The Land Transportation Office (LTO) in the Philippines is the agency in charge of regulating and issuing license plates. These number plates are segregated into three types: private, public, and official use. The agency also issues personalized or vanity license plates (VLPs), officially called Optional Motor Vehicle Special Plates (OMVSP), if the price is right.
Vanity License Plates are also known as customized plates, personalized plates, or special plate numbers.
The issuance of vanity license plates or LTO Personalized Plate Numbers is quite controversial in the country for several reasons. One, it costs a lot of money, and two, there are also some non-standard vanity plates that are not issued by the LTO.
There are also some procedures to complete before a vehicle can be legally allowed to bear a custom plate number. To learn about these procedures, as well as the requirements, pricing, and everything else you need to know about getting an LTO Vanity License Plates, then keep reading this guide.
What is an official LTO Vanity Plate?
An official LTO vanity license plate (VLP), also known as Optional Motor Vehicle Special Plates (OMVSP), is a vanity plate or a personalized plate issued by the LTO. Like the regular VLPs, the official plates are customized, allowing the motorist to choose any letter or number combinations, though with the following restrictions:
- It contains a unique combination, with no registered duplicate anywhere else in the country.
- The plate is not in the same format as those of the special plates reserved for government vehicles.
- The motorist pays the fee for VLPs.
What are the different types of VLPs?
The LTO offers three different types of vanity plates: limited, premium, and select editions. Unfortunately, the limited and premium editions are no longer being offered, but the select edition still is, though it comes with a not-so-commoner-friendly price tag.
Limited edition VLPs
The Limited Edition is exactly that – a limited edition type of customized number plate. It is so limited that the agency has not produced any since 2005. The last piece was offered through a public auction at a floor price of P50,000. Limited Edition VLPs have four to six characters containing either identical numbers or identical characters. Note that for this type, combining both numbers and letters on one plate is not allowed. Along with the unique number plate, the Limited Edition VLP offers the motorist an exemption from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Unified Vehicle Volume Reduction Program, which is more commonly known as the number coding scheme. By far, the most expensive limited edition number plate on Philippine roads has 88888 stamped on it and it costs just slightly cheaper than a Chinese car at P400,000.
Premium Edition
The Premium Edition VLP is the more affordable version of the specially customized plate issued by LTO at P15,000. The characters on the premium plate have six characters, consisting of three numbers and three letters just like a regular number plate. The only difference is, the characters are in reversed order, like 888 IOU. Note that the cars carrying this type of plate are not exempted from the coding system. Unlike the Limited Edition, the Premium Edition VLP is still available in the market, though the last VLP of this type was sold in 2007.
Select Edition VLP
Unlike the Limited edition VLPs, the Select Edition VLP is also still available in the market, at P10,000. With the Select Edition VLP, motorists are allowed to use a unique combination of their choice of characters and numbers with a minimum of three and a maximum of six characters. But while you can use this type of vanity plate to proclaim to the world how vain you are with plates that say IMSEXY, this type of VLP does not offer the privilege to dodge traffic enforcers when you violate the coding scheme.
What vehicles are eligible for a VLP?
The officially issued OMVSPs or Optional Motor Vehicle Special Plates (OMVSP) are available for private vehicles like SUVs, AUVs, pickups, and more. It doesn’t have to be intended for a brand new vehicle either as an official vanity license plate can be issued even to older registered vehicles.
Here’s a list of vehicles under the four-wheel category that is eligible for a VLP, according to the LTO:
Existing motor vehicles
- Cars (sedans, hatchbacks, wagons)
- Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV)
- Vintage and Collectors
- Asian Utility Vehicle (UAV)
- Sports pick up
- Commuter vans
New motor vehicles
- Cars (sedans, hatchbacks, wagons)
- Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV)
- Vintage and Collectors
- Asian Utility Vehicle (UAV)
- Sports pick up
- Commuter vans
Meanwhile, public utility vehicles as well as any vehicle above the four-wheel category are not allowed to bear a vanity plate.
Here’s a list of Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) that are ineligible for vanity plates:
- Cargo Trucks (private/for hire)
- Service vehicle (hotel, limousines, tourist vehicles, rent-a-car, ambulance, and funeral hearse)
- Vintage Vehicle
- Government Vehicle
- Diplomatic/OE Vehicle
- Used Imported/Surplus MV
- MV with more than 4-wheel category
What are the benefits of owning an LTO vanity license plate?
Some of the benefits that come with getting an LTO vanity license plate include:
- Better investment for personal or business branding
- Better expression of individual personality
- Unique character and look to your car
- Available to most private vehicle types
What are the requirements for securing a vanity license plate from LTO?
