LTO Penalties for Expired Motorcycle Registration: Fees, Schedule, and FAQs

Riding an unregistered motorcycle is high-risk behavior. You may sometimes get away with it, but if you get apprehended by an officer, then be prepared to pay enormous fines, or worse — get your vehicle impounded. 

It’s much cheaper to have your Land Transportation Office (LTO) registration renewed than to deal with all of the fees and penalties because of an expired registration. Plus, if you have your motorcycle registration renewed, you won’t have to constantly worry about riding an unregistered vehicle and getting in trouble with the law. 

Table of Contents

• How long is my motorcycle registration valid? 
• What are the penalties if you get caught riding an unregistered motorcycle? 
• What are the penalties for late LTO registration?  
• When should I renew my motorcycle registration?
• What if I don’t have a plate number yet? 
• How much do I need to renew my motorcycle registration?

How long is my motorcycle registration valid?

Your LTO motorcycle registration is valid for one year. This means that you have to renew your LTO registration annually to abide by the rules and regulations. 

What are the penalties if you get caught riding an unregistered motorcycle?

If you get apprehended on the streets by an officer for operating an unregistered vehicle, the fees can be extremely painful for the pockets. 

If your registration is still valid and you only failed to carry your proof of LTO registration (like a Certificate of Registration or Official Receipt), the penalty is Php1,000.

However, if your registration is invalid or expired, you will be fined a whopping Php10,000 if you are caught by an LTO personnel. 

Plus, if your motorcycle has been unregistered for 1 month, then your license will be confiscated and your vehicle impounded. Your driver’s license and motorcycle will only be released once your vehicle has been properly registered, and you have paid all the corresponding fines and penalties. 

What are the penalties for late LTO registration?

Even if you were not caught riding an unregistered motorbike, there will still be penalties waiting for you at the LTO branch if you’re late in renewing the registration for your vehicle. Here is a list showing how much the LTO penalty is depending on how late the registration is.

Late Registration	Penalty
Beyond the registration week (but not more than 1 month)	Php100
Beyond the registration month (but not more than 12 months)	Php120*
Beyond 12 months without apprehension for LTO violations	Php120 + renewal fee
Beyond 12 months with apprehension for LTO violations	Php120 + renewal fee for every year of delinquency

*The Php120 fee is equivalent to 50% of the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge for motorcycle vehicles (Php240). 

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When should I renew my motorcycle registration?

Most people forget the date when they registered their vehicles, and that’s why so many fail to get their registration on time. You can actually use your plate number to figure out when you need to have your vehicle re-registered. 

From your plate number, you can get the month and the week that you need to proceed to LTO and have your motorcycle renewed. 

First, look at the last digit of your plate number, and this will correspond to the month. 

Last Digit of Plate Number	Month to Renew
1	January
2	February
3	March
4	April
5	May
6	June
7	July
8	August
9	September
0	October

Next, look at the second to the last digit of your plate number, and this will correspond to the week.

Second to the Last Digit of Plate Number	Week to Renew
1,2,3	1st week (1st to 7th day)
4,5,6	2nd week (8th to 14th day)
7,8	3rd week (15th to 21st day)
9,0	4th week (22nd to last day of the month)

Let’s say your motorcycle’s plate number is ABC 2138. Because the last digit is 8, this means you have to renew on August. The second to the last digit is 3, which means that you have to renew on the 1st week of August. Remember to only proceed to the LTO branch on a working day within your prescribed week.

Do note that you can opt to renew your motorcycle registration at LTO one month before your prescribed date. But if you go beyond this deadline, you will incur the corresponding penalty for late registration.  

What if I don’t have a plate number yet?

Because of the backlog in LTO, some motorcycle riders are still waiting for their plate numbers even after a year of registering. If you don’t have a plate number yet to use as reference for the renewal date, you can then refer to your temporary plate number or the date of release from the dealership. 

If referring to your temporary plate number, follow the same procedure for a permanent plate number as mentioned above. 

How much do I need to renew my motorcycle registration?

While renewing your LTO registration may cost you a bit, it is still way cheaper than having to pay the massive penalty fees due to riding an unregistered vehicle. Here is a breakdown of the usual fees that you will encounter when renewing your registration.

Type of LTO Fee	Cost
Initial Fee	Php1,000
Renewal Fee	Php400
Motorcycle License Plate	Php120
Stickers and Tags	Php50 each
Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC)	Php240 (for motorcycles)

Aside from these fees, you will also need to secure a CTPL Insurance (which costs around Php650) and an emission test (around Php450). The cost of these requirements will vary depending on where you purchase them. 

If you decide to to renew your vehicle registration at a different LTO branch, then an additional Php100 Change of Venue fee will be added. 

If you are late in renewing, don’t forget to also bring an extra amount to account for the corresponding penalties you have incurred. 

We encourage all motorcycle riders to always stay on top of their vehicle’s registration In order to avoid the sweat-inducing penalty fees when caught with an unregistered motorcycle. A yearly half-day visit to your nearest LTO branch is worth it if it means preventing a hefty fine.