If you are reviewing for the LTO written exam, violations and penalties show up more than you might expect. Some items ask for a fine amount, some ask what happens to your license, and some are sneaky: they give you the 1964 fine from the Land Transportation and Traffic Code when the current schedule says something else entirely.

This guide walks through the violations the exam actually tests, with the amounts and license consequences, and points out where the old law and the current schedule differ so you do not get caught on exam day.

Where LTO fines come from

Two documents set what you actually pay:

• Republic Act No. 4136 (1964), the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, is the baseline statute. It defines the offenses and, in Section 56, lists fines for each one.
• DOTC Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01 is the revised schedule of fines and penalties that the LTO enforces today. It replaced the older schedule and carries amounts much higher than the 1964 statute.

The exam bank on this site follows the current JAO amounts, but a few questions still reference the old RA 4136 figures, so knowing both is the safe play. We will show both where they differ.

Driving without a valid license

Under the current JAO 2014-01 schedule, driving without a valid driver's license carries a fine of ₱3,000, and the driver is disqualified from being granted a license and from driving for one year from the payment of the fine.

The definition is wider than people expect. It includes:

• driving with an expired, revoked or suspended license
• driving with the wrong restriction code or the wrong license classification
• a fake license
• a tourist driving with a foreign license beyond the 90-day allowed period
• a student permit holder driving alone, without a licensed driver beside them

That last one is a favorite exam item: a student permit is not a license to drive solo. Practice this plus the rest of the reviewer on our free LTO mock exam.

For reference, RA 4136 Section 56(e) originally set "driving without first securing a driver's license" at a ₱300 fine — the JAO amount supersedes it in practice.

Driving an unregistered motor vehicle

The current schedule sets ₱10,000 for driving an unregistered motor vehicle, and the definition includes expired, revoked, suspended or invalid registration, as well as an unregistered or fake engine, engine block or chassis.

There is a second sting: if the violation has lasted more than one month, the vehicle is impounded and released only after it is validly registered and the fines are paid.

This is one of the most common penalty questions: "Driving an unregistered motor vehicle is a violation with a fine of:" — under the present schedule, the answer is ₱10,000. (RA 4136's Section 56(d) said ₱300 in 1964; if an old material gives you ₱300, that is the historical figure, not the current one.)

Reckless driving

RA 4136 defines the offense in Section 48: operating a motor vehicle recklessly, or without reasonable caution considering the width, traffic, grades, crossings, curves, visibility, weather and other conditions of the highway, endangering people or property or causing excessive damage to the highway.

The fine escalates per offense:

• First offense: ₱2,000
• Second offense: ₱3,000, plus three months suspension of the driver's license
• Third offense: ₱10,000, plus six months suspension
• Every offense after that: ₱10,000 and revocation of the license

One more detail people miss: a revoked non-professional driver is barred from being granted a license for two years from revocation, while a revoked professional driver is disqualified from getting any driver's license. If your goal is a professional license, keep that in mind before treating a first offense lightly.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs

This topic changed the most in 2014, and the exam reflects the newer law, Republic Act No. 10586 (the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act). Under its Section 12, a driver found driving under the influence (DUI) is penalized as follows:

• If the violation did not result in physical injuries or homicide: three months imprisonment and a fine of ₱20,000 up to ₱80,000.
• If it resulted in physical injuries: the penalty in Article 263 of the Revised Penal Code, or the penalty above, whichever is higher, plus a fine of ₱100,000 to ₱200,000.
• If it resulted in homicide: the penalty in Article 249 of the Revised Penal Code, plus a fine of ₱300,000 to ₱500,000.

On top of those, the license consequences are strict and they differ by license type:

• Non-professional license: confiscated and suspended for twelve months for the first conviction, and perpetually revoked for the second.
• Professional license: confiscated and perpetually revoked for the first conviction, and perpetual revocation disqualifies the person from being granted any kind of driver's license afterwards.

That is the likely source of the exam item "What is the maximum penalty for driving under the influence of liquor or prohibited drugs?" — the answer being revocation of the license. For professional drivers, one conviction is enough; there is no second chance.

Note also that RA 10586 Section 8 penalizes refusing the mandatory field sobriety and drug tests: the penalty is confiscation and automatic revocation of the driver's license, in addition to other penalties under the law. If an examiner stops you and asks you to blow into a breath analyzer, the test is not optional.

For historical contrast, RA 4136's Section 56(f) set DUI at a fine of ₱200 to ₱500 or imprisonment of not more than three months, or both. Expect exam questions to follow RA 10586, not the old figures.

Why old amounts still show up

The Land Transportation and Traffic Code has never been fully rewritten; its fine schedule simply sat unchanged while later issuances raised the amounts. So both layers are legitimate sources, and a well-built exam bank can test either. When you see a penalty item, look for clues in the question: if it says "under RA 4136" or refers to the statute, use the old figure; anything about the current LTO schedule uses the JAO amounts.

Quick recap table (current schedule)

• Unlicensed driving: ₱3,000 + 1-year disqualification
• Unregistered vehicle: ₱10,000 (impound if beyond one month)
• Reckless driving: ₱2,000 / ₱3,000 / ₱10,000 with license suspension on repeat and revocation after
• DUI, no injuries: 3 months imprisonment + ₱20,000–₱80,000; license suspended (non-pro) or permanently revoked (pro)
• Refusing the sobriety/drug test: automatic license revocation

Keep practicing

Penalty questions reward people who memorize the numbers and the license consequences together. Work a few mindset-check items after this on the LTO exam reviewer, and read common mistakes in the LTO written exam to see where reviewers usually slip. A short pass here and there beats one long cram.