LTO Violations and Penalties: The Fines Schedule
Land Transportation Office · vehicles
Quick answer
LTO's fines come from DOTC Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01, printed in its 2026 Citizen's Charter. Driving without a valid licence is ₱3,000.00 with a 1-year disqualification. Reckless driving starts at ₱2,000.00, distracted driving at ₱5,000.00, and colorum at ₱6,000.00 up to ₱1,000,000.00.
Every figure on this page is from Land Transportation Office's own published documents.
Last verified 2 sources, listed below
Citizen's Charter 2026 (1st Edition), Schedule of Fines under DOTC JAO No. 2014-011 · Citizen's Charter2. PHGuides is independent and not affiliated with LTO.
LTO’s fines are not in RA 4136. That 1964 statute still sets some penalties, and they are trivially small by today’s standards. The schedule LTO actually enforces is DOTC Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01, printed in full inside the LTO Citizen’s Charter 2026, and that is the source for every figure below.
The schedule prints separate columns for private and for hire vehicles, and splits liability between the driver and the MV owner or operator.
Licence violations
| Violation | Fine | Accessory penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Driving without a valid licence or conductor’s permit | ₱3,000.00 | Disqualification from a licence and from driving for 1 year |
| Failure to carry the driver’s licence, or the OR/CR while driving | ₱1,000.00 | - |
| Driving a motor vehicle used in the commission of a crime, on conviction | ₱10,000.00 | Confiscation and revocation, plus impoundment until a court orders release |
| Commission of a crime during apprehension, on conviction | ₱10,000.00 | Confiscation and revocation, disqualification for 5 years |
| Fake documents in a licence application, before RA 10930 | ₱3,000.00 | Revoked, and prohibited from a licence for 2 years |
| The same, from 20 July 2019 under RA 10930 | ₱20,000.00 | Repetition warrants perpetual disqualification |
That first row is broader than it looks. LTO counts all of these as “driving without a valid licence”: an expired, revoked or suspended licence, a fake licence, an inappropriate restriction code, an inappropriate classification, a tourist driving on a valid foreign licence beyond the 90-day maximum, and a student driver driving unaccompanied.
The restriction codes guide covers what makes a code inappropriate.
Reckless and impaired driving
| Offence | Fine | Accessory penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Reckless driving, 1st | ₱2,000.00 | - |
| Reckless driving, 2nd | ₱3,000.00 | Suspension of the licence |
| Reckless driving, 3rd | ₱10,000.00 | Suspension of the licence |
| Reckless driving, 4th and subsequent | ₱10,000.00 | Revocation |
Driving under the influence of alcohol or prohibited drugs is not fined on this schedule at all. It refers to Section 12 (a, b, c) of RA 10586, and the licence consequence depends on which licence you hold.
| Licence | First conviction | Second conviction |
|---|---|---|
| Non-professional | Confiscation and suspension for 12 months | Revocation |
| Professional | Confiscation and perpetual revocation | - |
A professional driver loses the licence permanently on the first conviction.
The special traffic laws
| Violation | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distracted driving, RA 10913 | ₱5,000.00 | ₱10,000.00 | ₱15,000.00 plus 3-month suspension | ₱20,000.00 plus revocation |
| No helmet, RA 10054 | ₱1,500.00 | ₱3,000.00 | ₱5,000.00 | ₱10,000.00 |
| Substandard helmet or no ICC sticker, RA 10054 Sec. 7c | ₱3,000.00 | ₱5,000.00 | - | - |
| Children on motorcycles, RA 10666 | ₱3,000.00 | ₱5,000.00 | ₱10,000.00 plus 1-month suspension | Revocation |
| Seatbelt, RA 8750 Sec. 12-1a | ₱1,000.00 | ₱2,000.00 | ₱5,000.00 plus 1-week suspension | Same |
| Smoke belching, RA 8749 | ₱2,000.00 | ₱4,000.00 | ₱6,000.00 plus 1-year registration suspension | Same |
The seatbelt item includes allowing a child 6 years old and below to sit in the front passenger seat. For a PUV, failing to require passengers to wear seatbelts or to post seatbelt signage is ₱3,000.00, and both the operator and the driver are liable.
