RA 12209 signed by PBBM, no more 'Doble Plaka'
Last January, the Senate and the House of Representatives gave their approval to the Bicameral Conference Committee’s report concerning the proposed amendments to RA 11235, or commonly referred to as the “Doble Plaka” law by motorcycle riders.
This reconciled bill, officially titled “An Act Rationalizing the Safety Measures and Penalties Relative to the Operation of Motorcycles,” effectively removes the Doble Plaka (two license plates) requirement, meaning motorcycles will no longer be mandated to display a front license plate.
File photo courtesy of the Presidential Communications Office
Today, Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito announced that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has signed the reconciled bill into law, now RA 12209, which effectively amends specific provisions of RA 11235. Senator Ejercito was the principal author of Senate Bill 2555, one of the measures that sought to amend Sections 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13, and 19 of RA 11235.
Seven sections amended
Signed into law by the President on May 9, 2025, RA 12209 brings significant relief to motorcycle riders by removing the front license plate mandate and substantially lowering the penalties associated with the previous Doble Plaka law. For example, the maximum fine under the old Section 7, “Driving without a number plate or readable number plate” was a staggering PHP 100,000. Now, RA 12209 has reduced this maximum penalty to just PHP 5,000.
Beyond the changes to Sections 5 and 7, RA 12209 also brings amendments to Sections 4, 11, 12, 13, and 19 of RA 11235. Under Section 4, the responsibility remains with the seller of a second-hand motorcycle to report the sale to the LTO within five days. Simultaneously, the buyer is still obligated to complete the transfer of ownership with both the LTO and PNP-Highway Patrol Group within 20 days of acquisition. Non-compliance means a PHP 5,000 penalty, from the previous PHP 20,000 to PHP 50,000.
Meanwhile, all motorcycle owners with motorcycles that are not compliant with the new plate requirements are given until December 31, 2025, to be compliant, while the LTO is given until June 30, 2026, to “produce, release, and issue the number plates required by this act.”
