LTO Violations and Penalties 2026: Complete Official List of Fines
LTO fines did not increase in 2026. The schedule in force is still Joint Administrative Order 2014-01, plus the fines written into the special laws on drunk driving, phone use, helmets, seatbelts and child seats. What changed on 9 January 2026 is procedure: your licence is no longer taken at the roadside, you get 15 working days to pay, and the licence goes on alarm in the LTO system until you do. Every amount below is copied from the issuance or the law, with the source named per section.
LTO fines did not increase in 2026. The schedule in force is still Joint Administrative Order 2014-01, plus the fines written into the special laws on drunk driving, phone use, helmets, seatbelts and child seats. What changed on 9 January 2026 is procedure: your licence is no longer taken at the roadside, you get 15 working days to pay, and the licence goes on alarm in the LTO system until you do. Every amount below is copied from the issuance or the law, with the source named per section.
Did LTO fines increase in 2026? No
No fine amount changed in 2026. The schedule in force is Joint Administrative Order (JAO) 2014-01, issued by the DOTC and the LTO on 2 June 2014, and the fines fixed by law in RA 10586 (drunk driving), RA 10913 (phone use while driving), RA 10054 (helmets), RA 8750 (seatbelts), RA 8749 (smoke belching) and RA 11229 (child seats). A graphic titled “LTO 2026 Penalties” circulating on Facebook and X is not an LTO issuance: it prices most violations at ₱1,000, lists phone use at ₱2,000 (the law says ₱5,000) and drunk driving at ₱10,000 (the law says ₱20,000 to ₱500,000). What did change, on 9 January 2026, is how a ticket is handled: DOTr Transportation Memorandum Circular 2026-001 and LTO Memorandum Circular MVL-2026-4846 stopped roadside licence confiscation and fixed the settlement period at 15 working days. A separate circular, MVL-2026-4860, requires enforcers to accept the electronic OR/CR from the LTMS app.
Applies to apprehensions from 9 January 2026: the enforcer does not take your licence; it is flagged “alert/alarm” in the LTO system instead. You have 15 working days (weekends, holidays and government suspension days excluded) to pay. Miss it and the licence is suspended for 30 days on top of the fine.
Licence violations: no licence, expired, suspended, fake
JAO 2014-01 treats every licence problem as one violation with one fine. Driving with an expired, revoked or suspended licence, with the wrong restriction code, with a fake licence, as a tourist past the 90-day allowance on a foreign licence, or as a student driver without a licensed companion all carry the same ₱3,000. The driver is also barred from holding or applying for a licence for one year from the date the fine is paid. There is no separate tier for how long the licence has been expired.
| Violation | 1st Offense |
|---|---|
| Driving without a valid driver’s licence or conductor’s permit (includes expired, revoked, suspended, wrong restriction code, fake licence, tourist beyond 90 days, unaccompanied student driver) | ₱3,000 + disqualified from a licence for 1 year from payment |
| Failure to carry driver’s licence, Certificate of Registration or Official Receipt while driving | ₱1,000 |
| Submitting fake documents for a licence application or renewal | ₱3,000 + licence on alarm, revoked, 1-year disqualification, plus criminal charges |
| Driving a vehicle used in a crime, or committing a crime during apprehension (on conviction) | ₱10,000 + licence revoked + vehicle impounded |
Reckless driving: ₱2,000 first offence, ₱10,000 by the third
Reckless driving is the LTO’s catch-all for dangerous driving, and it is the charge used for overspeeding: JAO 2014-01 has no separate speeding tier by kilometres over the limit. The fine climbs with each offence and the licence suspension starts on the second. Expressway operators can add their own overspeeding penalties; see the overspeeding guide for those.
| Violation | 1st Offense | 2nd Offense | 3rd Offense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reckless driving (including overspeeding) | ₱2,000 | ₱3,000 + 3-month suspension | ₱10,000 + 6-month suspension |
| Reckless driving, fourth or later offence | ₱10,000 + licence revoked (non-professional: 2-year disqualification; professional: perpetual) | – | – |
1st offence
₱2,000
2nd offence
₱3,000
3-month suspension
3rd offence
₱10,000
6-month suspension
4th and later
₱10,000
licence revoked
Source: JAO 2014-01, Section I-E
The ₱1,000 tier: disregarding traffic signs, illegal parking, U-turns, obstruction, overloading
JAO 2014-01 puts every other traffic rule violation under one flat fine of ₱1,000, first offence, with no escalation written into the order. This is the tier most tickets fall into. Each line below is a named violation in the order; cities and the MMDA may charge their own ordinance fines on top for the same act.
