The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is the prime agency in charge of road safety through driver and vehicle licensing, registration, and renewal. It is the agency that regulates roadworthy vehicles on the road, by requiring them to go through a series of stringent registration renewal procedures to check its roadworthiness every year, after the initial registration validity of three years has expired.
Also Read: LTO Renewal of Car Registration: Renew Motor Vehicle License Online
Needless to say, it is also the LTO offices, located in various places in the country, that are tasked with carrying out the regulatory procedures related to registration renewal. It is also the LTO that imposes fines and penalties in cases when someone fails to renew their car registrations. To learn more about what to expect when your car registration expires, how to renew, and what requirements to prepare to do so, keep reading this guide.
Renewing Your Car Registration
As a car owner, it is your responsibility to ensure that your motor vehicle (MV) will not pose a danger to yourself, to others, and to the property of others. It is by religiously going through the annual registration renewal procedures that you get to have a complete check on your vehicle, along with a safety stamp provided by the government to prove that it is safe and roadworthy. However, renewing your car’s registration is not as simple as it involves numerous steps in the registration process as well as strict guidelines and different renewal dates.
With that, we have made a complete guide to help you prepare for your MV registration renewal when it is about to expire. We also added information on the things you need to keep in mind like designated registration date and documentary requirements for your convenience.
Why Do You Need to Go Through the LTO Renewal Process for Existing Vehicles
Your initial LTO car registration is valid for three years. Once the three years are up and the registration expires, then you will need to renew on schedule for the following reasons:
- To avoid having to pay hefty fines.
- A week’s delay means a fine of ₱200
- If the delay goes beyond a month, the fine is equivalent to 50% of the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC)
- If you get caught driving an unregistered vehicle, you’ll pay a hefty fine of ₱10,000
- Other penalties resulting from non-renewal of car registration renewal
When Should I Renew my LTO Car Registration
You can’t just walk into an LTO office and apply for a vehicle renewal as you please. The LTO actually uses a plate number-based system to determine the schedule to renew your car registration in the Philippines. All motorists must stick to this schedule for your LTO car registration renewal as it will cost you some of your hard-earned money when delayed.
To determine the schedule and deadlines for renewing your car registration, you must take a look at the last two digits of your plate number. The last digit corresponds to the monthly deadline, whereas the second to the last digit of your plate number corresponds to the weekly deadline for your car registration renewal.
With this scheduling scheme, it is easy to plan your renewal. There shouldn’t be an excuse, as everything is dictated by your plate number. To avoid hassles and delays, you can renew your car registration a month before its deadline, for at least one month in advance.
LTO Requirements for Car Registration Renewal
There are numerous LTO requirements for the renewal of car registration. These requirements are important as they are intended to help LTO regulate the sale and acquisition of illegal cars and to ensure that the vehicles on the roads are roadworthy and will not cause accidents.
These requirements for car registration renewal are as follows:
General Requirements
- Original LTO copy or electronically transmitted Appropriate Insurance Certificate of Cover (COC) (Third Party Liability)
- Original copy of the Certificate of Emission Compliance (CEC)
- Photocopy of Certificate of Registration (CR) and Official Receipt of payment
- Duly accomplished and approved Motor Vehicle Inspection Report (MVIR)
- Taxpayer’s Identification Number (TIN)
- Early warning device (may be required during vehicle inspection)
Additional Requirements
Depending on the type of motor vehicle, there may be additional documentary requirements that car owners need to present to renew their car registration.
These additional requirements are listed below:
Additional Requirement for Tax-Exempt Vehicle
- Original Endorsement with control number
Additional Requirement for Other Exempt Vehicle (OEV) under Special Economic Zones
- Original certification that proves the motor vehicle is still classified as an OEV
Additional Requirements for Vehicles Used for Rentals (For Hire Units)
- Electronically transmitted franchised confirmation or Provisional Authority (PA) or petition for an extension of validity duly received by the LTFRB with OR
- Certified copy of the Valid Motorized Tricycle Operator’s Permit (MTOP) with Official Receipt
Additional Requirements for Stolen and Recovered Vehicles
- Original and photocopy of the Lifting of General Alarm
- Presentation of the original and submission of a photocopy of the Report of Recovery
- Presentation of the original and submission of a photocopy of the Alarm Sheet
- Original Certificate of re-stamping in case of tampered engine/chassis
- Original PNP Crime Laboratory (macro etching report) or National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) report fully identifying the motor vehicle and stating therein the tampering done on the engine or chassis, if any
LTO Renewal Fees
The fees for LTO renewal are exactly the same as that of the initial registration, with the addition of the following:
- A renewal fee of ₱400.00.
