LTO restarts plate production

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has issued a new memo lifting the temporary suspension on the production of license plates. Additionally, the new memo instructs all LTO personnel that the agency will restart accepting applications for the Optional Motor Vehicle Special Plates (OMVSP).

Back on March 13, 2023, then-LTO Chief, Jay Art Tugade, issued a memo suspending the production of license plates due to a lack of supply. For the past couple of months, both the LTO and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) have worked tirelessly to procure a plate supplier and have since vowed to resolve the plate backlog within 2023.

As of July 2023, the LTO still owes 14 million license plates for cars and motorcycles, while undelivered plastic cards account for about 5.2 million.

On the other hand, the OMVSP program, allows private vehicle owners to request a “personalized” license plate of their liking (subject to availability, guidelines, and approval of LTO) for a much higher fee that starts at PHP 15,000.

As mentioned above, requests for special plates will be subject to the guidelines set by the LTO – meaning that applicants with an existing alarm or apprehension in the LTO-IT System/LTMS or PNP - Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) will not be approved.

Also, special plate requests under the OMVSP program should not in any way carry offensive connotations, sexual, racial, or anything that the LTO deems inappropriate.