President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed into law amendments to the “Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act” (Republic Act 11235), significantly altering regulations concerning motorcycle ownership transfers and penalties. The new law, signed on May 9th, aims to streamline compliance and promote responsible motorcycle ownership by extending the timeframe for ownership transfer and reducing fines for certain violations.
Furthermore, the revised legislation dramatically reduces penalties for non-compliance. Notably, the original penalty, which included imprisonment or a fine ranging from PhP20,000 to PhP50,000, or both, has been replaced with a maximum fine of PhP5,000. Crucially, the law now explicitly prohibits the seizure of a motorcycle solely based on the buyer’s failure to adhere to the transfer timeline.
- Dealer Reporting: Dealers are still required to report all motorcycle repossessions to the LTO and submit annual status reports on repossessed units.
- Number Plates: Section 5 of the law now mandates larger, more readable, and color-coded number plates for motorcycles.
- Number Plate Violations: The fine for driving without number plates has been reduced from PhP50,000–PhP100,000 or imprisonment to a maximum of PhP5,000. Importantly, the law stipulates that seizure is not permitted if the owner presents proof of registration and is not responsible for the missing or unreadable plate.
- Lost Number Plates: The penalty for failing to report lost number plates has been lowered from up to PhP50,000 to a fixed fine of PhP5,000.
- Tampering and Misuse: Section 12 maintains strict penalties for tampering with or misusing number plates, prescribing imprisonment of 6 months to 2 years, a fine of up to PhP10,000, or both. This same punishment applies to individuals knowingly involved in the sale or purchase of altered, forged, or imitated number plates.
These amendments to the “Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act” signal a move towards a more lenient approach to certain administrative aspects of motorcycle ownership while maintaining firm penalties for more serious offenses like number plate tampering. The extended transfer period and reduced fines are expected to ease the burden on new owners and encourage greater compliance with the law.