- The Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC) or road user tax
How to Renew Your LTO Car Registration
The LTO car registration renewal procedure is practically the same as the process for registering the car for the first time.
For MV registration in person, here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Prepare the documents.
Step 2: Go to the LTO office and submit your documents to the receiving clerk in your preferred LTO branch.
Step 3: Get an estimate of the fees you need to pay.
Step 4: Pay the fees amounting to the same fee as when you first register your vehicle with the addition of ₱400.00 renewal fee and wait for your Official Receipt (OR).
Step 5: Go through your vehicle’s inspection either via LTO-accredited private inspection center or by the LTO inspection center to ensure that it’s still road-safe after all these years.
Step 6: Get your inspection report (MVIR). If your inspection went well, then you’ll have finished with the entire renewal process by then.
Renewing your vehicle’s registration can also be done online, via the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) portal. It’s quick and easy and takes only a few minutes. Here’s how:
Step 1: Subject your vehicle to an inspection and an emission test so the owner can acquire a Certificate of Emission Compliance (CEC).
Step 2: You need to get a Certificate of Coverage (COC) from the insurance company of your choice. The insurance company will then electronically transmit the COC to the LTO.
Step 3: Bring your vehicle to a Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Center (PMVIC) to check its roadworthiness and secure an inspection report. The PMVIC will then electronically transmit the inspection report via the LTMS.
Step 4: Log in to the LTMS portal to initiate the online registration renewal.
Step 5: Pay the fees online and wait for the system to generate a receipt via your email.
Important Reminders
For LTO registration renewals, here are some conditions that need to be met:
For online renewals
- The LTO registration renewal online is only applicable to plain renewals.
- You need to create an LTMS account and an LTO Client ID, regardless if you are renewing your vehicle registration as an individual or as a member of an organization.
- You need to have had your last vehicle renewal transaction accomplished using the LTMS.
- The vehicle due for renewal must be linked to the registered LTMS account.
- The vehicle owner registered in the Certificate of Registration (CR) must be the current owner.
- The Certificate of Coverage (COC) must be validated and transmitted by the Insurance Commission.
- The inspection report must be issued and transmitted electronically by the PMVIC.
- The details of the vehicle must be updated to include the latest plate issuance.
For personal visit to any LTO office
- Make sure you have an LTO Client ID to prove that you have registered to the LTMS portal.
- Come early to avoid long lines that form as the day progresses.
- Bring your early warning device (EWD), a mandatory car accessory (except for motorcycles and tricycles), as you might need it during your vehicle inspection.
- Keep your car in good running condition to prepare it for inspection.
- Keep your documents and receipts in duplicates to avoid delaying the process.
Video: Renewing your Vehicle Registration
Learn how to renew your car or motorcycle registration online by watching Pinoy Car Guy walks you through the entire process in this video:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Got some questions on LTO car registration and renewal? Check out this list of common questions and answers before heading out:
1. Is it possible to change my plate number?
No, changing your plate number isn’t allowed. The identification and letters of any plate number of a motor vehicle are permanently assigned, except in special cases when there is a change in denomination/classification (e.g., change of private vehicle to rental or government vehicle to private).
2. I want to check if the OR/CR of the pre-owned vehicle I want to buy is authentic. How do I do it?
To check the authenticity of the OR/CR of a pre-owned vehicle, you just need to go to the LTO Property Section at East Avenue, Quezon City.
3. Is it possible to get a duplicate OR/CR in case I lose my own copy?
Yes. But first, you need to prepare a Notarized Affidavit of Loss. Then, you need to head to your originating district office and present the affidavit, along with two (2) valid IDs for identity verification. Once all the requirements are validated, the originating district office will issue you a duplicate OR/CR.
Summary
The LTO car registration and renewal process can be quite complicated. But, with the creation of the LTMS online portal, the agency sure is taking steps to streamline the process and make it less burdensome and more convenient for the people who need them. The vehicle registration renewal process is just one of the numerous LTO services that has been revamped with the new online process. Though it may still cause some inconvenience, the benefits of going online far exceeds the inconvenience of having to sign up for an account online..