Traffic law in the Philippines consists of multiple laws that govern the regulation and management of road transportation and the conduct of road users within the country.
The official and latest traffic code of the Philippines is Republic Act No. 4136, also known as the "Land Transportation and Traffic Code", which was enacted into law on June 20, 1964.
The following table lists all Philippine laws applicable to the governance of road transportation and road users across the Philippines or in specific major areas within the country.
| Designation | data-sort-type="date" | Date passed | Title | Status | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| + List of national traffic laws | |||||
| Act No. 3045 | March 10, 1922 | Motor Vehicle Law | Establishes a law regulating motor vehicle traffic and requiring the registration of motor vehicles and licensing of motor vehicle drivers.[1] | ||
| Act No. 3992 | December 3, 1932 | Revised Motor Vehicle Law | Revises provisions in Act No. 3045. Some of these changes include changes to definitions, penalties, and speed limits. [2] | ||
| RA 2000 | June 22, 1957 | Limited Access Highway Act | Authorizes the construction of limited-access highways and defines traffic laws applicable to users of limited-access highways.[3] | ||
| RA 4136 | June 20, 1964 | Land Transportation and Traffic Code | National traffic code. Covers the regulation and licensing of owners, dealers, conductors, drivers, and similar matters of motor vehicles, as well as the traffic laws that apply only to motor vehicles.[4] This act is based on Act No. 3992 and repeals it. | ||
| PD 96 | January 13, 1973 | Presidential Decree No. 96 | Prohibits and penalizes the usage of sirens, horns, or other similar gadgets with "exceptionally loud or startling sound" on motor vehicles and restricts such usage to authorized government vehicles.[5] | ||
| RA 8750 | August 5, 1999 | Seat Belts Use Act of 1999 | Mandates the inclusion of seat belts on private and public motor vehicles, excluding tricycles and motorcycles.[6] | ||
| RA 10054 | July 27, 2009 | Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009 | Mandates the wearing of a standard motorcycle helmet for riders and backriders of motorcycles.[7] | ||
| RA 10586 | July 23, 2012 | Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013 | Penalizes driving under the influence of alcohol, dangerous drugs, and other substances.[8] | ||
| RA 10666 | July 28, 2014 | Children's Safety on Motorcycles Act of 2015 | Regulates the backriding of children onboard on public roads with heavy and fast moving traffic.[9] | ||
| RA 10913 | July 27, 2015 | Anti-Distracted Driving Act | Defines and penalizes distracted driving, particularly with electronics such as mobile phones.[10] | ||
| RA 10916 | July 27, 2015 | Road Speed Limiter Act of 2016 | Prohibits the registration and operation of any covered motor vehicle without a speed limiter device.[11] | ||
| RA 11697 | April 15, 2022 | Electric Vehicle Industry Act (EVIDA) | Defines policies and responsibilities to create an enabling environment for the development of electric vehicles and micromobility.[12] |
| Designation | data-sort-type="date" | Date passed | Title | Status | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| + List of department-level traffic issuances and orders | |||||
| DPWC AO No. 1 s. 1968 | February 19, 1968 | Revised Rules and Regulations Governing Limited Access Highways | An administrative order issued by the Department of Public Works and Communications (now the Department of Public Works and Highways), by virtue of RA 2000, defining traffic rules and regulations governing limited-access highways.[13] | ||
| DPWH DO No. 123 s. 2001 | July 18, 2001 | Revised Rules and Regulations Governing Limited Access Highways | Amends provisions in DPWC AO 1 s. 1968 to allow motorcycles on limited access highways and defines rules and regulations specific to motorcycles on such highways.[14] | ||
| LTO AHS 2008-015 | May 15, 2008 | Rules and Regulations for the Use and Operation of Motorcycles on Highways | Defines traffic rules and regulations for motorcycles on roads and highways.[15] | ||
