LTO vehicle modification guide: Transforming your vehicle's colour

We are starting a five-part series called LTO Vehicle Modification Guide, wherein we’ll be discussing the different vehicle modifications a car owner can make and LTOs guidelines on them. Now, there are a few ways a car owner can modify his/her car in the Philippines, the list includes -

Changing the colour of the motor vehicle

• Changing the vehicle’s body design (change in parts meant to protect the driver, passenger and others on the road)
• Changing the vehicle’s chassis
• Changing the vehicle’s engine
• Changing the vehicle’s body (change in parts that are mostly attached to the car’s unibody)

Today, we’ll be discussing LTO’s guide on motor vehicle colour change. It would include the benefits, eligibility, requirements, and application process related to the said vehicle modification.

For prospective car buyers, the colour of the motor vehicle he/she is planning to purchase is considerably a big and important decision. However, sometimes an owner decides to change the vehicle's colour and luckily LTO allows such alteration. However, the process might sound pretty straightforward, but instead, it comes at a hefty price and time-consuming process.

Car colour change & LTO’s intervention

Now you must be wondering why a car owner needs to inform the LTO about the colour change he/she is planning for the vehicle. Well, like any other modification, colour change also modifies the original look of the vehicle for a unique look that’s to the owner's needs and preferences.
A colour change not only improves a car’s aesthetics but it does more than that.

For instance, depending on the hue, the car may either look new, shiny, and expensive or old and torn. Further, it also impacts financial factors like car insurance, residual value, and premium. Therefore, LTO needs to know about the colour modification, as it impacts every aspect of the vehicle and its existence. As the original details of a car are thoroughly registered with LTO, the alterations made must be made known.

Benefits of changing the colour of a car

An owner may change the colour of his or her car due to personal preference, however, apart from the joy of sight there are several other perks. Like -

• Better resale value
• Lower insurance premium
• Makes the car safer (as some colours are considered to make the riskier than others)
• Lowers car temperature (some colours absorb less sunlight compared to others)

Qualification to change car colours

There are certain eligibility criteria a car owner is required to meet before he/she decides to modify the car’s colour. Included in the eligibility criteria list are -

• The vehicle concerned should be LTO-registered
• Required documents need to be presented by the car owner to the LTO
• Payment of relevant LTO fees by the car owner

Re-registration requirement of modified vehicle

A modified vehicle needs to be registered again with the LTO so that the relevant authorities know about the changes made to the vehicle. In this case, the change revolves around the new hue provided to the car in question. So, here are a few basic requirements -

• Certificate of Registration(CR)/ Certificate of Registration-Encumbered (CRE) with conformity from the financing company interposing no objection to the colour change - Original & one photocopy
• Philippine National Police - Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) Motor Vehicle
• Clearance Certificate - Original
• Special Bank Receipt
• Macro-etching report
• Motor Vehicle Inspection Report (duly accomplished)
• Appropriate insurance Certificate of Cover (COC)/ Endorsement of insurance -
• LTO Copy or electronically transmitted
• Joint Affidavit of Change of Change Colour of owner and painter - Original
• Official Receipt of Motor Vehicle User Change
• Official Receipt of other LTO fee payments
• Taxpayer’s Identification Number (TIN)
• Endorsement from the Insurance Company
• Motor Vehicle Inspection Report (MVIR)
• Clearance from Philippine National Police-Traffic Management Group (PNP-TMG)

Also Read: Car Registration in LTO: A step-by-step guide

Motor vehicle colour change application process

To change the colour of a motor vehicle, the owner is required to first apply an LTO. So, here is a step-by-step procedure to go with the process.

Step 1: Head to the nearest LTO office
Step 2: Get yourself a queue number and wait for your turn
Step 3: Proceed to the transaction counter, once your queue number is announced
Step 4: Submit the required documents for evaluation and computation of the fees
Step 5: Get the motor vehicle inspected with MVIR duly accomplished
Step 6: Proceed to the cashier window and wait for your number to be called
Step 7: Pay the fee and get your Official Receipt
Step 8: Proceed to the Releasing Counter
Step 9: Present the OR at the counter and collect your new Certificate of Registration, plates, stickers, and other documents
Step 10: Before leaving, sign the CR logbook

LTO colour change application fees

Apart from applying with the LTO, the applicant also needs to pay the necessary fees to be able to change the colour of his/her vehicle. So, in addition to the usual car registration fees, a colour-changing fee of PHP 100 needs to be paid by the applicant at the LTO.

Bottom line

In the Philippines, LTO permits a car owner to change the colour of his/her car. All an applicant needs to do is follow a simple application procedure, pay the required fees, and that’s it, they’ll get the new Certificate of Registration, plates, stickers, and other documents.

Also Read: A step-by-step guide to getting duplicate LTO OR/CR