Registration and vehicle violations
| Violation | Fine | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Unregistered motor vehicle | ₱2,000.00 and ₱10,000.00 | Impoundment where non-registration has exceeded 1 month; 1 year for undocumented engines, which are confiscated |
| Unauthorized modification | ₱5,000.00 | Impounded until inspected and corrected |
| Operating a right-hand drive vehicle | ₱50,000.00 | Impounded until corrected and road worthy |
| Defective or unauthorized accessories and parts | ₱5,000.00 and ₱1,000.00 | Unauthorized part confiscated |
| Plate tampering or improper attachment | ₱5,000.00 | Plate removed and confiscated |
| Fraud in MV registration or renewal | ₱3,000.00 | Barred from registration for 1 year |
| All other registration violations | ₱2,000.00 | - |
Loading and overloading
| Violation | Fine |
|---|---|
| Load extending beyond the projected width without a permit | ₱1,000.00 |
| Axle overloading, RA 8794 Sec. 6 | An amount equivalent to 25% of the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge at the time of infringement |
| Passenger bus or truck with cargo exceeding 160 kg | ₱1,000.00 |
No motor vehicle may proceed on the roadway if either wheel axle load exceeds the maximum allowable gross weight.
Colorum, and why it is the biggest number here
Item 4-1 covers a vehicle operating without proper LTFRB authority, outside its approved route, differently from its authorised route, or on an expired CPC. The first-offence fine is set by vehicle type.
| Vehicle | 1st offence fine |
|---|---|
| Bus | ₱1,000,000.00 |
| Trucks | ₱200,000.00 |
| Vans | ₱200,000.00 |
| Sedan | ₱120,000.00 |
| Jeepney | ₱50,000.00 |
| Motorcycle or tricycle | ₱6,000.00 |
The accessory penalties are heavier than the fine: impoundment for 3 months, revocation of the entire CPC the apprehended vehicle belongs to, blacklisting of that unit and every other authorised unit under the CPC, and revocation of the registration. A 2nd offence revokes all CPCs of the operator, disqualifies the operator, and blacklists and deregisters the operator’s entire fleet.
The PUV franchise ladder
A large group of franchise violations share one penalty structure.
| Offence | Fine | Accessory |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | ₱5,000.00 | - |
| 2nd | ₱10,000.00 | Impoundment of the unit for 30 days |
| 3rd and subsequent | ₱15,000.00 | Cancellation of the CPC |
It applies to refusal to render service or convey a passenger to destination, overcharging or undercharging of fare, no franchise or CPC presented, operating with defective parts, failure to provide a fare discount, failure to display “No smoking” signage or allowing smoking inside the vehicle, violating the colour scheme without Board authority, an unregistered trade or business name, no panel route, failure to provide proper body markings, allowing an unauthorized driver to drive a PUV, and employing a reckless, insolent, discourteous or arrogant driver.
One item breaks that ladder upward. Failure to display the International Symbol of Accessibility, failure to designate seats for persons with disability, or refusal to transport PWDs, on a PUJ, PUB, TTS or UV:
| Offence | Fine | Accessory |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | ₱50,000.00 | - |
| 2nd | ₱75,000.00 | Impoundment for at least 45 days |
| 3rd and subsequent | ₱100,000.00 | Cancellation of the CPC |
The ₱1,000.00 tier
A long list of ordinary violations all carry ₱1,000.00, including illegal parking, obstruction, unsafe towing, failing to stop the motor and notch the handbrake when parking unattended, a motorcycle carrying more than the back rider or cargo other than saddle bags and luggage carriers, a fast, tampered or defective taximeter, and failure to give the Board complete and updated operator information.