When applying for a vanity license plate at your preferred LTO branch anywhere in the country, you need to check first if they entertain vanity license plate applications or if they issue vanity license plates. Once you’ve confirmed this, you need to prepare the following documentary requirements:
- Duly accomplished OMVSP (Request for Vanity Plate) application form by the owner or duly authorized representative.
Note: The OMVSP application form is available for download at https://lto.gov.ph/lto-forms/file/3-application-for-optional-motor-vehicle-special-plates.html.
- A certified true copy of the latest Official Receipt (OR) issued by the Transacting district office (TDO)
- Certified true copy of the Certificate of Registration (CR), issued by the TDO
- Certificate of No Plate Issued from the TDO to prove that no plates have been issued to the motor vehicle together with the official receipt of payment of the certification fee
- Sales Invoice (in lieu of other documents to authenticate the year model or to determine whether the motor vehicle is brand new)
- The ID of the Authorized Representative or Owner
- Authorization Letter from Owner (If Applicable)
How to get a vanity plate from the LTO?
Here’s a complete step-by-step procedure on how to secure an LTO vanity license plate (VLP):
Step 1: First, your car needs to be registered with the LTO, which means you need to go through the entire process of how to register a motor vehicle.
Step 2: Visit the LTO office, and submit the documentary requirements listed above to the Secretariat, Bids, and Awards (BAC) Committee located in LTO, East Avenue, Quezon City
Step 3: If the request is approved, pay the applicable fees and charges to the Treasury Section of the LTO office.
Step 4: Once paid, bring your receipt and proceed to the MID-Computer Section for transmittal to the Administrative Division.
Step 5: Assuming that all the submitted documents are in order, wait for at least seven (7) working days (if you are within Metro Manila) or longer (if you are in the provinces) to secure the vanity plate.
LTO Vanity Plate Number Request Application Form
The LTO Vanity Plate Number Application Form is a document that needs to be filled out by a vehicle owner who wishes to apply for a personalized or vanity plate number. The form requires personal information, such as the applicant’s name, address, contact details, and email address. Check out the application request form below:
The form asks for vehicle information, such as the make, model, year, and other identifying information about the vehicle. The applicant must also provide their desired vanity plate number and a reason for the request. After the application has been submitted, the applicant must wait for LTO’s review of their request.
Where to get a vanity license plate (VLP)?
You may visit the MID-Computer Section of the LTO Central Office located on East Avenue, Quezon City, or at any LTO regional or district office nationwide.
How much does it cost to get a vanity license plate in the Philippines?
Under this program, the owner of the covered brand-new motor vehicle or its duly authorized representative may apply at any authorized LTO Regional/District Offices for an OMVSP pair. The plate number fees for these plates are as follows:
- PHP 15,000.00 for plates with three (3) alpha and three (3) numeric characters except 000, or any three (3) alpha combination + any three (3) numeric combinations which are not yet issued as series.
- PHP 25,000.00 for number plates with three (3) alpha and two (2) numeric characters except 00.
- PHP 35,000.00 for plates with three (3) alpha and four (4) numeric characters except 0000 or any three (3) alpha combination + any four (4) numeric combination which are not yet issued as series.
Important Reminders
Here are some things you need to remember when acquiring a vanity license plate from LTO:
- Regular LTO license plate still a requirement even if you are paying for an official vanity license plate from LTO.
- You will need your OR/CR to make the request for vanity plates.
- While the cost of vanity is high, it is especially so when it comes to getting a vanity plate for your car.
- The cost of a vanity license plate is approximately 20 to 50 times more than the regular LTO license plate.
- The LTO vanity plates come in two editions: the Premium Edition and Select Edition.
- To reserve a particular combination for your vanity plate, you need to pay a P1,000 reservation fee to keep the combination reserved for 30 days.
- LTO Vanity Plates take a long time before it is released.
- The temporary suspension on the release of LTO vanity plates implemented in December 2017 has already been lifted (as of April 2023).
- Getting a vanity plate doesn’t exempt you from the number coding scheme, unless you already secured the Limited edition VLP which is no longer being sold. Otherwise, these custom plate numbers are simply for vanity and aesthetics.
- The vehicle coding applies to the regular license plate number where the vanity plate is attached.
- Offensive, sexual, lewd, racist, or plate requests with bad or inappropriate connotations will be denied.
- Duplicate vanity plates (in case of damage or loss) shall only be allowed once.
Video: How to Get an Optional Motor Vehicle Special Plate (OMVSP) from LTO
Check out this video clip as shared by Pinoy about the process of getting an OMVSP (Optional Motor Vehicle Special Plate) from LTO. We hope this will give you a better idea about the procedures:
Video: Vanity Plate stamped with AA8 fetched P499 million at an Auction in the UAE
In other countries, there are costlier prices when getting a personalized car plate number. Such is the case in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Watch this video from Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum Global Initiatives and see for yourself how some ultra-rich car enthusiasts in the Middle East readily let go of 35 million United Arab Emirates dirham (P499 million Philippine peso) for plate number AA8 at an auction.
