ARTICLE I.—Duty to register; reports; applications; classification
(a) Motor vehicles must be registered.
SEC. 5. (a) Motor vehicles must be registered.—No motor vehicle shall be used or operated on, or upon any public highway of the Philippine Islands unless the same is properly registered for the current year in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
(b) Any registration of motor vehicles not renewed on or before the last working day of February of each calendar year shall become delinquent and invalid.
(c) Reports of motor vehicle sales.—On the first day of each month, every dealer in motor vehicles shall furnish the Director of Public Works a true report showing the name and address of each purchaser of a motor vehicle during the previous month and the manufacturer's serial number and motor number; a brief description of the vehicle, and such other information as the Director of Public Works may require.
(d) Reports of change of factory number.—Whenever any owner, proprietor of a garage or repair shop, dealer, or other person or entity makes any repair or change in a motor vehicle including the exchanging, elimination, effacing or replacing of the manufacturer's serial number or the motor number, or the part or parts upon which such number is stamped, he shall within seven days after effecting such change or repair, notify the Director of Public Works in writing, of the character of the change or repair thus accomplished, the registration number and date, and. the new manufacturer's number or motor number of the motor vehicle thus repaired or changed.
(e) Report of mortgages.—Whenever any owner hypothecates or mortgages any motor vehicle as security for a debt or other obligation, the creditor or person in whose favor the mortgage is made, shall, within seven days, notify the Director of Public Works in writing to that effect, stating the registration number of the motor vehicle, date of mortgage, names and addresses of both parties, and such other information as the Director of Public Works may require. This notice shall be signed jointly by the parties to the mortgage.
On termination, cancellation or foreclosure of the mortgage, a similar written notice signed by both parties, shall be forwarded to the Director of Public Works by the owner.
Those notices shall be filed by the Director of Public Works in the motor vehicle records, and in the absence of more specific information, shall be deemed evidence of the true status of ownership of the motor vehicle.
(a) Application.
SEC. 6. (a) Application.—Every owner of a motor vehicle used or in actual operation on the public highway in the Philippine Islands, shall within seven days after taking actual possession but before the same is so operated, and thereafter, not later than the last working day of February of each year, file in the office of the Director of Public Works or in the office of the district engineer an application for registration of each motor vehicle owned or possessed by him. In the case of a motor vehicle which requires the construction of a body on a factory made chassis, application shall be filed within seven days after completion of such body. Each application shall contain such information respecting the vehicle and owner, as the Director of Public works may require.
Every owner of a motor vehicle shall notify the Director of Public Works of any change of ownership or residence which forty-eight hours.
(b) Date of application by mail.—The date of cancellation of the postage stamp of envelopes containing money orders, checks or cash shall be considered as the date of application, except in the case of improperly prepared applications, when we date of cancellation of the postage stamp of the envelope containing the properly prepared application shall of considered as the date of the application.
Registration classification.
SEC. 7. Registration classification.—Owners may make applications for registration of a motor vehicle under any one of the following described classifications.
(a) Private passenger automobiles; (b) Private trucks; and (c) Private motorcycles or motor wheel attachments.— Motor vehicles registered under these classifications shall not be used "for hire" under any circumstances, and shall not solicit or accept passenger or freight for pay.
(d) Public utility automobiles; (e) Public utility trucks; and (f) Taxis.—Applications for registration under these classifications must be accompanied by a certificate of public convenience or a special permit issued by the Public Service Commission, and motor vehicles registered under these classifications shall be subject to the public service laws, rules and regulations, as well as the provisions of this Act.
(g) Garage automobiles; and (h) Garage trucks.—In order to secure registration under these classifications, not less than five such motor vehicles must be registered and maintained under one ownership. Motor vehicles so registered shall be kept in a privately owned garage, except when called or actually hired by a bona fide customer, and shall, under no circumstances, solicit or accept passengers or freight for pay while operating or standing on or along the public highways. Applications for registration under these classifications must be accompanied by a certificate of public convenience or a special permit issued by the Public Service Commission.
