Paying Overdue Traffic Violations in Makati City, Philippines

A comprehensive legal guide for motorists, operators, and employers

1. Governing Laws & Authorities

Level	Instrument	Key Points & Enforcement Body
National	▪ Republic Act 4136 (Land Transportation & Traffic Code) – establishes driver & vehicle licensing, “moving” violations; LTO may flag licenses or plates for unpaid local fines. ▪ Joint DOTr–LTO Administrative Order 2014-01 – standard national schedule of penalties adopted by most LGUs; allows LTO to place an alarm when an LGU transmits unpaid citations.	LTO, DOTr
Local (Makati)	▪ Makati Traffic Code (Ordinance 2003-095 & amendments) – defines local rules on truck ban, number-coding, curbside parking, loading zones, speed limits inside villages, etc. ▪ Ordinance No. 2019-165 (Revised Schedule of Traffic Fines & Surcharges) – sets current base fines and the 10 % monthly surcharge once a citation becomes overdue. ▪ Department of Public Safety (DPS) Regulations – operational rules, issuance of the Ordinance Violation Receipt (OVR), adjudication, and payment modalities.	Makati DPS (formerly Public Safety Department), Treasurer’s Office

Note: Makati’s No-Contact Apprehension Program (NCAP) has been suspended since the Supreme Court’s 18 August 2022 TRO. Citations issued before the TRO remain collectible.

2. When Does a Ticket Become “Overdue”?

Scenario	Payment Deadline	Overdue Trigger
Road-side apprehension (OVR handed to driver; license taken)	5 working days from date on OVR	Start of 6th working day
NCAP / CCTV notice (sent to plate holder)	7 calendar days from receipt	Day 8
Inline Checkpoint (TOP issued)	Validity of Temporary Operator’s Permit (usually 72 hrs)	When TOP expires

After the deadline, the DPS ledger automatically adds:

10 % surcharge of the base fine per month (capped at 60 %).
₱200 data-processing fee (flat).
Electronic LTO alarm request, preventing renewal of the license or vehicle registration.

3. Consequences of Non-Payment

Accumulating Penalties – surcharges compound monthly.
LTO Transactions Blocked – no renewal of driver’s license, OR/CR, or transfer of ownership until the alarm is cleared.
Civil Action – after 60 days, DPS may file an Ordinance Violation case before the Metropolitan Trial Court; judgment becomes a collectible civil liability.
Vehicle Impoundment – repeat offenders with three (3) or more unpaid OVRs may have plates tagged in the PNP-HPG hotline; the vehicle can be impounded on sight under Sec. 51 of the Makati Traffic Code.

4. How to Verify Outstanding Fines

Online Self-Inquiry
- Visit online.makati.gov.ph > e-Services > Traffic Violation Inquiry.
- Enter OVR No. or Plate No.
Land Bank Link.Biz Portal
- Merchant: City Government of Makati – Traffic Citation.
- Unpaid infractions appear with computed surcharges.
DPS Records Section (Ground Floor, Makati City Hall Bldg. II)
- Present a valid ID or Secretary’s Certificate for corporate vehicles.
- Request a Traffic Clearance Print-out (₱50).

5. Computing What You Owe

Common Violation	Base Fine (₱)	Example w/ 3-month Surcharge (30 %)
Illegal Parking (Sec. 16)	1 000	1 300
Disregarding Traffic Sign	2 000	2 600
Coding Violation	500	650
Reckless Driving – 1st offense	3 000	3 900

Formula: Total = Base Fine + (Base Fine × 0.10 × number of months overdue) + ₱200 processing

6. Settlement Options

Channel	Steps	Cut-off / Posting Time
A. On-Site DPS Cashier (2/F City Hall Bldg II)	Fill Traffic Violation Payment Form → Pay → Get Official Receipt & Clearance.	Lifts LTO alarm within 2 hrs.
B. Satellite Windows (J.P. Rizal, Guadalupe Nuevo, Urdaneta)	Same as on-site; useful for barangay residents.	Same day.
C. Online – Land Bank Link.Biz, MakatiPay, or GCash Bills → Makati Traffic	1. Search OVR. 2. Confirm amount. 3. Pay via debit card/e-wallet.	LTO alarm lifted next business day; keep e-mail receipt.
D. Partner Banks (Land Bank, BPI, UnionBank)	Request Payment Slip for Makati Traffic Violations → present printed assessment.	Alarm lifted next day.

