How to Change Engine of Motor Vehicle in LTO

Changing the engine through “modification,” contrary to popular belief, is not prohibited, as long as it meets the standards of approved parameters. That means that modification of the engine or its basic components are allowed so long as it does not change the vehicle classification. Changing the engine in a way that affects its performance, so long as it does not compromise the road safety in any way, is not prohibited by the rules and regulations of the Land Transportation Office (LTO). 

Changing the engine of a vehicle, while not prohibited, still requires a Certificate of Road Safety from the manufacturer before it can be allowed. It is, however, subject to inspection by the LTO for possible reclassification. Aside from this, changing engines is allowed upon application for a permit to do so. 

change engine of vehicle in lto

LTO Vehicle Modifications: Change Engine

There are different types of car or vehicle modifications. However, for our purposes, we are only discussing the changes in engine for private and for-hire motor vehicles in the country. Just like other types of changes in motor vehicles though, a change in the engine of a motor vehicle inherently changes the factory original,  effectively customizing it to your needs and preferences. 

Changing a car engine is one of the more difficult modifications you can ever engage  in. It requires different approaches depending on whether the engine is new, rebuilt, or taken out of donor cars. Though the process of engine swap may vary depending on the make and model, most of the processes are fairly universal, so it is possible to check for a guideline of the procedures required.

Benefits of Changing the Engine of a Motor Vehicle

Being able to change your vehicle’s engine at will means enjoying the following benefits: 

  • You may upgrade your vehicle into one that suits your speed and performance preferences.
  • A change in vehicle engine may give the car a better resale value.
  • Depending on the type of engine source you choose, you may be able to enjoy a longer vehicle lifespan. 
  • You may be able to get a safer car, especially when swapping with a new motor as they usually have better performance.
  • It gives you freedom to decide how you want your car to perform.
  • You can save more money as engine swapping is cheaper than buying a new car.

Eligibility to Change the Engine of a Motor Vehicle

Just like when making any other type of modifications, changing the engine of a motor vehicle is allowed to anyone who owns a registered motor vehicle and who intends to swap engines for whatever reason. These changes are allowed by LTO, provided that those who are requesting for such change can present all the requirements and have the ability to pay all the relevant LTO fees.

LTO Requirements for Engine Swapping

Car modifications resulting in changes in the car engine may be allowed, but it has to be declared and permitted by the LTO. As such, engine swapping requires the car owners to inform the relevant authorities of the changes. When you are applying to change the engine of your motor vehicle, you need to be ready with the following list of documents.

General Requirements

The basic requirements include the following:

Additional Requirements

The need for additional documents may vary depending on the type of change the car owner wishes to apply for. For changes in the car body design, here’s a list of the additional requirements 

  • If For-Hire, LTFRB electronic confirmation 
  • Original and one (1) photocopy of Certificate of Stock Reported (CSR) and Sales Invoice
  • Original Deed of Sale/Deed of Donation of engine if sourced from previously registered motor vehicles acquired from different persons or entities
  • Original Joint Affidavit of Change Engine by owner
  • Latest original Official Receipt (OR) of Motor Vehicle User Charge (MVUC) and other LTO fees payment
  • Taxpayer’s Identification Number (TIN)

How to File Application for Change Engine of Motor Vehicles

Changing your vehicle engine is a simple LTO process. Like other LTO transactions, it requires submission of the documentary requirements mentioned above. 

Here’s the step-by-step procedure on how to apply for a swap engine of your vehicle:

Step 1: Visit the LTO Office closest to you. 

Step 2: Secure a queue number at the LTO officer-in-charge and wait for your turn.

Step 3: Once your number is called, proceed to the transaction counters. 

Step 4: Submit all the required documents to the Evaluator for evaluation and computation of fees.

Step 5: Once the evaluation is completed, get the actual inspection of motor vehicles with duly accomplished Motor Vehicle Inspection Report (MVIR) done.

Step 6: Once the MVIR is ready, proceed to the queue for the cashier window and wait for your turn.

Step 7: Once your name is called, pay for the necessary fees and secure an Official Receipt (OR).

Step 8: Once done, proceed to the Releasing Counter.

Step 9: Present the OR to get the new Certificate of Registration (CR), plates, stickers, and other requested documents.

Step 10: Once you have received the CR and other relevant documents, signs in the CR log book.

Where to File Application for Change Engine

Filing for a change in color for your motor vehicle can be done in any LTO Office, district, or extension offices, whichever is more convenient.