(i) Hire trucks.—Motor vehicles registered under this classification shall be allowed to carry freight only. Laborers necessary to handle such freight, however, are allowed to ride on the truck. They may solicit and accept freight at any place, except within a radius of one hundred meters from any "competing public station" designated as such by the Public Service Commission: Provided, however, That a bona fide customer may engage a "hire truck" to haul and deliver definitely described shipments addressed to the customer when such shipments have been discharged at such stations by a public service vehicle, awaiting orders of the customer. Applications for registration under this classification must be accompanied by a certificate of public convenience or a special permit issued by the Public Service Commission.
(j) Undertakers.—This is a separate designation of "hire truck" for motor hearses only.
(k) Dealers.—Registration under this classification are intended to cover generally and successively all the motor vehicles imported or handled by the dealers for sale. Motor vehicles registered under the dealers' classification shall, under no circumstances be employed to carry passenger or freight in the dealers' business or for hire. They may be operated under this classification only for the purpose of transporting the vehicle itself from pier to warehouse or sales room or for delivery to an intending purchaser or for test or demonstration.
(l) Government automobiles; (m) Government trucks; (n) Government motorcycles.—Motor vehicles owned or controlled by the Government of the United States of America, or the Government of the Philippine Islands, or any of its political subdivisions, shall be registered under these classifications. Motor vehicles owned by Government employees or by foreign governments are not considered Government motor vehicles.
(o) Tourists bringing their own motor vehicles to the Islands may use the same during but not after the first ninety days of their sojourn, provided that the motor vehicle displays the number plates for current year of some other country or state, and provided further that said number plates with the name and address (permanent and temporary) of the owner thereof be registered in the Bureau of Public Works prior to the operation of the motor vehicle on any highway in these Islands.
If such tourists remain in the Islands longer than ninety days, they shall be required to register their motor vehicles and to pay the corresponding registration fees.
(p) Special.—The Director of Public Works may, in his discretion, allow the registration under this special classification of cases which do not conform to the foregoing described regular classifications.
ARTICLE II.—Registration fees
Tariff of registration fees.
SEC. 8. Tariff of registration fees.—(a) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Act, each application shall be accompanied by an annual registration fee in accordance with the following tariff:
(b) Private automobiles with pneumatic rubber tires, for less than six passengers, the sum of twenty-five pesos; tires. private automobiles with pneumatic tires, for six to eight passengers, the sum of forty pesos.
(c) Motor trucks or passenger busses of any classification with pneumatic rubber tires, the sum of two pesos per hundred kilograms of maximum allowable gross weight or fraction thereof.
(d) Motor trucks or passenger busses of any classification with solid rubber tires or with part solid and part solid number pneumatic rubber tires, the sum of two pesos and fifty centavos per hundred kilograms of maximum allowable gross weight or fraction thereof.
(e) Private motor vehicles with metallic tires in whole or in part, the sum of ten pesos per hundred kilograms of maximum allowable gross weight or fraction thereof.
(f) Motorcycles of two or three wheels, and bicycles with motor attachments, the sum of eight pesos.
(g) Trailers of any classification with pneumatic rubber tires, the sum of one peso per hundred kilograms of maximum allowable gross weight or fraction thereof.
(h) Trailers of any classification with solid rubber tires or with part solid and part pneumatic rubber tires, the sum of one peso and fifty centavos per hundred kilograms of maximum allowable gross weight or fraction thereof.
(i) Trailers of any classification with metallic tires, the sum of five pesos per hundred kilograms of maximum allowable gross weight or fraction thereof.
(j) The fee for registration of passenger automobiles, trucks and motorcycles under the public utility, garage, or hire classifications shall be two times the fees mentioned for private motor vehicle.
(k) Dealers.—No fees shall be charged for the general registration of motor vehicles contemplated under the dealers classification, but in lieu thereof they shall pay the special fees for dealers' number plates provided hereinafter.
