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Country | Philippines |
---|---|
Country code | RP (some sources state PI as still being the country's code) |
Current series | |
Size | 390 mm × 140 mm 15.4 in × 5.5 in |
Material | Aluminum |
Serial format | ABC 1234 |
Introduced | July 2018 |
Availability | |
Issued by | Land Transportation Office |
History | |
First issued | 1912 |
Vehicle registration plates in the Philippines, commonly known as license plates (Filipino : plaka), are issued and regulated by the Land Transportation Office (LTO), a government agency under the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
In 2016, the LTO began issuing "virtual plates" as a temporary measure to address the backlog of physical license plates. New vehicles were given a virtual identifier consisting of a combination of alphanumeric symbols, which facilitated the release of permanent plates once they became available. [1] In August 2017, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) selected the winning bidder under the government's "Moving Forward Program" to address the backlog of 3.4 million plates covering July 2016 to December 2017.
In January 2018, the Supreme Court of the Philippines ordered the release of license plates that had been held due to restraining orders affecting the modernization program. Full-scale distribution of the new plates was expected by mid-February 2018. The LTO received the plate-making machines that month and installed them in a new production facility. The new plates were released nationwide beginning in July 2018. Under this series, the first letter of the license plate indicates the place of registration, following the same designation system used in the 1981 series. [2]
Under the current system, plates for four-wheeled vehicles follow the format AAA 1234 (three letters followed by four digits). Motorcycle plates initially used the format 123 NBC, but as these combinations were exhausted, the LTO introduced new formats such as N 123 BC, NB 123 C, 1 NBC 23, N 1234 C, N 1C 234, and N 12C 34. [a] It is unclear whether this expansion of formats was part of the agency's original plan or a response to an unexpectedly rapid depletion of available combinations. In all cases, the first letter, regardless of its position, indicates the region where the motorcycle was registered. The LTO has not stated that the current set of formats is final, and additional combinations may be introduced as needed.
The current license plates for four-wheeled vehicles measure 390 mm wide and 140 mm high, while motorcycle plates released since 2020 measure 235 mm wide and 135 mm high. The characters are stamped on an aluminum plate and coated with reflective paint. In 2018, the Land Transportation Office adopted FE-Schrift as the official typeface for license plates because its characters are designed to be difficult to alter. [3] Plates issued since 2018 no longer display a separate region code.
Before 1981, the Philippines used the North American standard measuring 300 mm × 150 mm (11.8 in × 5.9 in) for cars and trucks. [4]
When the new plate design was introduced in 2018, all virtual and temporary plates issued from July 2016 to December 2017 under the 2014 series were updated to use the new alphabetical designation. [5] [6] In the current system, the first letter of the plate number indicates the region of registration. The letter S is reserved for government-owned vehicles.
Prefix | Region |
---|---|
B | Cagayan Valley |
C, R, W | Central Luzon |
D, O | Calabarzon |
E | Bicol Region |
F | Western Visayas |
G | Central Visayas |
H | Eastern Visayas |
I, A [b] | Ilocos Region |
J | Zamboanga Peninsula and Bangsamoro |
K | Northern Mindanao |
L | Davao Region |
M | Soccsksargen |
N, P, Q, T, U, X | Metro Manila |
V | Mimaropa |
Y | Cordillera Administrative Region |
Z | Caraga |
Pattern | Color | Class | Description | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|
NBC 1234 123NBCN123BCNB123C1NBC23N1234CN1C234N12C34 | Black text on white background | Private vehicles | Private vehicles, not for commercial use. However, as of 2022, public utility vehicles and government vehicles are also using this plate design. | ![]() ![]() |
NBV 1234123NVB N123VBNV123B1NVB23 | Green text on white background | Electric/hybrid vehicles | Private electric and/or hybrid vehicles, not for commercial use. However, some public utility vehicles are seen using this plate design. | ![]() ![]() |
NBC 1234 123NBCN123BCNB123C1NBC23NB1234 | Black text on yellow background | Public utility vehicles | Public utility vehicles and other for-hire vehicles (e.g. commercial trucks, public transport buses, taxis, tricycles and jeepneys.) | ![]() ![]() |
SNA 1234 123SNAS123NA | Red text on white background | Government vehicles | Vehicles for official government use (e.g.: government-owned cars, police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks). | ![]() ![]() |
001 1234 | Blue text on white background | Diplomatic vehicles | Vehicles in diplomatic use
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The second letter on the number plate classifies special types of vehicles, such as trailers, electric, hybrid, and vintage vehicles.