Memo on Vanity Plate Numbers in the Philippines
The LTO Vanity Plate Request Memo is a communication from the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in the Philippines notifying vehicle owners that they are now accepting applications for personalized or vanity plate numbers. The memo provides valuable information such as how to apply for the vanity plate through the LTO Vanity Plate Number Application Form and the conditions applicants must meet to have their request approved.
This memo is an important resource for vehicle owners who are interested in obtaining a personalized license plate number.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some common questions and answers about the LTO Vanity License Plates like
1. What types of vanity plates are available and how much do they cost?
Right now, there are two (2) available vanity plate categories: the Premium Edition, which costs P25,000 and the Select Edition which costs P10,000.
2. Can I give the official LTO vanity license plate as a gift?
Yes, but you need to ensure that the recipient of the gifted vanity plate is a registered owner of a motor vehicle, either existing or brand-new.
3. How long does it take to secure an official VLP?
If all the necessary documentations are in order and after the payment for the request is received, it will take about fifteen (15)-working days if the application is made within Metro Manila. In the provinces, it might take a little longer.
4. I bought a new motor vehicle but have not yet been issued a license plate, can I avail myself of the vanity plate?
No. LTO vanity plates can only be issued to a motorist who has a registered motor vehicle already issued with a regular LTO license plate.
5. Can I reserve my preferred vanity plate?
Yes. You only need to make a reservation and pay the reservation fee amounting to P1,000. Do note that the reservation fee is only valid for 30 days. If the vanity plate combination remains unclaimed after 30 days, the reservation fee will be forfeited in favor of the government.
6. Do VLPs exempt motorists from the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) number coding scheme?
No. The Lto vanity plates are mostly for aesthetics, especially the Premium and Select Editions. Unless you have a Limited Edition Vanity plate, then you can’t dodge the number coding scheme in Metro Manila which is based on the regular license plate number where the VLP is attached.
7. What vehicles are eligible for the VLP Program?
The following classes of motor vehicles, whether existing or brand-new, under the four (4) wheel category duly registered with the LTO shall be eligible to avail of the program:
- Cars
- Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV)
- Vintage and Collectors
- Asian Utility Vehicle (UAV)
- Sports pick up
8. In the event that a vanity plate is lost, is it possible to get a replacement?
Yes. However, you will need to submit the gollowing documents to the Bids and Awards (BAC) Committee of the LTO to process a request for a duplicate VLP and get a replacement plate:
- Sworn Affidavit of Loss
- Law Enforcement and Traffic Adjudication System (LETAS) Alarm Report
- Police report
- Original Official Receipt (OR) on payment of the lost VLP
- Original VLPt Certificate of Title
- Photocopy of Certificate of Registration (CR) of Motor Vehicle
- Photocopy of the latest OR of Registration
9. What is the prerequisite for securing a vanity plate?
The private motor vehicle must already have a regular LTO license plate.
10. How many VLP and VLP stickers will I receive, and how do I place the VLP and stickers on my vehicle?
You will receive only one (1) VLP and it will be installed at the space allotted for the rear license plate of the motor vehicle. You will also get one (1) sticker that will be installed at the upper right hand corner of the inside rear windshield of the motor vehicle.
11. Is it possible to transfer my VLP to another vehicle? How will I do it and how much will it cost me?
Yes. It is possible to make the request or apply for transfer of VLP to another vehicle, but this will be subjected to the given processes and rules of issuance and the related fees assigned by the LTO.
12. When I sell my vehicle does the VLP remain in the vehicle?
You may opt to keep the vanity plate attached to the vehicle or remove your VLP upon sale of the motor vehicle and have it transferred to another one of your eligible vehicles at LTO.
13. Can a foreigner acquire or secure a vanity plate for a souvenir?
No. The issuance of LTO vanity license plates is limited only in the Philippines and can only be issued to a Filipino motorist with a duly registered motor vehicle.
14. If I still have a commemorative plate, can I avail of the Vanity plate?
If you did not disclose that you have a valid commemorative plate and you install your vanity license plate at the rear of the motor vehicle as prescribed, both your vanity plate and your commemorative plate might be confiscated and a fine will be imposed if caught.
Summary
Sure, a vanity license plate issued officially by the LTO can definitely boost your vehicle’s character and even make it stand out. But, before you shell out thousands over a piece of steel, take some time to think if your idea makes your car laudable or laughable and if it’s worth the price. After all, once you’ve paid for the vanity plates, you can only choose to use it or waste the money you’ve already spent.