(l) Registration under the "Government motor vehicle" classifications shall be free of charge, on request of the chief of bureau or office concerned.
(m) Tourists bringing their own motor vehicles to the Islands, shall be exempt from payment of registration fees under this Act during but not after the first ninety days of their sojourn.
After the first ninety days, they shall be subject to the regular fees, except that the Director of Public Works or his deputies may, in their discretion, require payment of fees in advance for only the fractional part of a year for which the tourist expects to remain in the Islands.
(n) Motor vehicles not intended to be operated or used upon any public highway or motor vehicles operated on highways not constructed nor maintained by the Government, or to be placed out of service for any other reason, shall be exempt from payment of the registration fees provided in this Act: Provided, however, That no refund, credit for, or reimbursement of registrations or parts thereof shall be made to any owner on account of a motor vehicle which is taken out of service subsequent to the payment of such registration fees.
(o) The maximum allowable gross weight of a motor truck, passenger bus, or trailer, upon which to compute the registration fee therefor, shall be obtained by regulations to be promulgated by the Director of Public Works. The Director of Public Works shall, upon passage of this Act and from time to time thereafter as the needs of the service may require, prepare suitable tables of maximum allowable loads per wheel for different sizes and kinds of tires, and shall issue regulations for the proper use thereof subject to the approval of the Secretary of Commerce and Communications, as provided in section four (a) hereof.
Special permits, fees for.
SEC. 9. Special permits, fees for.—The Director of Public Works with the approval of the Secretary of Commerce and Communications shall establish regulations and a tariff of additional fees under which special permits may be issued in the discretion of the Director of Public Works or his deputies, for each of the following special cases, and without such special permit, no such motor vehicle shall be operated on the public highways.
To operate a motor vehicle or trailer outfit such that the gross weight in kilos divided by the number of wheels shall exceed two thousand kilos average load per wheel.
To operate a motor vehicle with wheel loads in excess of those allowed under the regulations issued as provided in section four (a) hereof.
To operate a motor vehicle with any part of the loads extending beyond the projected width of the vehicle.
For registration or use of a motor vehicle exceeding the maximum projected width prescribed by the Director of Public Works under the regulations issued as provided in section four (a) hereof.
To mill more than two trailers behind a motor vehicle.
For registration of a motor vehicle under special classification (p) of section seven hereof.
For any other special authority relating to the use of motor vehicles, not otherwise specifically provided herein.
Additional fees.
SEC. 10. Additional fees.—In addition to the fees elsewhere provided in this Act, for each change of registration status, from private to hire or vice versa; revision of gross weight rating; change of tire size; transfer of ownership; duplicate to replace a lost registration certificate, number plate, tag, chauffeur's license, or permit; badge; preparation of affidavit or certified copy of records, or for any similar circumstance requiring the issue, revision or reissue of certificate of registration, chauffeur's license, badge, permit, or other document, a fee of one peso shall be collected, to cover the clerical expense of investigating and recording the same.
The issuance of a duplicate certificate, number plate, tag, license badge or permit shall render the original invalid.
Registration fees for part of year.
SEC. 11. Registration fees for part of year.—If any application for the first registration is made during the first quarter of a calendar year, the total annual fee for that year shall be paid.
If such first application is made during the second quarter of a calendar year, three-fourths of the annual fee for that year shall be paid.
If such first application is made during the third quarter, one-half of the annual fee shall be paid.
If during the fourth quarter, one-fourth of the annual fees shall be paid.
This section shall not be construed to allow quarterly renewals of registration in order to avoid payment of fees in advance for the entire year.
ARTICLE III.—Registration certificates, records, number plates
Filing application and issuing certificates.
SEC. 12. Filing application and issuing certificates.—Upon receipt of the application for registration, with corresponding fee, the Director of Public Works or his deputies shall cause the same to be registered or filed for future reference, and shall issue to the applicant a numbered certificate of registration for each separate motor vehicle.
Use and authority of certificate of registration.