Illegal parking is defined by distance: in an intersection, within 5 meters of one, 4 meters from a driveway entrance, within 4 meters of a fire hydrant, in front of a private driveway, or on the roadway side of any parked vehicle at the curb.
Deadlines after an apprehension
These four numbers decide what a ticket actually costs you.
| Rule | Period |
|---|---|
| A Temporary Operator’s Permit authorises driving for | 72 hours only |
| Written contest must be filed within | 5 days from apprehension |
| LTO must resolve the contest within | 5 days from receipt |
| Failure to pay the penalty within | 15 days |
Miss that last one and the licence is automatically suspended for 30 days from the date of apprehension, in addition to the fine. All apprehensions are deemed admitted unless contested inside the 5 days.
Getting a confiscated licence back is its own charter service: 22 minutes at the counter, a total processing time of 57 minutes and a processing fee of PHP 10.
Impoundment carries an impounding fee of ₱100.00 and a storage fee of ₱15.00 per day, both separate from the fine.
What this page does not cover
This page prints the fines as the charter prints them. It does not cover the demerit point system’s own consequences beyond the licence services, LTFRB-administered penalties that never reach an LTO counter, MMDA or local government ordinances, which are separate schedules entirely, or the adjudication procedure at the Traffic Adjudication Service. The charter’s remarks column is truncated in places in the published PDF, and where a remark could not be read in full this page states only what is legible.
Related
The restriction codes guide covers the codes an “inappropriate restriction code” ticket refers to, the vehicle registration guide covers the MVUC that axle overloading is computed from, and the LTMS portal guide covers the online account where violations are recorded.
Frequently asked questions
- How much is the fine for driving without a licence?
- ₱3,000.00, plus disqualification from being granted a licence and from driving for 1 year. LTO counts an expired, revoked or suspended licence, a fake licence, an inappropriate restriction code or classification, a tourist driving on a foreign licence beyond the 90-day limit, and a student driver driving unaccompanied, all under the same item.
- What is the penalty for reckless driving?
- ₱2,000.00 for the 1st offence, ₱3,000.00 for the 2nd with suspension, ₱10,000.00 for the 3rd with suspension, and ₱10,000.00 for the 4th and subsequent offences with revocation of the licence.
- How much is the no-helmet fine?
- Under RA 10054, ₱1,500.00 for the 1st offence, ₱3,000.00 for the 2nd, ₱5,000.00 for the 3rd and ₱10,000.00 for subsequent offences. Wearing a substandard helmet or one without an ICC sticker is separate, at ₱3,000.00 then ₱5,000.00.
- What happens if I do not pay a ticket?
- Failure to pay within 15 days causes automatic suspension of the driver's licence for 30 days from the date of apprehension, on top of the fine. A Temporary Operator's Permit only authorises you to drive for 72 hours.
- Can I contest an apprehension?
- Yes, but quickly. All apprehensions are deemed admitted unless contested by a written contest filed within 5 days from the date of apprehension. LTO must then resolve the case within 5 days from receipt of the contest.
- How much is the colorum fine?
- It depends on the vehicle. On the 1st offence, ₱1,000,000.00 for a bus, ₱200,000.00 for trucks and vans, ₱120,000.00 for a sedan, ₱50,000.00 for a jeepney and ₱6,000.00 for a motorcycle or tricycle, with impoundment for 3 months and revocation of the entire CPC.
- Is there a fee to get my vehicle out of impound?
- The schedule prints an impounding fee of ₱100.00 and a storage fee of ₱15.00 per day, separate from the fine for the violation itself.
- What is the fine for using a phone while driving?
- Under the Anti-Distracted Driving Act, RA 10913, ₱5,000.00 for the 1st offence, ₱10,000.00 for the 2nd, ₱15,000.00 for the 3rd with a 3-month suspension, and ₱20,000.00 for subsequent offences with revocation.