| Violation | 1st Offense |
|---|---|
| Disregarding traffic signs | ₱1,000 |
| Wrong parking, or parking where not allowed | ₱1,000 |
| Illegal turn (including a no-U-turn zone) | ₱1,000 |
| Driving against traffic (counterflow) | ₱1,000 |
| Obstruction | ₱1,000 |
| Overloading a motor vehicle (passengers or cargo beyond capacity) | ₱1,000 |
| Illegal overtaking, overtaking at an unsafe distance, on a curve, crest, intersection, railway crossing, at “men working” signs or in a no-overtaking zone | ₱1,000 |
| Cutting an overtaken vehicle, failure to give way, or speeding up when overtaken | ₱1,000 |
| Failure to yield right of way | ₱1,000 |
| Failure to stop before a through highway or railroad crossing | ₱1,000 |
| Failure to give the proper signal | ₱1,000 |
| Failure to dim headlights for an approaching vehicle | ₱1,000 |
| Passengers on the roof, running board, step board or mudguard while moving | ₱1,000 |
| Hitching a person, bicycle, motorcycle or tricycle to a moving vehicle | ₱1,000 |
| Failure to set the handbrake when the vehicle is unattended | ₱1,000 |
| Unsafe towing | ₱1,000 |
| Failure to cover cargo with canvas | ₱1,000 |
Seatbelt violations (RA 8750)
The seatbelt fine escalates and the third offence adds a one-week licence suspension. Letting a child six years old or younger sit in the front seat counts as a seatbelt violation under JAO 2014-01. Public utility drivers and operators pay ₱3,000 per violation for not requiring passengers to buckle up or for missing the front-seat signage.
| Violation | 1st Offense | 2nd Offense | 3rd Offense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver or passenger not wearing a seatbelt (includes a child 6 or under in the front seat) | ₱1,000 | ₱2,000 | ₱5,000 + 1-week suspension |
| PUV driver or operator failing to require passengers to wear seatbelts, or no seatbelt signage | ₱3,000 per violation (driver and operator) | – | – |
Motorcycle violations: helmet, backride, passengers
The helmet fine comes from RA 10054, the Motorcycle Helmet Act, and is the same whether the rider or the back rider is bare-headed: the rider pays. It escalates to ₱10,000 and licence confiscation on the fourth offence. There is no separate LTO line for an extra passenger; carrying more people than the motorcycle is built for is charged as overloading at ₱1,000, and cities may add an ordinance fine. Motorcycles below 400 cc are not allowed on expressways at all; that is an operator rule, not a JAO fine.
| Violation | 1st Offense | 2nd Offense | 3rd Offense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rider or back rider without a standard protective helmet (RA 10054) | ₱1,500 | ₱3,000 | ₱5,000; 4th and later ₱10,000 + licence confiscated |
| Helmet without the PS mark or ICC sticker (substandard) | ₱3,000 | ₱5,000 | – |
| Excess passengers on a motorcycle (charged as overloading) | ₱1,000 | – | – |
| Rider without a licence, or licence without the motorcycle code | ₱3,000 + 1-year disqualification | – | – |
1st offence
₱1,500
2nd offence
₱3,000
3rd offence
₱5,000
4th and later
₱10,000
licence confiscated
Source: RA 10054, Section 7
Registration, plates and vehicle condition
Registration violations carry the highest ordinary fines in the order. Driving an unregistered vehicle is ₱10,000 on the spot, and a missing, tampered, covered or improperly attached plate or third-plate sticker is ₱5,000. Anything else about registration or renewal that is not named separately is ₱2,000. Since January 2026 the electronic OR/CR shown from the LTMS app must be accepted by enforcers (MC MVL-2026-4860), so a forgotten paper OR/CR is no longer a ₱1,000 ticket if the digital copy is on your phone.
