspection and emission standards. 

To register, the car owner needs to prepare the following requirements which will be submitted for their initial registration:

1. Certificate of Stock Report (CSR);

2. Duly accomplished and approved Motor Vehicle Inspection Report (MVIR);

3. Original and photocopy of any valid government issued identification document of the registered owner with photo and signature;

4. Philippine National Police (PNP) – Highway Patrol Group (HPG) Motor Vehicle Clearance Certificate;

5. Proof of electronically transmitted appropriate Third Party Liability (TPL) Insurance Certificate of Cover (COC);

6. Certificate of title issued by the country of origin or commercial invoice of motor vehicle; and

7. Duly accomplished LTO application form for registration as a vintage vehicle under Republic Act No. 11698 

For Motor vehicles that have current or previous records of annual registration with the LTO (including those vehicles that were registered but are placed on storage)

Motor vehicles with a current or previous record of annual registration with the LTO (including those vehicles that were registered but are placed on storage) may be specifically registered under a vintage vehicle subclassification to avail the same exemption or privilege under these Rules. This transaction requires the issuance of a new Certificate of Registration.

The following documentary requirement must be submitted for the registration of such vehicles as vintage vehicles:

1. Original Official Receipt (OR) and Certificate of Registration (CR);
2. For vehicles with stored plates, Return Receipt of Plate/License (RRPL);
3. Proof of electronically transmitted appropriate TPL Insurance COC;
4. Duly accomplished and approved MVIR; and
5. Duly accomplished LTO applicable form for registration as a vintage vehicle under Republic Act No. 11698 

For vintage vehicle with lost, incomplete, or inconsistent papers

Under this type, the following documents may be required before the vehicle can be registered:

1. Duly organized automobile or motorcycle association or interest group registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission;

2. At least five (5) years in existence; and

3. Affiliated with international groups, federation or association related to motorcycles, automobiles or vintage vehicles in general, or recognized by international governing bodies.

Note: The basis of the year model or year of manufacture must be the oldest component if any of the major components (i.e., engine chassis or body) of a vintage vehicle was taken from another vehicle belonging to the same historic model line or automobile brand lineage.

If the exact date of manufacture cannot be ascertained: The registration paper and entry in the database of the LTO shall indicate this fact and a permanent annotation that the “date of manufacture is not available but has been estimated by [name of authority/association].”

In addition to the submission of the documents enumerated above, the plates previously issued by the LTO to the subject vintage vehicle may be retained or surrendered for replacement subject to the following conditions:

• If the license plates that were originally issued when the vintage vehicles were still in production need not be surrendered. 
• If bearing a period-correct license plate, the plate may remain in the possession of the owner and may be only attached to the vintage when displayed in exhibits or museums, and not when the vintage vehicle is used in public roads.

Vintage Vehicle Registration Procedures

Upon the submission of the required documents, the vintage vehicle registration procedures will proceed as follows:

• The concerned LTO officer shall issue an endorsement containing the sample format of the notice for publication which the applicant will submit to a publisher of a newspaper of general circulation. 
• As proof that the notice was published, the applicant shall submit to the LTO a clipping of the publication and the affidavit of publication from the publisher of the newspaper where the publication was made.
• If the LTO receives no objection to the application or claim by third parties on the vehicle within three (3) months from the last date of publication, it shall register the vehicle as a vintage vehicle under these Rules.
• The registration will only commence upon the submission of an electronically transmitted appropriate TPL Insurance COC and payment of a one-time fee of ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) in addition to the regular fees and charges for the registration of vintage vehicles. 

Note: The registration of the vintage vehicle with the LTO and the issuance of a Certificate of Registration shall be without prejudice to rights of persons who may claim ownership of the vintage vehicle under applicable laws.