For citations issued under NCAP, use the makati.gov.ph/ncap portal, then settle through PayMaya QR or any 7-Eleven CliQQ kiosk.

7. Clearing the Alarm & Getting Your License Back

Present the Official Receipt (or e-receipt print-out) to the DPS Records Section.
DPS encodes payment, prints “Release Order” and updates the LTO ITS.
If a license was confiscated, claim it at Window 1 – Adjudication by showing the Release Order.
For plate/registration alarms, bring the Release Order to any LTO District Office; the alarm status should show “CLEARED.”

8. Contesting an Overdue Citation

Stage	Timeline	Authority & Requirements
Administrative Protest	Within 5 working days of receipt (late filing still accepted if “for meritorious reasons”)	Makati Traffic Adjudication Board (MTAB); submit Verified Protest, copy of OVR, evidence (dash-cam, photos).
Appeal	Within 15 days from MTAB decision	Office of the City Administrator under Sec. 4, Admin Order 2020-12.
Judicial Review	Within 60 days under Rule 65 (certiorari)	Regional Trial Court – Branch 66 (designated traffic ordinances court).

Filing a protest tolls the running surcharge; if you lose, surcharges resume from date of the adverse decision.

9. Installment & Compromise

Ordinance 2019-165, Sec. 11 allows staggered payment for liabilities ≥ ₱5 000:

Minimum 30 % down-payment; balance payable in ≤ 60 days.
Execute a Promissory Note; DPS retains the driver’s license until full payment.
Failure to complete installments reinstates all surcharges plus a ₱500 default fee.

10. Prescription & Record Purging

City civil obligations prescribe in five (5) years under Art. 114, Civil Code. Afterward:

Makati archives the record; no more surcharges accrue.
LTO alarms, if any, are automatically dropped at the next database refresh.
However, a pending court judgment keeps the liability alive until satisfied.

11. Special Situations

Situation	Additional Rules
Company-Owned Vehicles	Payment must be made by an authorized representative bringing a Secretary’s Certificate & photocopy of the OR/CR.
Foreign Driver’s License	The confiscated license is forwarded to BI Traffic Control Section if unpaid > 30 days; clearance required for exit.
Vehicle sold after violation	Seller must execute a Deed of Undertaking to transfer liability; otherwise, buyer cannot register vehicle.
NCAP “notice not received”	Proof of non-receipt (e.g., notarized affidavit) may void surcharges but not the base fine, per MTAB Circular 04-2021.

12. How to Avoid Overdue Fines

*Enroll in the free Makati ZenTraffic SMS alerts.
Keep the OVR duplicate in your glove box and diarize the due date.
Always run your plate number on the LTO “LTMS Portal → Violations” before scheduling registration.
Designate a Compliance Officer for fleet vehicles to monitor Link.Biz every Friday.

13. Frequently Asked Questions

“Can I renew my driver’s license in Quezon City if I settle in Makati the same morning?” – Yes. Bring the Release Order; LTO offices share one alarm database that syncs roughly every two hours.
“Does Makati still accept TOP as a driver’s license deposit?” – Yes, but only for violations where the apprehending officer was an LTO deputized enforcer. Otherwise, the actual license is retained.
“Are surcharges negotiable?” – DPS Cashier cannot waive surcharges without MTAB authority. File a Protest citing ‘good faith’ (e.g., hospitalization, force majeure).

Key Take-Aways

Pay within five (5) working days to avoid the automatic 10 % monthly surcharge.
Unpaid citations trigger an LTO alarm, freezing all licensing transactions.
Multiple settlement channels exist—walk-in, bank, e-wallets—each with its own posting time.
You may contest a citation, but act promptly; doing so freezes accruing penalties.
Installment plans are available for large liabilities, but default revives all surcharges.

By understanding Makati’s legal framework, deadlines, and payment workflow, motorists can resolve overdue traffic infractions efficiently and keep their driving privileges—and budgets—intact.