Registration for new vehicles now valid for 5 years

National

STARTING Feb. 15, owners of brand-new cars and motorcycles will now only need to renew their vehicle registrations every five years.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) said the move to extend the registratopm validity from three to five years is aimed at reducing long lines at its branches and is in line with the longer warranties and other benefits offered by car dealers.

In an Inquirer.net report, Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez explained that the extended validity would make the registration process more convenient for the public while still ensuring vehicles remain safe and roadworthy.

After the initial five-year period, vehicle owners will have to renew their registration annually. Vehicles will also undergo a mandatory roadworthiness inspection in the fourth year to ensure they remain in good running condition, as older vehicles tend to become less reliable due to wear and tear.

Lopez also encouraged car dealers and manufacturers, including the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (Campi), to support motorists by covering registration fees for brand-new vehicles, noting that many dealers already provide free registration as part of their services.

The Department of Transportation and LTO will issue a department order and memorandum circular to implement the policy, which has been approved by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Lopez presented the plan to the President at Malacañang, emphasizing the policy’s benefits in reducing vehicle registration transactions and lowering compliance costs for motorists, particularly those with brand-new vehicles.

Under Republic Act No. 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, all motor vehicles must be registered to operate on public roads. Violators caught driving unregistered vehicles face a P10,000 fine and impoundment. (Jhon Mark A. Aboabo, USJ-R Comm Intern)