Re-stamping of Identification Serial Numbers of Vintage Vehicles

The owner of a vintage vehicle with an unreadable chassis number caused by corrosion may apply for the re-stamping of the original chassis number by the manufacturer or authorized restoration or repair shop by submitting the following documents to the Operations Division of the LTO Regional Office in the region where the vintage vehicle was last registered:

1. Original CR and latest original OR of registration payment;

2. Duly accomplished and approved MVIR, indicating that the impression of the chassis number is no longer legible;

3. Notarized affidavit explaining the reason for the re-stamping and stating that such vehicle will be registered as vintage vehicle; and

4. PNP-HPG recommendation to restore the original/registered chassis number.

Upon determination of the completeness of the documentary requirements, the concerned Regional Office shall seek confirmation/validation of the registration documents from the registered LTO District/Extension Office or authentication by the Property Section of the LTO Central Office. Once the registration documents are confirmed or authenticated, the concerned LTO Regional Director shall issue an authorization for the re-stamping of the original chassis number upon payment of the appropriate fees. 

The re-stamping process shall only be undertaken by the manufacturer or an authorized repair shop. Within three (3) days after re-stamping is completed, an affidavit of the mechanic who performed the re-stamping and a duly accomplished and approved MVIR with stencil impression reflecting the correct re-stamped chassis number shall be submitted to the LTO for purposes of documentation.

Note: No re-stamping shall be allowed for a corroded or deface engine number. Instead, the retrieval of the engine number must be done through macro-etching examination or other acceptable means of determining the identification marks in the engine by the PNP Forensic Group endorsed by the PNG-HPG. The engine number indicated in the Macro-Etching Certificate shall be used for registration.

In case some registration documents are lacking

Some owners may have issues with registering old vehicles due to the lack of relevant documents. In case a vehicle has no certificate of registration, official receipt, or other evidence of ownership or registration, the new law states that the said vehicle may still be registered as vintage provided that the owners can satisfy the following conditions:

• Owners must submit a Notarized Affidavit that says he is in possession of and owns the vehicle in question and that he knows no claim of the vehicle. The affidavit must also state how the owner acquired the vehicle.
• The owners must submit a clearance from the relevant police agency that there is no record of the vehicle being stolen. 
• Payment of a one-time reconstitution fee of P10,000 must then be paid on top of the regular registration fees and charges.

Upon application, the LTO shall publish a notice of such in a newspaper of general circulation once a week for three consecutive weeks at the expense of the applicant. The same notice shall be released through the LTO’s website within three days from the receipt of application. The notice will contain a description of the vehicle and state that someone has applied for its registration. 

If the LTO receives no objections or any claims from third parties within three months from the date of publication, it shall be registered as a vintage vehicle under RA 11968.

Permitted Use of Vintage Vehicles

According to RA 11698, there are limited use for vintage vehicles depending upon the condition specified during registration with LTO and as ascertained by the Vintage Vehicle Regulation Act:

• Vintage vehicles covered by this law may only be used for leisure driving or motorsports.
• Vintage vehicles cannot be used for commercial purposes like public transport or the delivery of goods. 
• The vehicles may be used for motion pictures, advertisements, pictorials, weddings, or motorcades.

• The law allows the importation of RHD units
• The law also allows importation of all vintage vehicles and the authentic components, original or replica body shells, engines and transmission, spare parts, and accessories.
• Vintage vehicles may also be exported without restriction, except for automobiles like presidential cars.
• Vintage presidential cars that are considered and certified by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) as those with historical significance to the country. The NHCP may authorize the exportation of such vehicles only for the purpose of repair or restoration abroad.

Non-restricted Vintage Car Exportation

Some vintage vehicles can be exported without restriction if it falls within the interest of preserving the cultural and historical heritage. This covers vintage vehicles and procedures like the exportation of vintage vehicles with historical significance to the country, such as vehicles of Presidents of the Philippines, as certified by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP). It cannot be sent elsewhere, in accordance with rules and guidelines, except for the purpose of repair or restoration abroad as authorized by the NHCP. 

The following vintage vehicles shall be considered as having historical significance to the country:

a. Those currently or previously in the ownership of any President of the Philippines;

b. Those regularly used as an official vehicle of the President of the Philippines or officially designated as such by the Presidential Security Group (PSG) or any of its legal predecessors or successors;

c. Those used as a private vehicle of the President of the Philippine during their term on a regular basis, and those used  by the President on historic events;

d. Those in the ownership or once owned by a person of historic significance as recognized by the NHCP, and those used by such person during a historic event;

e. Those used in events of historic significance that are considered one-of-a-kind or unique; and

f. Those used during periods prior to the common use of automobiles in the Philippines.

