Pursuant to the provisions of Batas Pambansa Blg. 74, Republic Act No. 4136 and Administrative Order No. 009-2004 dated 03 September 2004, and in view of the impending exhaustion of combinations of alpha-numeric characters under the current format of motor vehicle plates, as well as an additional source of revenue for the government, the following guidelines and procedures in the acquisition of optional motor vehicle special plates are hereby promulgated for the observance of all concerned.

A.      Rationale for the Special Plates

It is typical for motorists in the Philippines as it is in the other Asian countries to strike a preference towards certain alpha-numeric character combinations for personal reasons and identification purposes.  Such tendency provides a good opportunity for the LTO to increase its revenue by implementing a different pricing scheme in the issuance of MV plates with 01-100 numeric characters which are to be matched with the alphas, as in three letter and two/three-number combinations.

As a revenue-raising measure, increased cost shall be collected for production of unissued motor vehicle plates with choice characters such as triple-alpha; triple numeric; numeric characters 168; any numeric combination with identical first and third characters but 0 for middle digit e.g., 101 or 707; and any other combinations which do not form part of the regular series of MV plates, when requested for production by a MV registered owner.

As a step to solve the problem of depleting alpha-numeric combinations, the letters "I", and "Q" shall be utilized. "O" shall have a different font to distinguish it from zero (0).

B.      Nature and Coverage of Special Plates

The OMVSP is considered as a regular MV plate.  As such it shall be issued in pairs and it shall be permanently assigned to a specified motor vehicle during its lifetime.  Moreover, it is optional and shall be issued only upon direct application by the owner of a brand new private motor vehicle which is for initial or first-time registration with the LTO.  The MV's covered herein are as follows:

1.     Cars
   
2.     Sports utility Vehicles (SUV)
   
3.     Asian Utility Vehicles (AUV)
   
4.     Sports Pick-up
   
5.     Commuter Vans

The following MV types shall be excluded from the coverage of those which can be issued special plates:

1. Public Utility Vehicles
   
2. Cargo Trucks (private/for hire)
   
3. Service Vehicle (hotel limousines, tourist vehicles, rent-a-car, ambulance and funeral hearse)
   
4. Vintage Vehicle
   
5. Government Vehicle
   
6. Diplomatic/OE Vehicle
   
7. Used/Imported/Surplus MV
   
8. MV with more than 4-wheel category

C.      Where to Apply for Special Plates

Application can be made at the LTO Central Office or at any regional/district office which shall forward it to the OMVSP Committee Central Office (CO), for processing.  The said committee reserves the right to approve or reject all applications and shall be responsible in delivering directly, by special courier, the special plates ordered by the MV registered owner.

D.      How to apply for Special Plates

Since the special plates ordered shall be sent by special courier to facilitate and to secure delivery, it is important that the applicant MV owner indicates correctly and clearly his/her forwarding address as well as his/her contact/telephone number.  If for any reason, he/she cannot personally receive the plates personally, the person authorized to receive in his behalf must be indicated in his application.

The following documentary requirements must be attached to the application, for transmittal to the LTO CO;

1. Duly accomplished application form;
   
2. Certified true copy of OR/CR, issued by the TDO
   
3. Plate Release Copy (for manually processed transactions using MVRR)
   
4. Certified true copy of official receipt of payment for the plates ordered, by the Cashier and noted by the District Head or Regional Director.
   
5. Certification by the TDO that no plates have been previously issued

There shall be two attempts to be made by the special courier in delivering the plates ordered to the forwarding address of the MV owner, after which any succeeding delivery that shall be made will be for the account of the MV owner and shall no longer be chargeable against the purchase price.  Unclaimed purchases within the specified date shall be retrieved personally by the MV owner or his authorized representative at the LTO CO, East Avenue, Quezon City with telephone no. 921-9058.

E.      Costs of Special License Plates

The MV owner may choose from any of the following pricing schemes:

1.     Any triple alpha and non-triple alpha + two (2) numeric character combinations 01-99, shall cost Twenty Five Thousand Pesos (Php25,000.00 inclusive of the handling charge by the authorized LTO courier.
   
   

   Example:  AAA 01            ARL 08            DPJ 99

   
   
2.     Any triple alpha and non-triple alpha + numeric character 100, shall cost Fifteen Thousand Pesos (Php15,000.00 inclusive of the handling charge by the authorized LTO courier.
   
   

   Example:  GMA 100         BBB 100          PAC 100

   
   
3.     Any combination of characters such as triple-alpha, triple-numeric and other combination of characters as specified in Section 2.3 hereof, shall cost Fifteen Thousand Pesos (Php15,000.00) inclusive of the handling charge by the authorized LTO courier.
   
   

   Example:  MCM 707         DML168           MTS 808

   
   The cost of the special plates does not include the applicable fees and charges that a MV owner pays to the LTO for the registration of the unit.

F.      Special Plates Specifications

The special plates shall have the same green embossed alpha numeric character and green border with the green slogan, "Matatag na Republika" and plate format of Center Rizal Monument in full color graphics - as the regular plates for private motor vehicles.  The quality and use of special font shall be adopted for purposes of this program.

G.      Suppletory and Superseding Clauses

All related existing rules and regulations are incorporated by reference as an integral part hereof and those in conflict herewith are deemed modified or superseded accordingly.

H.      Effectivity

This circular shall take effect on 11 October 2004.

For strict compliance.

Adopted: 21 July 2004


(SGD.) ANNELI R. LONTOC
Assistant Secretary