Article 95p. 95

COMMERCIAL LAWS NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS, CORPORATION, INSURANCE, TRANSPORTATION, BANKING

ARTICLE III Registration Certificates , Records ,

Number Plates

SECTION 14. Issuance of Certificates of Registration . — A

properly numbered certificate of registration shall be

issued

for

each

separate

motor

vehicle

after

due

inspection and payment of corresponding registration

fees.

SECTION

15. Use

and

Authority

of

Certificate

of

Registration . — (a) The said certificate shall be preserved

and carried in the car by the owner as evidence of the

registration of the motor vehicle described therein, and

shall

be presented with subsequent applications for

re-registration, transfer of ownership, or recording of

encumbrances: Provided , That in lieu of the certificate of

registration a true copy or photostat thereof may be

carried in the motor vehicle.

(b)The

certificate

of

registration

issued

under

the

provisions of this Act for any motor vehicle shall, while the

same is valid and effective and has not been suspended

or revoked, be the authority for the operation of such

motor vehicle.

(c)No motor vehicle shall be operated on the public

highways in a manner which would place it under a

classification

requiring

the

payment

of

a

larger

registration fee than that stated in the certificate of

registration.

SECTION 16. Suspension of Registration Certificate . — If

on inspection, as provided in paragraph (6) of Section four

hereof, any motor vehicle is found to be unsightly, unsafe,

overloaded, improperly marked or equipped, or otherwise

unfit to be operated, or capable of causing excessive

damage to the highways, or not conforming to minimum

standards and specifications, the Commissioner may

refuse to register the said motor vehicle, or if already

registered, may require the number plates thereof to be

surrendered to him, and upon seventy-two hours notice

to

the

owner

of

the

motor

vehicle,

suspend

such

registration until the defects of the vehicle are corrected

and/or the minimum standards and specifications fully

complied with.

Whenever

it

shall

appear

from

the

records

of the

Commission that during any twelve-month period more

than three warnings for violations of this Act have been

given to the owner of a motor vehicle, or that the said

owner has been convicted by a competent court more

than once for violation of such laws, the Commissioner

may,

in

his

discretion,

suspend

the

certificate

of

registration for a period not exceeding ninety days and,

thereupon, shall require the immediate surrender of the

number plates.

Whenever a motor vehicle is found to be underweighed

the

owner

thereof

shall

pay

the

difference

in

the

registration fees corresponding to the shortage in weight

plus a fifty per cent surcharge, and until such payment is

made, the certificate of registration of the motor vehicle

concerned shall be suspended by the Commissioner.

After two such suspension, re-registration of the vehicle

concerned for one year may be denied.

The Commissioner shall notify the owner of the motor

vehicle of any action taken by him under this section.

SECTION 17. Number Plates , Preparation and Issuance

of . — (a) The Commissioner shall cause number plates to

be prepared and issued to owners of motor vehicles and

trailers registered under this Act, charging a fee of four

pesos for each pair including the numerals indicating the

year of registry: Provided , however , That in case no

number plates are available, the Commissioner or his

deputies may issue, without charge, a written permit

temporarily

authorizing

the

operation

of any motor

vehicles with other means of identification: Provided ,

further , That all motor vehicles exempted from payment

of

registration

fees,

motor

vehicles

for

hire,

and

privately-owned

motor

vehicles

shall

bear

plates

so

designed and painted with different colors to distinguish

one class from another: Provided , furthermore , That the

plates of motor vehicles exempted from payment of

registration fees shall be permanently assigned to such

motor

vehicles

during

their

entire

lifetime

while

exempted from payment of the fees: And , provided ,

finally , That the owner thereof shall return such plates to

the Land Transportation Commission within a period of

seven

working

days

after

such

owner

has

lost

his

exemption privilege or has transferred the vehicle to a

non-exempt owner.

(b)In case the design of the number plate is such that the

numerals

indicating

the

year

of

registry

are

on

a

detachable tag, the Commissioner or his deputies may, in

their discretion, issue the said tag only for subsequent

re-registration charging a fee of one peso for each tag

issued.

SECTION 18. Use of Number Plates . — At all times, every

motor vehicle shall display in conspicuous places, one in

front and one in the rear thereof, the said number plates.

The number plates shall be kept clean and cared for, and

shall be firmly affixed to the motor vehicle in such a

manner as will make it entirely visible and always legible.

Except in the case of dealer's number plates which may

be used successively on various motor vehicles in stock,

no person shall transfer number plates from one motor

vehicle to another.

No dealer's number plate shall be used on any motor

vehicle after said vehicle has been sold and delivered to a

purchaser, and no dealer shall allow such dealer's number

plates to be used on any motor vehicle after its sale and

delivery to a purchaser.

CHAPTER III Operation of Motor Vehicle

ARTICLE I License to Drive Motor Vehicles

SECTION

19. Duty

to

Procure

License .

—

Except as

otherwise specifically provided in this Act, no person shall

operate any motor vehicle without first procuring a

license to drive a motor vehicle for the current year, nor

while such license is delinquent, invalid, suspended or

revoked.

The license shall be carried by the driver at all times when

operating a motor vehicle, and shall be shown and/or

surrendered for cause and upon demand to any person

with authority under this Act to confiscate the same.

SECTION

20. License

for

Enlisted

Men

Operating

Government Motor Vehicles . — Enlisted men operating a

motor

vehicle

owned

by

the

Government

of

the

Philippines shall be licensed in accordance with the

provisions of this Act, but no license or delinquency fees

shall be collected therefrom. All licenses so issued shall

bear the words "For Government Vehicles Only" plainly

marked or stamped in red ink across the face thereof.

A license so marked or stamped shall not authorize the

holder thereof to operate a private-owned motor vehicle.

SECTION 21. Operation of Motor Vehicles by Tourists . —

Bona fide tourist and similar transients who are duly

licensed to operate motor vehicles in their respective

countries may be allowed to operate motor vehicles

during but not after ninety days of their sojourn in the

Philippines.

If any accident involving such tourist or transient occurs,

which upon investigation by the Commissioner or his

deputies indicates that the said tourist or transient is

incompetent

to

operate

motor

vehicles,

the

Commissioner shall immediately inform the said tourist

or

transient

in

writing

that

he

shall no longer be

permitted to operate a motor vehicle.

After ninety days, any tourist or transient desiring to

operate motor vehicles shall pay fees and obtain and

carry a license as hereinafter provided.

© Compiled by RGL

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