| JAO 2014-01 | June 2, 2014 | Revised Schedule of Fines and Penalties for Violations of Laws, Rules and Regulations Governing Land Transportation | Additional fines and penalties for the violation of land transportation traffic laws.[16] | ||
| JMC 2018-01 | January 17, 2018 | Guidelines and Standards for the Classifications of Roads, Setting of Speed Limits Under Republic Act No. 4136, and Collection of Road Crash Data | Standardizes speed limits to be based on road classification and empowers local government units to collect road crash data and set local speed limits on local roads.[17] | ||
| DOTr DO No. 2020-14 | August 25, 2020 | Guidelines and Protocols for Active Transportation and Light Mobility Vehicles | Establishes and prescribes road safety protocols and penalties for motor vehicles, bicycles, and other non-motorized transport on the road.[18] | ||
| LTO AO No. 2021-039 | May 11, 2021 | Consolidated Guidelines in the Classification, Registration and Operation of All Types of Electric Motor Vehicles | Defines, classifies, and regulates the operation, registration, and related penalties of electric motor vehicles, including electric cars, electric bicycles, and mobility scooters.[19] | ||
| LTO AO No. VDM-2024-044 | February 21, 2024 | Amended Consolidated Guidelines in the Classification, Registration and Operation of All Types of Electric Vehicles | Amends and revises sections of LTO AO No. 2021-039 for light electric vehicles.[20] |
The following laws are only applicable to the Metro Manila area.
| Designation | data-sort-type="date" | Date passed | Title | Status | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| + List of Metro Manila traffic laws | |||||
| Joint Metro Manila Traffic Circular No. 01 | February 1, 2023 | Metro Manila Traffic Code of 2023 | Regional traffic code for Metro Manila covering unified traffic rules, regulations, ticketing, and penalties.[21] |
Since its enactment in 1964, there have been 12 amendments to RA 4136, the latest being in 2017.
| Designation | data-sort-type="date" | Date passed | Title | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| + List of amendments to RA 4136 | ||||
| RA 5715 | June 21, 1969 | An Act Amending Section Thirty-four of Republic Act Numbered Four Thousand One Hundred Thirty-six | Amends RA 4136 by allowing reflectors in place of lights when parked and requiring either of them for vehicle registration.[22] | |
| PD 382 | January 28, 1974 | Extending the Period for Registration of All for Hire Motor Vehicles, Amending for the Purpose Sub-paragraph 1, Paragraph (B), of Section 5, Republic Act Numbered 4136, as Amended | Amends RA 4136 by extending the period for vehicle registration.[23] | |
| PD 843 | December 12, 1975 | Amending Republic Act No. 4136, as Amended, Otherwise Known as the Land Transportation and Traffic Code by Increasing the Annual Registration Fee on Private Automobiles and Imposing an Ad Valorem Tax Thereon, and for Other Purposes | Amends RA 4136 by increasing registration fees and imposing excise tax.[24] | |
| PD 896 | February 26, 1976 | Further Amending Republic Act No. 4136, Otherwise Known as the Land Transportation and Traffic Code | Amends RA 4136 by updating the registration fees and schedule for registration.[25] | |
| PD 1057 | November 30, 1976 | Further Amending Republic Act No. 4136, Otherwise Known as the Land Transportation and Traffic Code | Amends RA 4136 by including vehicles owned by GOCCs for registration.[26] | |
| BP 74 | June 11, 1980 | An Act Amending Certain Sections Of Republic Act Numbered Forty-one Hundred and Thirty-six, Otherwise Known as the Land Transportation and Traffic Code | Amends the compulsory vehicle registration sections of RA 4136.[27] | |
| BP 398 | May 18, 1983 | An Act Amending Certain Sections of Republic Act Numbered Forty-one Hundred and Thirty-six, Otherwise Known as the Land Transportation and Traffic Code | Amends RA 4136 by requiring the possession of the driver's license and updating driver's licensing classifications.[28] | |