| Violation | 1st Offense | 2nd Offense | 3rd Offense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driving an unregistered motor vehicle | ₱10,000 | – | – |
| No plate, improperly attached plate, plate cover or frame that obscures it, or tampered third-plate sticker | ₱5,000 | – | – |
| Unauthorised motor vehicle modification | ₱5,000 + vehicle impounded | – | – |
| Operating without, or with defective or unauthorised, accessories, devices, equipment or parts | ₱5,000 | – | – |
| Operating a right-hand-drive vehicle | ₱50,000 + vehicle impounded | – | – |
| Fraud in registration or renewal | ₱3,000 + vehicle impounded and barred from registration for 1 year | – | – |
| Smoke belching (RA 8749) | up to ₱2,000 | up to ₱4,000 | up to ₱6,000 + registration suspended 1 year |
| Any other registration, renewal or operation violation | ₱2,000 | – | – |
Phone use while driving (RA 10913): ₱5,000 to ₱20,000
The Anti-Distracted Driving Act sets its own ladder, and it is the steepest ordinary fine a private driver faces. Holding a phone to call, text, browse or play while the vehicle is in motion or stopped at a light is the violation; a mounted device that does not block the driver’s line of sight, hands-free calls and emergency calls are allowed. Public utility, school bus and hazardous-cargo drivers, and anyone caught within 50 metres of a school, pay ₱30,000 and lose the licence for three months regardless of offence count.
| Violation | 1st Offense | 2nd Offense | 3rd Offense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distracted driving: using a handheld phone or device while driving | ₱5,000 | ₱10,000 | ₱15,000 + 3-month suspension; 4th ₱20,000 + licence revoked |
| Same act by a PUV, school bus, school service or hazardous-cargo driver, or within 50 m of a school | ₱30,000 + 3-month suspension | – | – |
1st offence
₱5,000
2nd offence
₱10,000
3rd offence
₱15,000
3-month suspension
4th and later
₱20,000
licence revoked
Source: RA 10913, Section 8
Drunk and drugged driving (RA 10586): ₱20,000 to ₱500,000 plus jail
Driving under the influence is a criminal offence, not an LTO ticket. The fine and jail term are set by the court under RA 10586 and depend on whether anyone was hurt. The LTO acts on the licence after conviction: a non-professional licence is suspended for 12 months on the first conviction and revoked for good on the second; a professional licence is revoked for good on the first. The ₱10,000 figure on the viral graphic does not exist in the law.
| Violation | 1st Offense |
|---|---|
| DUI, no injury | ₱20,000 to ₱80,000 + 3 months imprisonment + 12-month licence suspension (non-professional) or perpetual revocation (professional) |
| DUI causing physical injuries | ₱100,000 to ₱200,000 + imprisonment under the Revised Penal Code |
| DUI causing death | ₱300,000 to ₱500,000 + imprisonment under the Revised Penal Code |
| Second DUI conviction, non-professional licence | Licence perpetually revoked |
Child car seat violations (RA 11229)
A child under 150 cm must ride in a child restraint system, and no child 12 or younger may sit in the front seat unless they reach that height. The exemptions are medical emergencies, a medical or developmental condition, and cases the IRR lists where the seat would put the child at greater risk. Taxis and public utility vehicles are outside the Act’s covered vehicles.
| Violation | 1st Offense | 2nd Offense | 3rd Offense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child not secured in a child restraint, or child 12 and under in the front seat | ₱1,000 | ₱2,000 | ₱5,000 + 1-year suspension |
| Using a substandard or expired child seat (no PS mark or ICC sticker) | ₱1,000 | ₱3,000 | ₱5,000 + 1-year suspension |
Load and weight limits
Three lines in JAO 2014-01 cover load. Axle overloading is charged to the owner or operator as a percentage of the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge rather than a fixed peso amount.
| Violation | 1st Offense |
|---|---|
| Load extending beyond the vehicle’s width without a permit | ₱1,000 |
| Passenger bus or truck carrying cargo above 160 kg | ₱1,000 |
| Axle overloading | 25% of the MVUC at the time of the violation, charged to the owner or operator |
Colorum and franchise violations (public utility vehicles)
The largest fines in the order apply to vehicles carrying passengers for hire without a franchise. A first colorum offence also means a three-month impound, blacklisting of the unit and revocation of its registration; a second means the operator loses every unit. Most other franchise violations follow one ladder: ₱5,000, then ₱10,000 with a 30-day impound, then ₱15,000 and cancellation of the franchise.