For recording purposes, the NHCP shall require the registration documents of the abovementioned vehicles as well as short summaries of their ownership to be submitted for assessment. Moreover, for vintage vehicles which are sought to be classified as vehicles that are owned or were owned or used by a President of the Philippines, the NHCP shall also coordinate with the present owners and the PSG, in applicable cases, to validate the truthfulness of the information submitted.

Tax Incentives

There will be no tariff exemptions for individuals looking to import or export vintage cars. However, shops and companies looking to bring in such vehicles for restoration in the Philippines or to export the same shall be entitled to fiscal and tax incentives provided in RA No. 11534 and other applicable laws.

LTO Database and Education for Vintage Vehicles

Under the Vintage Vehicle Regulation Act, the LTO shall create and maintain a database listing and describing vintage vehicles. This shall be shared with the NHCP.

The database will include the following: 

• A list of authorized and licensed shops and companies that provide repair and restoration services of vintage vehicles
• A list of authorized and licensed shops that manufacture spare and replacement parts for vintage vehicles
• Recognized private-sector associations 
• Vintage vehicle interest groups 
• Relevant government agencies such as the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)

The government shall actively engage these entities in strengthening programs for the development of skills and technologies in this and other related industries.

Important Reminders

For your reference, here are some important reminders related to the Vintage Vehicle Regulation Act:

• The law also allows for the importation of vehicles with RHD layouts. 
• In the essence of keeping the vehicles as original as possible, cars manufactured on or before December 31, 1970 can be registered with the LTO even with RHD configurations. 
• All vehicles applying for registration or renewal to benefit from this law will be subject to inspection to ensure period correctness and compliance with the permitted modifications.
• Vehicles manufactured after December 31, 1967 must be equipped with seatbelts. 
• All vehicles manufactured after December 31, 1975 must comply with the LTO’s minimum safety and roadworthiness guidelines.
• Vintage vehicles will not be required to meet modern standards on clean-air, anti-pollution, safety, road-use, and the like that were not yet enforced during the year said vehicles were produced.
• Registered vintage cars will be issued special plates containing the standard letter-number combinations along with the words “vintage vehicle” and the vehicle’s model year or year of manufacturing.
• If the exact date of manufacture cannot be ascertained, the registration paper and entry in the database of the LTO shall indicate this fact and a permanent annotation that the “date of manufacture is not available but has been estimated by [name of authority/association].”
• Vintage presidential cars that are considered and certified by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) as those with historical significance to the country.
• Under the Vintage Vehicle Regulation Act, the LTO shall create and maintain a database listing and describing vintage vehicles and share it with the NHCP.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

For more information on the Vintage Vehicle Regulation Act, we rounded up some of the most common questions and answers about it:

1. What is the vintage vehicle regulation law in the Philippines?

RA 11698 is a law enacted in April 2022 designed to cover vehicles that are already 40 years or over from the date of their original manufacturing. The law allows and details the restrictions and guidelines for the importation, exportation, and registration of vintage vehicles.

2. Can I use my vintage car to drive around for business purposes?

No. The Vintage Vehicle Regulation Act prohibits the use of a registered vintage vehicle for commercial purposes, except for motion pictures, advertisements, pictorials, weddings and motorcades.

3. Can I drive my vintage car for personal use?

Yes. Registered vintage vehicles may be used occasionally for personal purposes and leisure driving. As such, the registered vintage vehicle must not be used as the owner’s primary mode of transportation in the conveyance of passengers or goods. 

Summary

Many enthusiasts will claim that “Vintage vehicles are not mere ‘toys’. Of course, they are sources of pride and enjoyment and are artifacts or remnants of history as well. That said,  it is important to optimize the potential economic opportunities that they can create while preserving the country’s heritage in its motoring history. With the Vintage Vehicle Regulation Act in place, the Philippine government hopes that not only can they encourage the revival of vintage vehicles, but that they can offer benefits to the vintage car and its related industries as well.