Original OR/CR No Longer Necessary for Emissions Testing

On May 16, 2019, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Department of Transportation (DOTr) issued a joint memorandum ordering all Private Emission Testing Centers (PETCs), IT Service Providers, and LTO Regional Directors to require motor vehicle owners to bring the original copy of their vehicle's official receipt (OR) and certificate of registration (CR), along with a certificate of authorization to use temporary number plates--otherwise known as the 'certificate of no plate'--when taking their vehicles for emissions testing prior to the renewal of their registration.

However, the memorandum was met with significant backlash online, with many complaining that a copy of their OR/CR should be enough, and that the 'certificate of no plate' requirement adds unnecessary burden to motor vehicle owners, as it has never been required before.

Caving in to public pressure, both agencies retracted their memorandum and issued a new one dated May 24, 2019, stating that they are doing away with the original OR/CR requirement, and will allow motorists to simply bring a copy of their OR/CR instead.

However, there was no mention of the 'certificate of no plate,' so whether it stays as a requirement or not remains unclear.

"This is in relation to the Memorandum dated 16 May 2019, relative to the conduct of emission test of vehicles WITHOUT license plates," the new memorandum reads.

"As a result of the public consultation held on Thursday, 23 May 2019, and in response to public clamor as to the inconvenience of requiring an original copy of the Official Receipt (OR)/ Certificate of Registration (CR), both the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Department of Transportation (DOTr) hereby allow a PHOTOCOPY of the OR/CR of vehicles without license plates for the purpose of conducting emission tests, effective immediately.

Attached below is a copy of the issued joint memorandum.