License plate (Philippines)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The license plates of the Philippines , colloquially known as "Plaka", are issued by the state Land Transportation Office (LTO). The authority under the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) also sets the rules for the license plates.

Current system from 2014

Sample of current license plates

The current license plate system was introduced in 2014. Compared to the previous license plates, the signs have been simplified for reasons of better legibility. For example, the former background image was omitted. Furthermore, the regional coding was abandoned in favor of a consecutive serial number. However, the corresponding region appears in full or abbreviated at the bottom of the shield. For example, the National Capital Region is abbreviated as NCR. The license plates are reflective and have a barcode. They are also attached with a "single-use screw" that cannot be opened again. A sticker, which consists of a combination of 2 letters and 4 numbers, is attached to the front window of the vehicle as a so-called third license plate.

The labels show a serial number made up of three letters and three to four digits. Private vehicles receive white signs, government vehicles - so-called Public Utility Vehicles (PUV) - have license plates with a yellow background. The inscription is black. Government, police and fire brigade vehicles have red signs on a white background. Diplomatic license plates use the color combination blue on white.

As before, two-wheelers are given hexagonal signs with bevelled upper corners. The combination in this case consists of two letters and five digits.

Old system 1981-2014

Dimensions and appearance

PUV license plate from Central Visayas with a colored background
Monochrome license plate on a Mitsubishi L300 until 2004

The license plates were 390 mm wide and 140 mm high, letters and numbers were stamped onto the circuit board by means of presses and then labeled with a ribbon. Watermarks from the LTO logo and the label manufacturer were used as security features and appear on the circuit boards at regular intervals. Until 2004, the license plate backgrounds were monochrome. With the most recently issued series, which showed the colored Rizal monument , reflective plates were also introduced. The rule here was: license plates with a green horizon and black writing were for private vehicles, license plates with a yellow horizon and black writing were for PUV and government vehicles received license plates with a green horizon and black writing. The font used since 1981 was based on that of the Australian license plates . Slight variations were the rule. Desired license plates, however, used the German FE script . All license plates were made by a single, private manufacturer in Manila .

There was a motto under the letters and numbers. The following were used:

  • PILIPINAS (Philippines)
  • PHILIPPINES 2000
  • PERLAS NG SILANGAN (Pearl of the Orient)
  • ANGAT PINOY 2004 (Forward Pinoy !)
  • MATATAG NA REPUBLIKA (Strong Republic)

Regional coding

The first letter of the number plate combination indicated where the vehicle was first registered in the country. The license plate remained unchanged when the vehicle was re-registered in another part of the country.

region comment
A. Region 1: Ilocos region and Cordillera administrative region
B. Region 2: Cagayan Valley
C, R Region 3: Central Luzon R, after all combinations with C have been exhausted
D, V Region 4: CALABARZON and MIMARO V after all combinations with D have been exhausted
E. Region 5: Bicol region
F. Region 6: Western Visayas
G, Y Region 7: Central Visayas Y, after all combinations with G have been exhausted
H Region 8: Eastern Visayas
J Region 9: Zamboanga Peninsula
K Region 10: Northern Mindanao and Region 13: Caraga
L. Region 11: Davao Region
M. Region 12: SOCCSKSARGEN
N National Capital Region 1981-1982
P National Capital Region 1982-1991
T National Capital Region 1991-1995
U National Capital Region 1995-1998
W. National Capital Region 1998-2001
X National Capital Region 2001-2005
Z National Capital Region 2005-2009

The letters I and O were not used due to the risk of confusion with the numbers 1 and 0. "Q" was reserved for special purposes.

In addition:

  • "S" - authorities
  • "P", "T" - commercial vehicles (not always starting with these letters). Since 1999 the middle letter has always been a "W", "X" or "Y".

Privately registered vehicles

The basic color was green. Starting with white letters on a green background, it was later changed to green letters on a white background. The last issue series showed the Rizal monument as a background, the writing remained dark green. The combination consisted of three letters and three numbers according to the pattern "ABC 123". The first letter indicated the respective approval region. Leading zeros were not allowed.

Commercial vehicles

License plate of a commercially used vehicle

The basic color was yellow. Older license plates had yellow letters on a black background, the last color combination was black letters on a yellow background. The combination is identical to that of private vehicles, but starting with the letter "P" or "T". As of 1999, the middle letter was a "W", "X", or "Y". A combination could be, for example: PXA 100

pendant

Depending on the approval, a green or yellow sign, the middle letter of which was either a "U" or a "Z", example: AZA 500.

motorcycles

Motorcycle license plate (private registered motorcycle)

Privately registered motorcycles had a hexagonal license plate (rectangular basic shape with cut corners at the top right and left). The signs were significantly smaller than those of the cars or trucks, and above the number there was the embossed abbreviation "MC" (motorcycle). The writing was green on a white background. The number used was two letters followed by a four-digit number or a four-digit number followed by two letters. The latter was introduced as the free combinations became scarce. A combination of indicators was z. B. AB 1234 or 9876 ZY.

Commercially used motorcycles (rarely) used black lettering on a yellow background.

Tricycles

The tricycles (motorcycles with sidecars for passenger transport) that are common in the Philippines had the abbreviation "TC" for tricycle instead of "MC" on their license plates. The same statements apply to the license plate colors as to motorcycles.

Special combinations

High government offices

Green plates with one or two-digit numbers were given to high government offices:

  • 1 - President
  • 2 - Vice President
  • 3 - President of the Senate
  • 4 - Speaker of the House of Representatives
  • 5 - President of the Supreme Court
  • 6 - Cabinet Secretaries
  • 7 - Senators
  • 8 - Members of the House of Representatives
  • 9 - Associate Justices of the Supreme Court
  • 10 - Presiding judge and other judges of the court of appeal
  • 11 - Chairman of the Electoral Commission
  • 12 - Under-Secretary of State of the Cabinet
  • 13 - Advocate General
  • 14 - Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces and the Philippine Police
  • 16 - Judges in regional courts

Authority registration number

Authority registration number

Red writing on a white background, the combination of which began with the letter "S": SAA 111. In the past, the color combination black writing on a red background was used.

Diplomatic plates

temporary registration number of the emirate embassy

Blue letters on a white background marked vehicles of the diplomatic and consular corps , as well as foreign employees of international organizations (e.g. at the International Rice Research Institute ). The pure number combinations were either four or five digits. The ambassador's number plate was always "1000" and the country of origin was stamped underneath. On the lower left edge of the license plate there was a sticker with the designation "CM". Number ranges:

  • 1001–9999: Diplomatic Corps, sticker on the lower left bears the designation "DC" (Diplomatic Corps)
  • 10000–25999: Embassy vehicles, sticker on the lower left bears the designation "OEV" (Official Embassy Vehicle)

Desired license plate

Desired license plates must have the following characteristics:

  • The combination has never been awarded nationwide
  • It must not lead to confusion with official vehicles

The administration fee for custom license plates is 25,000 PHP (approx. 400 euros). They are only embossed in FE script. In addition, only two-digit numbers are possible, leading zeros are also permitted, e.g. B. AAA 01; PBI 54

Individual evidence

  1. ^ First batch of new license plates for motor vehicles, motorcycles released. May 10, 2014, accessed on August 23, 2014 .
  2. ↑ Solons seek probe on LTO license plate program. June 10, 2014, accessed on August 23, 2014 .

Web links

Commons : Filipino License Plates  - Collection of Images, Videos, and Audio Files