Law Summary
Restoration of Original Engine Serial Number
- Restoration of the original or registered engine serial number after effacement or damage is allowed only when properly documented and approved.
- Documents required include:
- Affidavit explaining circumstances of damage/obliteration of the serial number.
- Owner's letter-request for restoration.
- PNP-Technical Motor Group (TMG) macro-etching report and clearance.
- Source ownership documents (Certificate of Registration, BOC Certificate of Payment, Sale's Invoice).
- Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS) inspection report.
Prohibitions on New Serial Number Assignments and Alterations
- Assigning and stamping new serial numbers on defaced engines is prohibited.
- Registration or re-registration of vehicles with altered or tampered engine numbers is disallowed.
- Engines missing model or series identifiers in serial numbers (e.g., 7K-12345) cannot be registered or reported.
Adding Characters to Engine Serial Numbers
- Stamping additional characters duplicating an already registered engine number is prohibited unless done by the manufacturer or assembler.
- Such additions must be reported and approved by the Assistant Secretary.
Manufacturer's Duty in Numbering Engine Blocks, Chassis, or Body
- Manufacturers must number every engine block, chassis, or body clearly and conspicuously.
- The LTO may direct the location and format to ensure uniformity and proper identification.
Legal Mandate of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Vehicle Registration
- LTO's role is to ensure:
- Motor vehicles are legitimately acquired.
- Vehicles are roadworthy.
- Correct road user’s tax is collected.
- Any conflicting memoranda or orders are superseded by this memorandum.
Immediate Effectivity
- The memorandum and its guidelines took effect immediately upon adoption on March 14, 2008.