| PD 1934 | June 11, 1984 | Amending Certain Sections of Republic Act Numbered Forty One Hundred And Thirty Six Otherwise Known As The Land Transportation and Traffic Code | Amends RA 4136 by updating its annual vehicle registration fees and a road users' charge.[29] | |
| PD 1950 | September 5, 1984 | Amending Certain Sections of Presidential Decree No. 1934, Amending Republic Act No. 4136 | Adjustments to the road users' charge in PD 1934, which amends RA 4136.[30] | |
| EO 43 s. 1986 | August 22, 1986 | Restructuring The Private Motor Vehicle Tax | Restructures the Motor Vehicle User's Charge.[31] | |
| RA 8794 | June 27, 2000 | An Act Imposing A Motor Vehicle User's Charge On Owners Of All Types Of Motor Vehicles And For Other Purposes | Further amends RA 4136 and nationalizes the implementation of the Motor Vehicle User's Charge implemented in BP 74 and EO 43 s. 1986.[32] | |
| RA 10930 | July 25, 2017 | An Act Rationalizing and Strengthening the Policy Regarding Driver's License by Extending the Validity Period of Drivers' Licenses, and Penalizing Acts in Violation of Its Issuance and Application Amending for Those Purposes Section 23 of Republic Act No. 4136, as Amended by Batas Pambansa Blg. 398 and Executive Order No. 1011, Otherwise Known as the Land Transportation and Traffic Code | Amends RA 4136 with updated clauses on the validity and registration of driver's licenses and related penalties.[33] | |
Motor vehicles are defined by RA 4136 and the Metro Manila Traffic Code as any vehicle propelled by any power other than human power. Exceptions to this definition include vehicles on railway tracks, motor vehicles such as road rollers, trolley cars, street sweepers, sprinklers, lawn mowers, bulldozers, graders, forklifts, amphibian trucks, and cranes when not on public roads, as well as tractors, trailers, and vehicles with traction engines used exclusively for agriculture. In addition, trailers with any number of wheels propelled or intended to be proplled by a motor vehicle are classified as a separate motor vehicle.
Regulations for the use of bicycles and other non-motorized vehicles are defined by the DOTr in Department Order No. 2020-14.
Motor vehicles in the Philippines are classified according to whether they are propelled by diesel, electric, or gasoline powered motor engines, as well as their maximum design speed and vehicle weight. Electric motor vehicles, including electric cars, electric buses, electric trucks, electric motorcycles and scooters, electric bicycles, and other similar vehicles are classified similarly to gasoline and diesel motor vehicles subject to different restrictions.
Land Transportation Office (LTO) Administrative Order No. 2021-039, which was issued on May 11, 2021, classifies these vehicles into different classifications. Some of these classification may regulate the roads that these vehicles are permitted to operate on, the requirement of vehicle registration and need for a driver's license to operate, and the requirement of a motorcycle or bicycle helmet.
These guidelines were revised in 2024 through LTO Administrative Order No. VDM-2024-044, which requires all electric vehicles on public highways to be registered with the LTO, except for those used only on private roads. The revised guidelines also changed the bicycle helmet requirement for some classifications to use motorcycle helmets.
| Specifications | Restrictions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road restrictions | Driver's license restrictions | Vehicle registration | ||
| Category M1 Car, Van, and SUV | All roads including limited-access highways | |||
| Category M2 Utility Vehicle and Jeepney | ||||
| Category M3 Bus and e-Bus | ||||
| Category N1 Truck | ||||
| Category N2 Truck | ||||
| Category N3 Truck | ||||
| Category O1 Articulated Car | ||||
| Category O2 Articulated Car | ||||
| Category O3 Articulated Truck | ||||
All public roads and highways, defined as thoroughfares, boulevards, driveways, avenues, parks, and alleys are covered by RA 4136. This does not include corridors within private property or any institutions.
