by Carlo Miguel Castañeda of MoneyMax.ph

Everyone gets a ticket at least once in their life. Whether it’s for being late to return rented items, failing to return books to the library – we’ve all paid fines for something or other at some point.

If you drive, you’re already aware of some of the larger fines that are levied by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) should you violate any of its traffic and vehicle regulations. According to the LTO, 80% of motorists followed the ‘no registration, no travel’ rule last year, which has a penalty of Php 10,000 if violated.

Other fines that are well-known among drivers are driving without a valid license (Php 3,000), reckless driving (Php 2,000 for the first offense), and parking violations (Php 1,000 for the first offense).

There are other LTO fines you need to take note of as well, if not for the fact that these fines are stiffer after a 2014 amendment to the fines and penalties that can be levied by the agency. MoneyMax.ph, a car insurance financial comparison website, has took note of these fines in order for you to avoid getting penalized for not knowing them.

Operating a right-hand drive motor vehicle


Fine: Php 50,000

This was not among the violations in the 2008 schedule of fines and penalties. The addition of this to the list may be owed to cases of car smuggling in the early 2010s, or the simple fact that the operation of a right-hand drive vehicle can pose a risk to drivers and pedestrians.

If caught, the car will be impounded until such a time that the mechanism is corrected and is deemed road worthy by the LTO. Fun fact though, the adoption of left-hand drive vehicles occurred in 1945, owing to vehicles used by the United States military being made to drive on the right side of the road.

Motor vehicle operating with defective/improper/unauthorized accessories, devices, equipment and parts

Fine: Php 5,000

While this particular set of violations originally had various prices depending on the issue, the standard fine of Php 5,000 is applicable to each violation found in a single vehicle. Ouch.

Like the right-hand drive vehicles, the offending vehicle will be impounded until such a time that the defects can be corrected. This might be an issue for the gearheads who like to trick their rides, but there are customizations for vehicles that do not violate these laws. Think street-legal if you plan on any customization.

Failure to require his/her passenger to wear the prescribed seat belt device

Fine: Php 1,000 (private vehicles) / Php 3,000 (public vehicles)

Being asked to wear your seatbelt isn’t just for your safety, it’s also the law. While your parent/sibling/significant other/friend may be asking you to wear the seatbelt purely out of concern, they can be fined if you aren’t wearing it. Their driver’s license will also be suspended for a week. This bears nothing for all those who commute via taxi or Grab or Uber. Both the driver and the operator are liable for a fine of Php 3,000 each per violation.

Smoke Belching

Fine: Php 2,000 (first offense)

The first sign that you may not be driving a road-worthy vehicle is the amount of smoke it lets loose when you drive it. A lot of the country’s public vehicles can be classified under this, we’ve already seen what can happen if a vehicle that shouldn’t be on the road continues to operate.

A properly maintained vehicle won’t belch smoke, and should it belch dark, choking smoke – you’re in for a world of expenses that your car insurance may not cover.

Fraud in relation to the registration of the motor vehicle and/or its renewal

Fine: Php 3,000

Among the things that you plan as an expense on an annual basis, the renewal of your registration should be at the top of the list. Fraud is a fairly broad way to describe this violation, but like most government issued forms; this also updates your vehicle’s information with the LTO.

Providing all the correct information will let you avoid the hefty fine, and prevent your car from being impounded, and barred from registration for an entire year.

Final Thoughts

Most violations are easily avoided if a motorist – and in many cases, their passengers – does their due diligence. Also remember that owing to the fact that the production of license plates have been delayed, having your receipt of registration and certificate of registration is vital to avoiding that Php 10,000 fine.


Read more at Five LTO Fines You Need to Take Note Of | mb.com.ph | Philippine News