The Land Transportation Office Central Visayas (LTO-7) announced on Thursday that it will strictly enforce the “no plate, no travel” policy midway August as it urged all vehicle owners — including tricycle operators — to immediately claim their license plates.

In a statement, LTO-7 regional director Glen Galario said the policy applies to vehicles using temporary or outdated plates, adding that those plates issued from 2018 onwards have long been available.

He also said that while plates for vehicles registered in 2017 and earlier have only recently begun arriving due to previous delays in manufacturing and logistics. Some of these plates are still in transit from LTO’s central office in Manila to various parts of Region 7.

Galario disclosed that over 100,000 plates have been delivered but significant number remain unclaimed.

“We are urging owners to get their plates as we will strictly enforce the no plate, no travel policy in mid-August,” Galario said.

The “no plate, no travel” policy also referred as “no registration, no travel,” which requires that all motor vehicles must be registered with the LTO and equipped with an official license plate before being allowed on public roads.

This nationwide directive is part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to promote road safety, proper vehicle identification and compliance with traffic regulations.

Motorists caught violating may face penalty of P5,000.

Vehicle owners are encouraged to verify the availability of their plates through the official tracker website or by visiting the nearest LTO branch.