Fees for LTO Engine Swap Transactions

The procedures for engine swap for motor vehicles in LTO will require applicants to pay the following:

  • A total of one hundred pesos (P100.00) for the color change fee.
  • Other LTO fees (MVUC, etc.)

Important Reminders

For your reference, here are some things you need to remember when applying for a change in color:

  • Note that all types of changes are subject to inspection as it needs to be checked for safety and to ensure that the change will not cause harm to yourself and to others.
  • That said, the procedure always comes with other fees. 
  • Changing the engine of a motor vehicle is an optional procedure. 
  • It can be done at any of the LTO offices in the Philippines.
  • Engine swapping is only possible if it is compatible with your vehicle in terms of the following:
    • Fuel choice (gas, diesel, electricity)
    • Cylinder layouts (straight, in-line, V, flat)
    • Cylinder configurations (twin cylinder, three cylinder, four cylinder)

Video: Guide on the Requirements for Changing Engines in LTO

You can learn more about the procedures on how to change engines in LTO by watching this video from Mivec Man Challenge.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

To help make your application for change in vehicle body design as painless as possible, we rounded up the most common questions and answers related to it.

1. Can I apply for the change in engine from any LTO branch office?

Yes. You may swap engines and have it registered at any LTO branch, provided that they offer the service. 

2. Is there a difference when filing for applications for change of engine between private and for hire vehicles?

Yes. There are differences in documentary requirements, but the procedures remain the same. The restrictions remain the same as well, in the sense that it is allowed so long as it doesn’t cause change in vehicle classification.

3. How much does it cost to get an engine swap done in the Philippines?

The price may vary depending on the type of engine—be it brand new, used, or donated from an old car—you require. There are other factors, including engine type, power, condition, fuel, and transmission that may cause a difference in the price for swapping engines.

4. Is LTO imposing a fee for changing the engine of my car?

Yes. The LTO collects a P100.00 charge for changing the engine of your car.

Summary

Engine swapping may not seem like a common practice, but if you are looking for cheaper alternatives to buying a car while looking to extend the lifespan of your car, then engine swapping is the best way to do so. Good thing, changing car engines is allowed by the LTO, and at a minimal price too. However, do note that there might be other LTO fees and a hefty price for the engine swap to worry about. 

How to Request for Re-Stamping of Chassis Number in LTO

Re-stamping of chassis number is a service offered by the Land Transportation Office (LTO). Though it is usually done on motor vehicles whose chassis numbers have been defaced, it isn’t something you can do on your own. Instead, you make a request for authorization from the LTO to have the procedures done at an LTO-accredited manufacturer or rebuilder.

Making such a service request means the motor vehicle owners are trying to seek authorization to have the chassis number re-stamped for vehicles of which the chassis number is unreadable due to corrosion or has been imported from a region which does not require the vehicle identification number (VIN) being stamped in the chassis/frame. It’s a simple process, too. All you need is to prepare the documentary requirements and get started with the procedures at your preferred LTO office. 

restamping chassis number in lto

What is Chassis Number Re-Stamping?

Chassis re-stamping refers to the process of stamping the chassis number of motor vehicles with defaced chassis numbers. It ensures that the chassis number, also known as the vehicle identification number (VIN) or frame number, is visible and readable. After all, the LTO, as the regulatory body, needs to confirm that the vehicle and its parts are the MV’s original components by matching it with the unique identifiers embedded in the VIN which also includes serial numbers. 

Other than being an identifier for original motor vehicle components, ensuring that the chassis number is visible is a particularly important item in the Motor Vehicle Inspection Report (MVIR). The stencil or macro-etching procedure for chassis numbers may no longer be mandatory for renewing MV registrations under the same owner but if you intend to sell, the new owner will need the chassis numbers to at least be visible and to match the one on record. As such, it is an important step that can’t be done just anywhere. It has to be at an LTO-accredited manufacturer or rebuilder and it requires authorization from the LTO itself.