Classification | Position of letter assignment | Example |
---|---|---|
Electric vehicle | Second letter may be from V, W, X, Y, Z Third letter may be the following: A to M | D123VB J209XK N124YM |
Hybrid vehicle | Second letter may be from V, W, X, Y, Z Third letter may be the following: N to Z | N583ZZ C789WO G897VQ |
Vintage vehicle | Last two letters are the following: TX, TY, TZ | P123TX N921TY K388TZ |
Motorcycle registration plates released since 2020 feature color-coded strips indicating the region of registration, in addition to the registration area prefix. [7]
Known officially as low-numbered (protocol) license plates, these are reserved for the highest-ranking government officials of the Philippines and share the same paint scheme as plates issued to private vehicles. [8]
Plate | Officials |
---|---|
1 | President |
2 | Vice President |
3 | President of the Senate |
4 | Speaker of the House of Representatives |
5 | Chief Justice of the Supreme Court |
6 | Cabinet Secretaries |
7 | Senators |
8 | Representatives |
9 | Associate Justices of the Supreme Court |
10 | Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeals, Court of Tax Appeals, Sandiganbayan, and the Solicitor General |
11 | Chairperson of Constitutional Commissions and Ombudsman |
14 | Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Chief of the Philippine National Police |
Until 2024, plate 16 was assigned to Regional Trial Court justices, while plate 17 was issued to first-level courts, including Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, and the Sharia Circuit Court, for use by assistant city prosecutors, district prosecutors, and chief city prosecutors.
Associate justices of the Court of Appeals, Court of Tax Appeals, and Sandiganbayan may also be authorized to use protocol plates upon the recommendation of the LTO and the approval of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
The new diplomatic license plates consist of seven numeric characters in blue on a white background. These plates are issued to foreign diplomats, members of diplomatic missions, and international organizations based in the Philippines. In October 2022, the LTO and DFA launched the new plates, replacing the older designs. The previous diplomatic plates and other exempted vehicle (OEV) plates remained valid until September 2023. [9]
The first three digits of the plate indicate the country or organization code, assigned based on the establishment of diplomatic relations. For example, 003 0045 is assigned to Australia. The remaining four digits are randomized registration numbers assigned by the LTO and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), with 1000 always reserved for ambassadors.
Vehicles of former presidents bear the number 100 in blue characters.
Motorists may apply for personalized plates under the Optional Motor Vehicle Special Plate (OMVSP) program, subject to the following conditions:
Combination | Fee | Image |
---|---|---|
Three-letter, two-number plates (except 00) (No longer issued as of 2024) [11] | ₱25,000 | ![]() |
Three-letter, three-number plates (except 000) (No longer issued as of 2024) [11] | ₱15,000 | ![]() |
Three-letter, four-number plates (except 0000) | ₱35,000 | ![]() |
Conduction stickers are temporary identifiers issued to vehicles in lieu of license plates while the official plates are still in production. The system was implemented in 1983 and first used in 1984. Several formats with different letter–number arrangements have been produced over time.
Years | Conduction sticker format | Examples | Background color |
---|---|---|---|
1984–1994 | ABC 12 | 855SH 235SF | White (1984–1993) Yellow (1993–1994) |
1994–2003 | 12 ABC | 30SNK 22SRW | Red |
2003–2017 | AB 1234 | BX8032 (Mitsubishi) VH2637 (Toyota) | White (2003–2012) Yellow (2012–2017) |
2017–2023 | A 12345 | Y1L350 (Mitsubishi) A6J238 (Toyota) | Yellow |
2023–present | AB 123 C | GD776A DH705A | Yellow |
Each vehicle is assigned a 15-digit motor vehicle (MV) file number that reflects the location where it was first registered (e.g., 1301-00000012345 for vehicles registered in Metro Manila). These numbers are sometimes used as temporary plate numbers, particularly for public utility vehicles (PUVs).
Region | MV file number | Temporary plate number (PUVs) |
---|---|---|
Metro Manila | 13**-*********** 18**-*********** | 13**** 18**** |
Cordillera Administrative Region | 14**-*********** | 14**** |
Ilocos Region | 01**-*********** | 01**** |
Cagayan Valley | 02**-*********** | 02**** |
Central Luzon | 03**-*********** | 03**** |
Calabarzon and Mimaropa | 04**-*********** | 04**** |
Bicol Region | 05**-*********** | 05**** |
Western Visayas | 06**-*********** | 06**** |
central Visayas | 07**-*********** | 07**** |
Eastern Visayas | 08**-*********** | 08**** |
Zamboanga Peninsula | 09**-*********** | 09**** |
Northern Mindanao | 10**-*********** | 10**** |
Davao Region | 11**-*********** | 11**** |
Soccsksargen | 12**-*********** | 12**** |
Caraga | 30**-*********** 15**-*********** | 30**** 15**** |
Bangsamoro | 17**-*********** | 17**** |
To address the extensive backlog in license plate production between 2016 and 2019, the LTO introduced a six-digit temporary plate number system. These numbers are based on the LTO agency code (indicating the region where the vehicle was registered) and the month of registration (e.g. 130108 for NCR, 040103 for Region IV-A). This system became the most common form of temporary identification during this period.
Public utility vehicles (including buses, jeepneys, and UV Express vans) registered from July 1, 2016, onward have used white private plates, MV file numbers, or six-digit temporary plate numbers while waiting for the release of permanent yellow plates.
