CEBU CITY – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) said on Wednesday, April 24, that dealers must release the license plates, Official Receipt (OR), and Certificate of Registration (CR) of a vehicle 11 days after a customer makes purchase.
Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza warned that failure to comply with the 11-day policy implemented last March carries a stiff penalty.
“That is tantamount to suspension and ultimately cancellation of their accreditation. If they will not do what they are supposed to do, we will be forced to cancel their accreditation. Therefore, they can no longer sell cars anymore,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza said car or motorcycle owners have 15 days from the date of the purchase to use their vehicles while waiting for the release of the license plate, OR, and CR.
The LTO regional office in Central Visayas continues to step up in its efforts to release unclaimed plates.
Joel Maloloy-on, chief transportation regulation officer, said that from 600,000 last year, unclaimed licensed plates stored at the LTO-7 storage area in Talisay City, Cebu has been cut down to just around 300,000.
The LTO-7 will tap more personnel and acquire more equipment to speed up the release of license plates. It is also ensuring to strictly implement the 11-day policy.
“We will try our best to really achieve the timeline,” Maloloy-on said.