Benefits of Chassis Number Re-stamping

Re-stamping of chassis number actually comes with certain benefits like:

  • Easier renewal of vehicle registration for second-hand car owners

  • Clear and visible VIN for easier MV verification

  • Visible chassis number for checking for apprehensions and alarm

  • Clean MVIR

  • Better chassis readability for when needed by verification of public authorities

Qualifications for Chassis Number Re-stamping

Requests for re-stamping of chassis numbers are usually made by the following:

  • Motor Vehicle Owners

Requirements for Chassis Number Re-stamping

When requesting for the re-stamping of chassis number in motor vehicles, applicants will need to prepare the following documentary requirements:

  • Original Certificate of Registration (CR)

  • Affidavit of Owner stating the reason/s or need for re-stamping

Other Documentary Requirements

  • Latest original Official Receipt (OR) of payment

  • Endorsement of District Office that issued the latest Certificate of Registration (CR)

  • Approval of the Regional Director

  • Result of laboratory examination from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory

  • TMG recommendation

  • Affidavit of Mechanic who performed the re-stamping

  • Actual inspection of MV with duly accomplished MVIR (Motor Vehicle Inspection Report)

  • Taxpayer’s Identification Number (TIN)

Procedures for Chassis Number Re-stamping

To request for a re-stamping of the chassis number from the LTO, here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Visit your preferred LTO Regional Offices Operations Division or LTO District Offices near you.

Step 2: Proceed to the Customer Service Counter and have your documents checked for authenticity and completeness.

Step 3: Secure a Conductor’s License Application Form.

Step 4: Secure a queue number and wait for your turn.

Step 5: When your number is called, proceed to the transaction counters.

Step 6: Submit the application form for re-stamping with all your documentary requirements to the Evaluator.

Step 7: Wait for the CR to be confirmed and the endorsement to the concerned LTO District Office. 

  • If the issuing LTO DO is within the region, they will inspect and retrieve the record upon submission of requirements.

  • If the issuing LTO DO is elsewhere, then you will get an endorsement to the issuing DO for endorsement.

Step 8: Once the records are retrieved and verified, you will be issued an endorsement and instruction to go to the Philippine National Police – Traffic Management Group (PNP-TMG) for the Laboratory examination of the motor vehicle.

Step 9: Proceed to the PNP-TMG for the Laboratory Examination of the motor vehicle.

Step 10: After receiving the PNP/TMG Crime Laboratory Report, proceed to the transacting DO and submit it along with the other requirements for evaluation and approval of re-stamping request.

Step 11: Proceed to the LTO accredited manufacturer/ rebuilder to effect re-stamping of motor vehicles.

Step 12: Submit the stencils of the re-stamped engine/chassis and pay for the re-stamping fee. 

Step 13: Wait for the certificate of re-stamping to be released along with the official receipt (OR). 

Fees for Chassis Number Re-stamping

Requesting for chassis number re-stamping generally only entails paying the LTO the amount of P 90.00 for re-stamping purposes. However, it may require the payment of other LTO fees depending on the requirements you need to secure.

Where to Get it Done

Requesting for chassis number re-stamping can be done at any of the following LTO offices in the Philippines:

  • Regional Offices Operations Division 

  • District Offices

Important Reminders

If you are requesting for chassis number re-stamping, then you can keep these things in mind to make the transaction easier.

  • Chassis modification is something the LTO doesn’t usually allow except for certain circumstances. 

  • Re-stamping is usually done for a defaced chassis number. In cases of chassis modification, a request for changing chassis number is required. 

  • The car’s chassis, or frame, refers to the very foundation where every other component that the motor vehicle carries is built on. As such, it is an important part that needs strict monitoring, which is something that the LTO does.

  • Note that chassis re-stamping requires clearance from the PNP-TMG, so requests for such are subject to laboratory examination which checks for signs of tampering.

  • You may only request for chassis number re-stamping at LTO Regional Offices Operations Division or LTO District Offices.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

For your reference, here are some common questions and answers regarding re-stamping of chassis numbers in LTO.

1. Are engine numbers and chassis numbers the same?

No. Both the numbers are stamped in the motor vehicle to provide different identification of the car’s model and the engine number. While the Chassis Number or VIN provides details such as the manufacturing date, car model, engine type, fuel type, etc., the engine number is exclusive to the engine block.

2. Should engine and chassis numbers match?

Not necessarily. Engines have serial numbers specific to the production run of that engine. The VIN number has identifiers specific to the car frame and its components and will always be different from the engine number, except in certain cases. Aftermarket reman engines often have heat tabs on the freeze plugs while collector cars will always have the engine and chassis numbers matching.

3. Is the engine information included in the VIN?

Yes. The VIN number, or vehicle identification number, has information on the size of the engine. In the series of numbers and letters in the VIN, the tenth from the left denotes the model year and the eighth is the engine code.

4. Where can I find the chassis number and engine number?

Usually, the Engine Number of a motor vehicle is printed on the outer covering or engine casing of the vehicle’s engine. On the other hand, the car’s chassis number is usually found in the engine bay or beneath the plastic trim around the driver or passenger door opening. Both are used for identification purposes, but they are not the same. They are two different and unique numbers that are equally important identifiers of a motor vehicle.