Republic Act No. 917 or the Philippine Highway Act of 1953 prohibits highways, bridges, or right-of-ways covered by RA 4136 from being obstructed, or from being usurped or converted to private use. The act also prohibits the removal or tampering of road infrastructure such as markers, signs, and other road-side facilities.[34]
RA 4136 also applies to limited-access highways, more commonly known as expressways, alongside additional traffic laws and restrictions provided by Republic Act No. 2000 and DPWC Administrative Order No. 1 series of 1968.
In Metro Manila, the Metro Manila Traffic Code covers all roads and public places within the metro.
Under RA 4136 and the Metro Manila Traffic Code, a motor vehicle is considered to be parked when it has been stopped on the shoulder or edge of a highway for an "appreciable" period of time. A motor vehicle stopping to unload passengers or cargo is not considered to be parked if the vehicle moves away "without delay".
RA 4136 states that parking a vehicle — by leaving it attended or unattended for an "appreciable" period of time — is prohibited inside an intersection or within 6sp=usNaNsp=us of it, in front of a private driveway, on a pedestrian crossing, within 4sp=usNaNsp=us of a fire hydrant or a driveway of a fire station, and where "no parking" signs are placed.
Parking on any sidewalk, path, or alley not intended for vehicular traffic or parking (such as bicycle lanes) is also prohibited by RA 4136 and DOTr Department Order No. 2020-014.
List of some standard rules of the road for motor vehicles and animal-drawn vehicles, all based on RA 4136:
See main article: article and Speed limits in the Philippines. Speed limits for motor vehicles across the country are defined by RA 4136 based on the type of roads and their conditions. A higher maximum speed limit is generally applied to light motor vehicles while lower maximum speed limits are applied to heavier motor vehicles.
There are no minimum speed limits on public roads except on expressways. However, RA 4136 states that a driver of a motor vehicle must drive at a "careful and prudent speed, not greater nor less than is reasonable and proper" with regards to road conditions.
Pursuant to DILG-DPWH-DOTr Joint Memorandum Circular 2018-001, local government units may designate lower maximum speed limits on local roads in the interest of road safety.
See main article: article, Lane splitting and Lane sharing. Lane splitting and lane filtering is not explicitly illegal on Philippine roads for any type of vehicle. However, lane sharing (which is incorrectly defined as "lane splitting") is considered illegal for motorcycles under LTO Administrative Order 2008-015, which states that a motorcycle or scooter must observe one lane per vehicle only. This policy however, is not actively enforced on the road.[35]
Section 3 of DPWC AO No. 1 s. 1968 prohibits any vehicle from lane splitting, lane sharing, or lane filtering on all expressways in the Philippines. This also applies to motorcycles, as of DPWH Department Order No. 123 s. 2001.[36]
See main article: article and Overtaking. Expressways in the Philippines have a passing lane designated for overtaking and lanes designated for slow-moving vehicles. This however does not apply to public roads by default.
Section 3 of DPWC AO No. 1 s. 1968 states that slow-moving vehicles must use the right lane and use the left lane only when passing.
RA 4136 states that any accident resulting in death or injuries of another person due to negligence or reckless or unreasonable fast driving will be subject to provisions of the Revised Penal Code.
The traffic code also states that in the event of an accident, the driver must stop and show their drivers' license and the details of registration of the vehicle to the other parties involved. No driver of a motor vehicle involved in an accident should leave the scene without aiding any victims except if there is imminent danger of harm, if the incident is reported to law enforcement, or if medical services are called.
