Philippine Vintage Vehicle Act RA 11698: Import Guide | 2026

May 7, 2025 at 10:35 AM

Forty years from the date of manufacture. That is the line Republic Act No. 11698 draws for a vintage vehicle in the Philippines, and the Act lets "any person or entity" import one. It lapsed into law on April 15, 2022 without the President's signature, and we think it is one of the clearest vintage car laws a collector in Asia can work with.

The Act fits on a few pages. It sets the age, the original parts test, the right-hand-drive cut-off, registration with the LTO and where the car may be driven. Below, each rule is quoted from the Act (full text on LawPhil) with its section number, followed by what we would do in your place before a car leaves the US.

By the numbers

40 years: minimum age, counted from the date of manufacture (Section 4(h)).
December 31, 1970: right-hand-drive vintage cars built on or before this date are exempt from the right-hand-drive ban (Section 10).
3 years: validity of an LTO vintage vehicle registration (Section 14).
P10,000: one-time reconstitution fee when registration papers are missing (Section 18).
72 hours: how far ahead US Customs needs the title and export documents before a car leaves the US (19 CFR 192.2).

What Counts as a Vintage Vehicle Under RA 11698

Section 4(h) sets two tests. The car must be "at least forty (40) years old reckoned from the date of manufacture," and its "chassis, engine, steering assembly, and suspension assembly are either original or authentic," with a body that "has not been altered in general appearance." Replicas and reproductions are excluded. By the end of 2026, every car built in 1986 or earlier passes the age test.

The word that matters is authentic. The Act defines an authentic spare part as one "identical in appearance and function to an original component," but not necessarily made of the same material. We like that wording. A restorer who could not find a factory steering box is not punished, while a kit car wearing a famous badge stays out.

Right-hand drive: the 1970 cut-off

Section 10 lifts the Philippine ban on importing, registering and using right-hand-drive vehicles for "vintage vehicles manufactured on or before December 31, 1970 or to vintage vehicles intended principally for racing or other motorsport." A 1969 right-hand-drive Jaguar E-Type qualifies. A 1975 right-hand-drive Toyota Celica does not, unless it is principally a race car. Most cars leaving the US are left-hand drive, so the question rarely comes up on our lanes.

What you can change

Section 12 allows five kinds of change: modifications of a type made while the model was in production or within 10 years of its end; brakes, suspension, axles and running gear upgraded for efficiency or safety; carburetors or fuel injection not original to the car; a new engine "of the same brand or manufacture and of the same general specification" as the original; and aftermarket accessories such as radios, air-conditioning and directional lights.

The engine rule is the one to read twice. A new V8 from Chevrolet keeps a 1967 Camaro inside the Act. An engine from another maker does not fit the wording, so we would check any swap before buying the car, not after it lands.

Emissions and safety

Section 5 exempts registered vintage vehicles from emission and safety standards that were not in force when the car was made. Cars built after December 31, 1967 still need seat belts under Republic Act No. 8750, and Section 17 adds the LTO's minimum safety and roadworthiness guidelines for cars built after December 31, 1975.

Registration With the LTO

Section 14 requires every vintage vehicle imported after the Act took effect to be registered as a vintage vehicle with the Land Transportation Office. The registration is "valid for three (3) years," and the LTO may set a longer term. Section 15 gives the car plates carrying the words "vintage vehicle" and the model year or year of manufacture. Section 17 adds an inspection against the original parts and modification rules.

Missing papers add months

For a car with missing papers, Section 18 asks for a notarized affidavit, a police clearance and a one-time reconstitution fee of P10,000 on top of the regular fees. A notice then runs once a week for three consecutive weeks, followed by a three-month objection period.

That is the strongest argument we know for sorting out the title before the car sails. US Customs needs the title before the car can be exported anyway, and we would rather fix a title problem in the US than rely on the affidavit route after the car lands.

Where You Can Drive It

Section 13 limits a registered vintage vehicle to "personal purposes and/or leisure driving." Commercial use is barred, except for "motion pictures, advertisements, pictorials, weddings, and motorcades," and the car can never serve as a public utility vehicle. The Act sets no weekend-only rule and no time-of-day limit. We think the balance is right: a 1965 Mustang can do Sunday drives and weddings, but not airport runs.

Importing, Valuation and Export

Section 6 lets "any person or entity" import vintage vehicles, "whether concours, RESTOMOD and/or for repair or restoration," along with authentic components, original or replica body shells, engines, transmissions, spare parts and accessories. Section 8 tells the Bureau of Customs to value a restoration car lower than a concours car of the same make and model.

The Act names no duty rate, so your import agent in the Philippines confirms duty and taxes with the Bureau of Customs before the car sails. Our advice: describe the car as it is. A project car declared as a project is valued as one under Section 8.

Exports run the other way with one exception. Section 7 lets vintage vehicles leave "without restriction," except cars of historical significance certified by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, such as presidential vehicles, which may leave only for repair or restoration abroad. Under Section 9, restoration shops that import for restoration and export are eligible for incentives under Republic Act No. 11534.

Shipping a Vintage Car From the US

We ship door to door from our own warehouses in California, Florida and New Jersey, covering all of the US for imports and exports. Our own team loads every car and handles every document on the US side: the title and export documents presented to US Customs at least 72 hours before departure (19 CFR 192.2), and the Electronic Export Information filing (15 CFR 30.2). A vintage car usually travels by ocean in a container, and air freight is there when a show date is fixed. Your import agent in the Philippines handles the Bureau of Customs entry and the LTO registration.

For a price on your lane, send us the car, the pickup address and the destination port through the form below.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old must a car be to count as vintage in the Philippines?

At least 40 years old from the date of manufacture, with an original or authentic chassis, engine, steering and suspension (RA 11698, Section 4(h)).

Can I import a right-hand-drive vintage car into the Philippines?

Yes, if it was built on or before December 31, 1970, or is intended principally for racing or other motorsport (Section 10).

How long is a vintage vehicle registration valid?

Three years. The LTO may set a longer validity (Section 14).

Can a registered vintage vehicle be used commercially?

No, except for motion pictures, advertisements, pictorials, weddings and motorcades. It can never be used as a public utility vehicle (Section 13).

Can restomods be imported under RA 11698?

Yes. Section 6 allows imports of concours, restomod and restoration vehicles. Registration as a vintage vehicle still depends on the modification rules in Section 12.

More Shipping and Import Guides

Bring a Vintage Car to the Philippines

Ready to ship a 40-year-old classic to the Philippines? Bought it at a US auction or at an event overseas? Send us the car and the pickup address, and we will plan the route by ocean or air, door to door. It's your dream car. Let's bring her home.

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