5. Is it possible to change the VIN or chassis number?

No. VINs, or Vehicle Identification Numbers or chassis numbers, are like the fingerprints of a vehicle and are unique to every car despite similarities in the make and model. 

6. Can I punch the chassis number on my vehicle by myself, like when I get it repaired after being broken?

No. These things need to be declared with the LTO and only after an LTO authorization or approval can you get the chassis number stenciled and stamped. However, you can’t do it by yourself either, as it needs to be done by LTO-accredited manufacturers or rebuilders.

7. Where can I get more information about re-stamping chassis numbers? 

For more information, you may check with the LTO, via the LTO via the LTO Regional Offices Operations Division or LTO District Offices which handle approval of re-stamping chassis number requests.

Summary

Re-stamping of chassis number is a service offered by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for those who own motor vehicles whose chassis numbers have been defaced. With this service, the agency ensures that the chassis numbers match the original document as registered and that no tampering has been done on it. As such, the motor vehicle is usually subjected to a laboratory examination and only after being cleared will it be approved for re-stamping at LTO-accredited manufacturers or rebuilder in the country. 

LTO Tacurong City Office Location and Contact Information

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) Tacurong City refers to the lone LTO office based in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat: the LTO Tacurong City District Office (DO). Like the other LTO branches in the Philippines, the LTO Tacurong City District Office was also created so the agency can offer fast, convenient, accessible, and affordable LTO services to the people. With the LTO office in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, the agency strives to better monitor and regulate the local and visiting drivers, car owners, and operators, as well as the vehicle use and the entire land transport service in the area and within its geographical area of responsibility (GAOR). The agency, through these branch offices, also keeps its presence alive in the local land transport sector, and ensures that its core programs and services reach the people—both drivers and pedestrians—whom they want to keep safe.  

Originally called ‘Pamasang,’ Tacurong City is a well-known destination for tourists who are onto bird watching. It is also the home of the famed a Talakudong Festival – “The Festival of Hats” and an impressive selection of attractions. The city, though the smallest in Sultan Kudarat, is in a strategic location, allowing it to play a pivotal role in developing the city into one with a competitive and dynamic economy. Thanks to the economic development of the province and its adjacent areas, Tacurong City has long become the commercial, educational and agro-industrial center of Sultan Kudarat and an ideal home for private and public offices like LTO in the area. 

lto tacurong office location and contact number

What is LTO Tacurong City? 

LTO Tacurong City refers to the lone LTO office stationed in the City of Tacurong in Sultan Kudarat: the LTO Tacurong City District Office (DO). This LTO office serves as the local frontliner of the Central Office, offering various LTO programs and services within the reach of the local transacting public in the City of Tacurong. Through this office as well, the LTO brings its core programs and services as an agency, making them available and accessible to the locals who need them, particularly to those who work behind the wheels.

LTO Tacurong City District Office (DO)

As the one and only LTO branch office in Tacurong City, the LTO Tacurong City District Office (DO) serves as the main go-to office for both the locals and the visiting drivers, car owners, and operators when filing for documents to comply with the LTO requirements. This branch office also offers better LTO services, bringing closer the activities and campaigns of the Secretariat in an effort to keep the people safe on the road.

List of Services Offered by LTO Tacurong City DO

All LTO services are meant to keep the public roads safe. These services ensure that only the most roadworthy drivers and vehicles are allowed on the roads. 

To learn more about the different LTO services, here’s a list of the common ones offered in many of the LTO offices nationwide:

  • License and Permit
    • Student Permit

    • New Driver’s License (Non-Professional)

    • Conductor’s License

    • Plain or Advance Renewal of Driver’s/Conductor’s License and Renewal of Driver’s License of Filipino Living Abroad

    • Miscellaneous License Transactions

    • Renewal of Driver’s / Conductor’s License with Examination [Expired for more than two (2) years] and/or with ten (10) or more but less than forty (40) Demerit Points

    • Change Classification from Non-Professional Driver’s License (NPDL)  Code to Professional Driver’s License Code with Same Driver’s License (PDL) Code

    • Additional Driver’s License Code/s

    • Conversion of Foreign Driver’s License to Philippine Driver’s License Including Renewal of Expired Philippine Driver’s License with a Valid Foreign Driver’s License

    • Change Classification from Professional Driver’s License (PDL) Code to Non-Professional Driver’s License Code (NPDL), Dropping of DL Code and Change Clutch Type