| Violation | 1st Offense | 2nd Offense | 3rd Offense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorum bus | ₱1,000,000 + 3-month impound + franchise revoked | – | – |
| Colorum truck or van | ₱200,000 + 3-month impound + franchise revoked | – | – |
| Colorum sedan (car for hire) | ₱120,000 + 3-month impound | – | – |
| Colorum jeepney | ₱50,000 + 3-month impound | – | – |
| Colorum motorcycle | ₱6,000 + 3-month impound | – | – |
| Overcharging or undercharging fare, refusing passengers, trip cutting, no fare matrix, no signboard, out-of-line, defective units, no fare discount, and other franchise conditions | ₱5,000 | ₱10,000 + 30-day impound | ₱15,000 + franchise cancelled |
| Fake franchise, OR/CR, plates, stickers or tags | Franchise revoked | – | – |
What happens after you are apprehended in 2026
The sequence changed in January 2026. Under DOTr Memorandum Circular 2026-001 and LTO Memorandum Circular MVL-2026-4846, effective 9 January 2026, the enforcer records the violation and issues the ticket but does not take your licence. The licence is placed on “alert/alarm” in the LTO Motorist System until the fine is settled. Payment on time counts as full compliance with JAO 2014-01 and no suspension is recorded.
- 1
Get the ticket, keep your licence
The apprehending officer issues a citation or Temporary Operator’s Permit with the violation and the fine. Roadside confiscation of the licence ended on 9 January 2026.
- 2
Count 15 working days from the apprehension date
Saturdays, Sundays, declared holidays and days when government work is suspended do not count. Tickets issued before 9 January 2026 follow the old rule.
- 3
Contest within 5 days if you dispute it
JAO 2014-01 gives 5 days from apprehension to file a written contest, and the LTO 5 days from receipt to decide.
- 4
Pay at an LTO office or through the LTMS portal
Payment channels and step-by-step instructions are on the ticket payment guide linked below.
- 5
If unpaid after 15 working days: 30-day suspension
The licence is automatically suspended for 30 days under JAO 2014-01, and the fine still has to be paid before the alarm is lifted.
Sources for every figure on this page
Each fine above is copied from the issuance or statute named here. Where a source is a Republic Act, the fine is in the Act itself and JAO 2014-01 only repeats it. Verified 13 September 2026 and checked against the LTO's own JAO 2014-01 PDF on 17 September 2026.
| JAO 2014-01 (DOTC-LTO, 2 June 2014), read from the LTO PDF on 17 September 2026 | Revised schedule of fines and penalties: licence, reckless driving (page 4), seatbelt and helmet (page 5), the ₱1,000 tier including disregarding traffic signs (page 6), contest and payment deadlines (page 23). lto.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/JAO-2014-01.pdf |
| DOTr TMC 2026-001 and LTO MC MVL-2026-4846 (9 January 2026) | 15 working days to settle; no roadside licence confiscation; alert/alarm in LTMS; 30-day suspension if unpaid. lto.gov.ph news release, 13 January 2026 |
| LTO MC MVL-2026-4860 (January 2026) | Electronic OR/CR from the LTMS app must be accepted by enforcers |
| RA 10913, Anti-Distracted Driving Act (2016), Section 8 | ₱5,000 / ₱10,000 / ₱15,000 + 3-month suspension / ₱20,000 + revocation; ₱30,000 for PUV, school-service and school-zone drivers |
| RA 10586, Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act (2013), Section 12 | ₱20,000 to ₱80,000 + 3 months (no injury); ₱100,000 to ₱200,000 (injury); ₱300,000 to ₱500,000 (death); 12-month suspension then perpetual revocation |
| RA 10054, Motorcycle Helmet Act (2010), Section 7 | ₱1,500 / ₱3,000 / ₱5,000 / ₱10,000 + licence confiscation |
| RA 11229, Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act (2019), Section 10 | ₱1,000 / ₱2,000 / ₱5,000 + 1-year suspension |
| RA 8750 Seat Belts Use Act (1999); RA 8749 Clean Air Act (1999) | Seatbelt ₱1,000 / ₱2,000 / ₱5,000 + 1-week suspension; smoke belching up to ₱2,000 / ₱4,000 / ₱6,000 + 1-year registration suspension, as scheduled in JAO 2014-01 |
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