SEC. 13. 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 attached to and presented with subsequent applications for re-registration or transfer of ownership, on penalty of refusal by the Director of Public Works to re-register or transfer, until the said certificate is presented or a duplicate purchase as Provided in this Act.
(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, authorize such motor vehicle to be used and operated on all public highways in any province, city, or municipality of the Philippine Islands.
(c) No motor vehicle shall be operated on the public highways in a manner which would place it under a classification requiring a larger registration fee than that stated in the certificate of registration.
Suspension of registration certificate.
SEC. 14. Suspension of registration certificate.—If on inspection as provided under section four (h) hereof, the Director of Public Works or his deputies find any motor vehicle to be unsightly, dangerous, overloaded, or capable of causing excessive damage as aforesaid, he may refuse to register the same, or if already registered he may, upon twenty-four hours notice to the owner or operator, suspend such registration and require the number plates to be surrendered to him for a period not to exceed thirty days. When the record of any particular motor vehicle or of its chauffeurs shows for any twelve months period, more than three warnings to the owner or chauffeur for violations of this Act, or of the Public Service Acts, or more than one conviction by the courts, the Director of Public Works may in his discretion or upon recommendation of the Public Service Commissioner, suspend the certificate of registration and require the surrender of the number plates for a period not to exceed sixty days.
After two such suspensions, the owner may be refused re-registration of the vehicle concerned for one year.
The action of the Director of Public Works or his deputies under this section shall be communicated in writing to the owner of the motor vehicle.
Dealer's certificate of registration.
SEC. 15. Dealer's certificate of registration.—The Director of Public Works shall, on request, issue, without charge to each dealer in motor vehicles, a "dealer's certificate of registration", under which all motor vehicles in his stock for sale shall be considered as registered.
Number plate, description of.
SEC. 16. Number plate, description of.—All number plates shall be of such color, size, and design as may be selected and determined by the Director of Public Works.
Each such number plate shall also bear small numerals or legends indicating that the motor vehicle has been registered or re-registered for the current year.
Number plate, preparation and issuance of.
SEC. 17. Number plate, preparation and issuance of.—(a) The Director of Public Works shall cause number plates to be prepared and issued to owners of motor vehicles and trailers registered under this Act, charging a fee of one peso for each complete plate including the numerals indicating the year of registry; Provided, however, That in case no number plates are available, the Director of Public Works or his deputies may issue, without charge, a written permit temporarily authorizing the operation of any motor vehicle with other means of identification.
(b) In case the design of the number plate is such that the numerals indicating the year of registry are in a detachable tag, the Director of Public Works or his deputies may, in their discretion, issue the said tag only, for subsequent re-registration, charging a fee of fifty centavos for each tag issued.
Use of number plates.
SEC. 18. Use of number plates.—At all times, while using the public highways, every motor vehicle of more than three wheels shall display in conspicuous places, one in the front and one in the rear thereof, the said identification number plates, and every motor vehicle of less than four wheels shall display one such number plate in a conspicuous place in the rear thereof.
Such number plates shall be kept clean and cared for, and shall be firmly affixed by the owner or operator in a manner to be entirely visible and always legible, and not wholly or partly hidden or obscured by bumpers or. other parts of the vehicle: or by articles of any description carried on such vehicle.
Dealer's number plate.
SEC. 19. Dealer's number plate.—To any dealer who desires to operate motor vehicles from his stock, for demonstration of test purposes, the Director of Public Works shall furnish special dealer's number plates, upon payment of ten pesos annually for each plate furnished or retained in such service, plus a fee of fifty centavos for each year tag issued, if any.
Use of vehicle with dealer's number plate.
SEC. 20. Use of vehicle with dealer's number plate.—Under no circumstances shall a dealer's number plate be displayed on any motor vehicle after said vehicle has been delivered to a purchaser, and no dealer shall allow such dealer's plates to remain on any motor vehicles after delivery to a purchaser.
Source: Supreme Court E-Library, Republic of the Philippines. Philippine laws are public documents (works of the government).