    • Request for System Updates (RSU) for Double License

    • Request for System Update (RSU) for License and Customer Details/Misrepresentation of Age/Identity

    • Accreditation of Medical Clinics – New

    • Accreditation of Medical Clinics – Renewal

    • Registration of Physicians – New

    • Registration of Physicians – Renewal

    • Accreditation of Driving School / Driving Enhancement Program Training Center – New

    • Accreditation of Driving School / Driving Enhancement Program Training Center – Renewal

    • Accreditation of Driving Instructor – New

    • Accreditation of Driving Instructor – Renewal

    • Examination for Driving School Instructors

    • Driving Enhancement Program (DEP)

  • Vehicle Registration
    • Initial Registration of Motor Vehicle (MV)

    • Renewal of Motor Vehicle (MV) Registration

    • Storage of Motor Vehicle

    • Miscellaneous Transactions

    • Re-Stamping of Engine/Chassis Number

    • Request for Motor Vehicle Verification

    • Motor Vehicle Inspection

  • Miscellaneous Transactions
    • Duplicate OR/CR

    • Duplicate Plate

    • Transfer of Ownership

    • Annotation & Cancellation of Mortgage

    • Revision of Records

    • Duplicate License (for Lost Licenses)

  • Insurance

  • Proper Driver Education

  • Law Enforcement
    • Settlement of Admitted Apprehension

    • Adjudication of Contested Apprehension

    • Encoding of Alarm

    • Filing of Complaint and Lifting of Alarm

    • Lifting of Alarm (Traffic Adjudication Service)

    • Certification of No Pending Apprehension and Alarm

  • Collection of fees from law enforcement violations

  • Drug testing

  • Emission testing

  • Inventory of Plates

  • Issuance of Vanity License Plates

  • Issuance of Special Plates

  • The use of self-service kiosks 

  • Process Application for New Driver’s License (DL) via the Automated Driver’s License Examination System (ADLES) Facility 

However, some LTO branch offices are not equipped enough to offer certain LTO services, it’s in your best interest to check with your preferred LTO branch office, be it LTO Tacurong City DO or otherwise, first to confirm that the service you need is available there if you are visiting the branch.

How to Contact LTO Tacurong City

Reaching out to LTO Tacurong City can be done either through either of the following: By making a call via the phone, by email, or via their official social media account. It can also be by visiting the LTO Tacurong City DO directly or its supervising office, the LTO Region 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN or Central Mindanao) regional office. 

To reach out to the LTO Region 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN) regional office, please check the following contact information:

Land Transportation Office Region 12 – Office of the Regional Director

Agency Code: 1200
Office Address: LTO Regional Office 12, Purok Yellowbell, Brgy. Sta. Cruz, Koronadal City, South Cotabato
Telephone Number: (083) 878-0764
Head of Agency: Macario D. Gonzaga
Email Address: mb_gonzaga@yahoo.com
Operating Hours: 8AM – 5PM (Mondays-Fridays)

Contact Information

To reach out to LTO Tacurong City District Office (DO), please check out the following contact details:

LTO Tacurong City District Office (DO)

Agency Code: 1244
Office Address: Roxas Street, Poblacion Tacurong City
Telephone Number: (064) 562 3660
Head of Agency: SVTRO Mary Ann D. Trabado
Email Address: ltotacurong@gmail.com
Official Facebook Page: https://web.facebook.com/LTOTacurong/?_rdc=1&_rdr
Operating hours: 8AM – 5PM (Mondays to Fridays)

Where is Tacurong City

Tacurong, officially known as the City of Tacurong, is a fourth class component city in the landlocked province of Sultan Kudarat. It is the smallest in land area among the province’s 12 municipalities and is located at the center of Central Mindanao. It is 92 kms. from General Santos City, 96 kms. from Cotabato City and 178 kms. from Davao City. It is situated at the crossroads of the Davao-Gen. Santos-Cotabato highways. Thanks to its strategic location, the city has become a stopover point for travelers and the Oblate Missionaries on their way to different parts of Cotabato Province. It is also this strategic location that made the city the population, financial, commercial, education, and rest and recreation center of the area. It is bounded by the municipalities of Lambayong, to the north; Isulan to the west; Pres. Quirino to the east; and by Tantangan of South Cotabato Province to the south.

Google Map Location

To learn more about the travel routes and the driving directions to Tacurong City and the LTO Tacurong City District Office (DO), you may check the map below:

LTO Tacurong City District Office (DO)

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