A newly signed motorcycle crime prevention law introduces more lenient penalties and procedural safeguards while reinforcing registration rules to encourage compliance.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on May 9 signed Republic Act No. 12209 which amends the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act by extending the registration window for new owners, reducing fines for non-compliance, and introducing safeguards against unwarranted motorcycle seizures.
Under the amended Section 4, new motorcycle owners are now required to register their vehicles with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) within 20 working days of acquisition, replacing the previous five-day rule.
Failure to comply now carries a maximum fine of ₱5,000, down from the original ₱20,000 to ₱50,000 or possible imprisonment.
The law also provides that no motorcycle shall be seized solely due to the buyer’s failure to register the unit, as long as the owner is not at fault and can present proof of registration.
Motorcycle dealers are required to report all repossessions to the LTO and submit an annual status report of repossessed units under their custody.
Section 5 of the amended law reiterates the need for larger, readable, and color-coded number plates.
Riders operating motorcycles without proper plates will face a fine of up to ₱5,000, a significant decrease from the original ₱50,000 to ₱100,000 fine or jail time.
However, seizures are disallowed if the owner can prove the motorcycle is registered and that they are not responsible for the plate’s condition or absence.
Section 11 reduces the penalty for failing to report a lost number plate to a flat ₱5,000 fine, while Section 12 continues to penalize plate tampering, forgery, and misuse with imprisonment of six months to two years, a fine of up to ₱10,000, or both.
The same penalties apply to individuals who knowingly sell or purchase erased, tampered, altered, forged, or imitated number plates or readable number plates.
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