LTO OR/CR: Get to know the two of the most important docs for your car

If you live in the Philippines and own a car, then the Land Transportation Office (LTO) Official Receipt (OR) and Certificate of Registration are a few crucial documents you need.

Why does the government insist that car owners have OR and CR?

These small pieces of paper might look ordinary, but they play a vital role in assisting authorities. For instance, they help control the traffic system more effectively and also help locate vehicles involved in accidents and robberies.

If you are someone who is learning the terms of LTO OR/CR for the first time then this article is just for you. Here you’ll understand just how important these documents are along with several other things including

• OR/CR meaning in the Philippines
• Waiting period for OR/CR acquisition
• Can you drive your car without the OR/CR
• What happens if you lose your OR/CR
• What to do if you haven’t received your OR/CR
• How to take care of your OR/CR documents

Now, without any delay let’s get started and learn all that there is to know about OR/CR.

OR/CR meaning in the Philippines

What is the OR/CR of a car in the Philippines? The Land Transportation Office (LTO) issues OR/CR which are tagged as the two most important documents for a car owner. Why? That’s because these two docs help identify and distinguish your car from every other car on the road. They are like unique identifications for your car. Understand it like even the cars from the same brand, model, variant, and body colour have different OR/CR.

So, for a vehicle, its unique set of identity is built via its engine, chassis, and the designated OR/CR.

OR (Official Receipt)

LTO Official Receipt, also known as the OR, is basically the paper the Land Transportation Office gives you after you pay up for your vehicle's registration.

A peek at the OR will tell you that it has got a backdrop with light blue LTO logos and is packed with information about your ride including the name of the person who paid up for the vehicle (under "Received from"), where they live (under "Address"), the car's plate number, a breakdown of what you paid for, and of course, the date you made the purchase.

In addition, the OR also displays a special ID number, the OR number, which you absolutely can't mess with or tweak in any way.

OR is the proof of payment for registration fees and other taxes.

CR or Certificate of Registration

Central to the system is the Certificate of Registration aka CR which contains vital information about the car including the model, make, number of cylinder chassis & engine number, displacement, gross weight, total number of passengers, and registration date. It serves as a confirmation of the car’s registration status and identity.

Note, the differentiating factor between CR and OR is the former's yellow background.

CR affirms that the car is duly registered with LTO.

Many times curious vehicle owners ask us, can I drive with OR or but no CR? Well, the answer is NO. A driver needs to carry both the OR and CR, as they are essential for the vehicle to be legally moving on the roads.

Waiting period to get OR/CR

The next important question is, how long does it take for a car dealer to give the OR/CR? If you are a new car and that too a lucky one then your car agent or the dealership will hand over the OR/CR a week after the car has been released. However, there are instances wherein an owner has to wait a little longer, sometimes even for up to two months or more.

One of the possible reasons for the delay in delivering OR/CR documents is LTO itself. Also, many times dealers process the OR/CR by batch which causes delays.

Driving a car without OR/CR, is it safe?

A driver can drive a car without OR/CR documents, however, in such a case, the owner needs to carry the sales invoice issued by the dealer. However, it should be remembered that the invoice is only valid for a week (under the No OR/CR, No Travel policy update 2019) after which one needs to carry OR/CR. It is for the same reason car dealers try their best to release the OR/CR as soon as possible. This allows the owner to drive without the fear of a fine by a traffic enforcer.

If it's over seven days since your car was released from the dealership and you haven’t got your hands in the OR/CR then it’s time to act. Call your agent, get in touch with the dealer, and don’t be shy to follow up time and again.

An action to demand can also be filed against the dealer to expedite the process; this would make the dealer comply soon. If that’s not helping, a formal complaint against the dealer can be filed, as it is a violation of the Consumer Protection Act.

What happens if you lose your OR/CR?

The LTO OR and CR are just like any other important legal document. Treat them wrong, and poof! Before you know it, they are out of your sight forever. Now, if you have misplaced your LTO OR/CR, brace yourself for a bunch of headaches. Why? Coz -

• You won’t be able to drive your car due to the lack of legal documentation
• In case, you are caught driving without OR/CR, you’ll end up in the police station with a fine in your name
• You’ll be unable to renew your car’s registration
• You won't be able to sell your car
• You won’t be able to win any dispute involving your car

In short, without the OR/CR you would be considered as an unlawful owner of the car with no right to use/sell your car.

What’s the remedy for lost OR/CR?

A duplicate copy!

If you happen to misplace your LTO OR or CR, our suggestion is to swing by the Land Transportation Office branch where your vehicle was initially registered. There, you can ask for a legit duplicate copy of your car's vital docs. But before you head over, make sure you've got these documents lined up:

• Fill out a notarized affidavit of loss to report your missing papers and request a replacement copy
• Don't forget to bring along the latest Official Receipt (OR)
• Actual inspection of motor vehicle
• Have on hand a duly accomplished and approved Motor Vehicle Inspection Report (MVIR)
• Carry two valid IDs for identification purposes
• Certification from the management of the company (if the MV/MC is company-owned)
• A duly signed authorization letter with the owner’s and representative IDs (if the owner is sending his/her representative)

Getting replacements for your lost docs from the LTO is the way to go, but it does involve a bit of time and money on your part (PHP 300). This might pose a hassle, especially if you've got a packed schedule.

The key takeaway here is to stash duplicates of your car's CR and OR in the glove compartment and store another set in a safe spot for emergencies.

Note: In our upcoming topic we’ll be covering how to get duplicate OR/CR from LTO in detail, so stay tuned.

How to take care of your OR/CR documents?

We would suggest making multiple copies of the OR/CR and placing them in different spots like your car, cupboard, etc. As for the original, keep it in the safe with other valuables.

Summing up

The LTO OR/CR are documents of paramount importance as they affirm the vehicle’s legitimacy and adherence to all the legal requirements. These documents should be kept with utmost importance as their loss takes away even the basic driving ability of the owner.

Also Read: Don't Get Caught Off Guard: A Complete Guide to Car Registration Renewal in the Philippines