The Civil Code of the Philippines also dictates in the following articles that the liability of operating motor vehicles falls primarily on the owner or driver:[37]
In 2004, the Supreme Court of the Philippines ruled in Añonuevo v. Court of Appeals that Article 2185 was not intended at the time of its creation in 1950 to also cover non-motorized vehicles on the road, affirming previous rulings that have affirmed the higher level of responsibility expected from motor vehicle drivers. The ruling also clarifies the principle of negligence per se, which states that to indict individuals for negligence in an incident, the violation of a statutory duty must directly cause the incident.[38]
RA 4136 states that within commercial or residential areas, drivers of vehicles must yield the right of way to a pedestrians crossing public roads on pedestrian crossings, except when traffic movement is regulated by traffic enforcers. On the other hand, pedestrians must yield their right of way to motor vehicles when crossing a public road at any point other than a pedestrian crossing.
Outside of the traffic code, there are traffic restrictions which designate the time and day that certain vehicles or road users are allowed to operate on, as well as specific roads where these restrictions are enforced or exempted on.
In Metro Manila, LEVs such as electric bicycles (e-bicycles), motorized scooters, and electric rickshaws (e-tricycles) are required to use bicycle lanes when traversing major roads as designated by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority in MMDA Regulation 24-002 and its implementing guidelines in MMDA Memorandum Circular No. 4 s. 2024.[39]
RA 11697 provides that light electric vehicles may also use bicycle lanes. All light electric vehicles with a maximum design speed below 60sp=usNaNsp=us are prohibited on roads designated as expressways.
Motorcycles and mopeds are allowed on most roads with the exception of roads designated as expressways.
Only two-wheeled motorcycles with an engine displacement of 400cc and three-wheeled motorcycles with an engine displacement of 600cc are allowed to be used on expressways.[40]
Some highways, particularly in Metro Manila, have motorcycle lanes where motorcycles are designated to use. However, these lanes are usually not exclusive to motorcycles and allow other road users to use them and require motorcycles to remain in the lane. One exception to this is the motorcycle lane along Commonwealth Avenue where vehicles other than motorcycles may be penalized for unnecessary usage of the motorcycle lane.[41]
See also: Cycling in the Philippines. Non-motorized vehicles include bicycles, kick scooters, and pedicabs, which are allowed on all public roads unless restricted otherwise.
All non-motorized transport are prohibited on roads designated as expressways.
Bicycle lanes are lanes along roads or separate paths designated for the exclusive or shared use of bicycles, non-motorized transport, and light electric vehicles. The generally applied rule is that only personal kick scooters, mobility scooters, bicycles, and pedal-assist bicycles are allowed to use bicycle lanes.
In Metro Manila, alongside LEVs, pedicabs and kuligligs are prohibited from traversing major roads and may only cross said roads as designated by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority in MMDA Regulation 24-002 and its implementing guidelines in MMDA Memorandum Circular No. 4 s. 2024.
Some cities and municipalities have local traffic codes require the registration of bicycles and mandate that bicycles are to be ridden only on bicycle lanes when present along a road, such as in San Juan[42] and Mandaluyong.[43] However, the bicycle-specific sections of the majority of these ordinances are not being actively enforced or may have been forgotten.
Public transport vehicles, such as jeepneys, buses, and the UV Express are restricted to use designated lanes on certain roads. A notable example of this is the EDSA Busway, located on the inner lanes of EDSA in Metro Manila, which is restricted for the exclusive use of EDSA Carousel route buses and authorized government vehicles.
Similar to trucks, buses are to use the outermost lanes on the expressway. On the other hand, both public and private jeepneys are classified the same as cars and are allowed on all lanes.
Tricycles, pedicabs, and motorized tricycles used for public transport are prohibited from using national highways based on the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular No. 2020-036. This restriction does not apply to those being used for private use.[44]
See main article: article.
Trucks are prohibited from passing through certain roads due to their large size and concern for safety around trucks. In Metro Manila, a truck ban ordinance prohibits trucks from most roads during the day and designates certain roads that are exempted from the truck ban.[45]
Some highways such as Circumferential Road 5 have designated lanes that trucks must stay in at all times while traversing the road, usually designated on the third lane from the sidewalk.[46] In addition to this, expressways have also designated the outermost lanes as lanes where trucks are only allowed to use.