Government vehicles registered from 2020 onward were also initially issued white private plates. In November 2021, the LTO began releasing new red plates for government vehicles registered from 2016 to 2019. In 2024, a new series of red plates was introduced, with the second letter indicating the region of registration (e.g. SNA for Metro Manila, SDA for Calabarzon).
In 2023, the LTO released green plates for hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as white plates with identifying marks for vintage vehicles. Trailer plates were introduced in 2025 for trailers registered from 2016 onward.
The 2014 design, introduced in 2014, used the numbering format ABC 1234 for automobiles and AB 12345 for motorcycles. In this design, the region where the vehicle was registered was printed at the bottom of the plate, eliminating the need for registration area prefixes (except for motorcycles).
The new plate format series and design was originally scheduled for release in September or October 2013, [16] [17] [18] [19] but its release was delayed several times primarily due to concerns about funding for the license plate project and the increasing number of vehicles using temporary plates bearing the conduction sticker number. [20] The first batch of plates was eventually issued in May 2014. [21] By January 2015, vehicle owners using 1981 series plates were required to pay ₱450 to replace them with the modern series plates.
In 2018, the LTO introduced an updated plate design that retained the same serial format but featured a new layout, the use of the FE-Schrift typeface, and the removal of the printed region code for automobiles. [22] Production and issuance of plates with the 2018 design continues as of 2025, alongside efforts to clear the plate backlog. In 2025, the LTO also began replacing the AB 12345 (seven-character) motorcycle plates with a six-character format to comply with the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act.
The font used in this series was never released electronically to the public. It was a modified version of the Charles Wright font with influences from the lettering of New South Wales vehicle registration plates. The 1981 series, along with its later variants, remained in production until it was discontinued and replaced by the 2014 series under the Plate Standardization Program.
The 1981 design became the most widely used plate number design, produced from 1981 to 2014. The LTO issued the numbering format ABC 123 for automobiles and AB 1234 and 1234 AB for motorcycles. Color-coded year and classification stickers were introduced in 1982. The typeface featured a curved, bold design on the glyphs; early plates had thinner strokes and no curves. Motorcycle plates used DIN 1451 or D-DIN font. The design was based on Charles Wright (with modifications), the 1951–1980 New South Wales plates, and older Philippine plates with color coding per vehicle, with all glyphs made blocky.
Early 1981 plates were borderless and semi-bold with a diamond separator. By 1988, plates gained borders and a bolder typeface. In 1994, the "PILIPINAS" slogan was replaced by "PHILIPPINES 2000" in a derivative DIN 1451 font, though 1988 plates continued to be produced into the 2000s. The 2003 "Rizal Monument" series used smaller characters and returned to a semi-bold typeface. Production of this series ended in 2014, giving way to the 2014 series plates. The 2010 yellow plates were also discontinued, though some shops continued to sell reproductions that were not exact copies.
In 2025, the LTO began replacing the old, smaller AB 1234 and 1234 AB motorcycle plates with a larger six-character format to comply with the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act.
Plates starting with W and Z that were originally issued for Metro Manila were later reassigned to Central Luzon (motorcycles with a blue strip) and Caraga (for both motorcycles and motor vehicles), respectively. The letter I was redesigned with serifs and used in the middle or end of the letter block. Plates starting with A, originally used nationwide, were later assigned to motorcycles registered in the Ilocos Region.
The first letter in the 1981 series denoted the region where the vehicle was registered. The letter S indicated a government-owned vehicle.
Prefix | Region |
---|---|
A | Ilocos Region and Cordillera Administrative Region |
B | Cagayan Valley |
C | Central Luzon |
D | Calabarzon and Mimaropa |
E | Bicol Region |
F | Western Visayas |
G | Central Visayas |
H | Eastern Visayas |
J | Zamboanga Peninsula and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao |
K | Northern Mindanao |
L | Davao Region and Caraga |
M | Soccsksargen |
N | Metro Manila |
P | |
R | Central Luzon |
T | Metro Manila |
U | |
V | Calabarzon and Mimaropa |
W | Metro Manila |
X | |
Y | Central Visayas |
Z | Metro Manila |
The letters I and O were not used as the first letter of plates to avoid confusion with the numbers 1 and 0. By 2009, they were allowed as middle or last letters, exclusively for private vehicles. The letter Q was used in regular motorcycle plate circulation for public-use motorcycles. By 2009, it appeared as a middle or last letter on NCR plates and as a last letter on Central Visayas plates.
The second letter on the plate identified whether the vehicle was a trailer or an automobile and whether it was for private or public use. The letter U in the second position indicated a privately used trailer, while Z indicated a publicly used trailer. The letters V, W, X, and Y were used to indicate public utility vehicles. On motorcycle plates, U and Z represented private use for three-wheeled motorcycles, while V, W, X, and Y represented public use for all motorcycle types.