LTO Driver’s License Restriction Codes 2026: Complete Guide to DL Codes A, A1, B, B1, B2, C, D, BE, and CE
LTO driver’s license restriction codes decide which vehicles you are legally allowed to drive in the Philippines. They are the letters printed on your license card, and every traffic enforcer reads them before anything else. Drive a vehicle your codes do not cover, and you are treated as driving without a proper license — a ₱3,000 penalty, even if your license itself is valid.
This guide explains the full system in 2026: the nine current DL codes, what vehicle each one covers, the old numbered codes 1 to 8 and how they map to the new letters, the condition codes printed alongside them, which codes non-professional drivers can hold, how to add a code, and the mistakes that cost drivers a fine.
What Are LTO Driver’s License Restriction Codes?
LTO driver’s license restriction codes, now officially called DL codes, are the classification system that matches a driver to the vehicles they are qualified to drive. The system is based on vehicle type, passenger capacity, and gross vehicle weight (GVW) — the maximum weight of the vehicle as set by its manufacturer.
The codes appear on your license card. An enforcer checking your license compares your codes against the vehicle you are driving. If they match, you are properly licensed for that vehicle. If they do not, the violation is recorded against you regardless of how well you were driving.
The system changed in 2021. Before then, the LTO used numbered restriction codes from 1 to 8. Since 2021, the LTO uses alphanumeric DL codes from A to CE. Older cards showing only numbers remain valid until they expire, but every new or renewed license uses the letter codes. If your card still shows numbers, the mapping table later in this guide tells you what your codes mean today.
The Nine DL Codes at a Glance
There are nine DL codes for vehicle types: A, A1, B, B1, B2, C, D, BE, and CE. Here is the quick version, with full detail for each code below:
- A — Motorcycles without a sidecar
- A1 — Tricycles and motorcycles with a sidecar
- B — Private passenger cars, up to 8 seats
- B1 — Passenger vans and jeepneys, 9 or more seats
- B2 — Light goods vehicles
- C — Heavy goods vehicles, trucks
- D — Buses and heavy passenger vehicles
- BE — Light vehicles towing a trailer
- CE — Heavy articulated vehicles and semi-trailer trucks
Two rules govern the whole table. First, each code is its own permission: holding one code does not automatically grant you the others. Second, non-professional license holders can only hold codes A, A1, B, B1, and B2. Codes C, D, BE, and CE require a professional license.
If you are still working toward your first license, start with our guide to non-professional license requirements, which explains how codes are assigned when your license is first issued.
DL Code A: Motorcycles
DL code A covers motorcycles without a sidecar, across vehicle categories L1 to L3. It covers two-wheeled motorcycles of any engine size, from a small scooter to a large-displacement bike.
Code A does not cover a tricycle or a motorcycle with a sidecar. That is a separate code, A1, and the distinction is enforced. A rider with only code A who drives a tricycle is driving outside their code.
Code A is available on both non-professional and professional licenses, and it is the code most motorcycle riders hold.
DL Code A1: Tricycles and Motorcycles with a Sidecar
DL code A1 covers tricycles and motorcycles with a sidecar, across vehicle categories L4 to L7. This includes the familiar Philippine tricycle — a motorcycle fitted with a sidecar for passengers — as well as small four-wheeled light vehicles in the same categories.
The A versus A1 distinction confuses many riders, so here it is plainly: A is a solo motorcycle, A1 is a motorcycle with a sidecar or a tricycle. Holding A1 alone does not authorize you to ride a solo motorcycle, and holding A alone does not authorize you to drive a tricycle. Each code stands on its own.
If you drive a tricycle for passengers as a livelihood, you also need a professional license classification, not just the A1 code. The code says what you may drive; the classification says whether you may drive it for pay. Our guide to professional license requirements explains the upgrade path.
DL Code B: Private Passenger Cars
DL code B is the most common code in the Philippines. It covers private passenger cars in vehicle category M1: sedans, hatchbacks, SUVs, and similar vehicles with up to 8 passenger seats and a gross vehicle weight of up to 5,000 kg as commonly listed in LTO code guides.
Code B covers cars only. It does not cover motorcycles, even a small scooter. A driver with only code B who rides a motorcycle is driving outside their code, and this is one of the most common restriction violations on the road.
A note on the weight figure: some guides list the older code 2 limit of 4,500 kg for this class. The category printed on your card governs what you may drive, so if your vehicle sits near the weight boundary, confirm the limit for your exact code at your licensing center rather than relying on a single published figure.
DL Code B1: Passenger Vans and Jeepneys
DL code B1 covers passenger vehicles in category M2: vans and jeepneys designed for 9 or more passengers, with a gross vehicle weight of up to 5,000 kg as commonly listed.
The B versus B1 line is drawn by seat count. A private van with 8 or fewer seats falls under code B. A passenger van or jeepney carrying 9 or more people falls under B1. If you drive a UV Express van or a jeepney route, B1 is the code you need — and, since that driving is for pay, a professional classification as well.
DL Code B2: Light Goods Vehicles
DL code B2 covers light goods vehicles in category N1: pickups, delivery vans, and small cargo vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of up to 3,500 kg.
B2 is the code for light commercial driving: a delivery van, a company pickup, a small cargo vehicle. It is available on a non-professional license, but driving a goods vehicle for a living still requires a professional classification. The code and the classification answer two different questions, and you need the right answer to both.
DL Code C: Heavy Goods Vehicles and Trucks
DL code C covers heavy goods vehicles in categories N2 and N3: cargo trucks with a gross vehicle weight above 3,500 kg.
Code C is a professional-only code. You cannot hold it on a non-professional license. Getting it means holding a professional license and completing the training and testing for heavy vehicles.
If your work involves trucks, confirm with your employer or operator whether the vehicles are above or below the 3,500 kg line. That line is exactly where B2 ends and C begins, and driving a truck above the line on a B2 code is a restriction violation.
DL Code D: Buses and Heavy Passenger Vehicles
DL code D covers heavy passenger vehicles in category M3: buses and coaches with 9 or more seats and a gross vehicle weight above 5,000 kg.
Like code C, code D is professional-only. Bus drivers, tourist coach drivers, and company shuttle drivers operating large buses need code D on a professional license. The combination of size and passenger load is why the LTO reserves this code for professional drivers with the proper training.
DL Codes BE and CE: Trailers and Articulated Vehicles
DL codes BE and CE cover vehicles towing trailers, known as articulated vehicles.
BE covers light articulated combinations in categories O1 and O2: a car or light vehicle towing a trailer with a gross vehicle weight of up to 3,500 kg. Think of a private SUV towing a small trailer.
CE covers heavy articulated combinations in categories O3 and O4: semi-trailer trucks and heavy articulated vehicles with a combined gross vehicle weight above 3,500 kg.
Both BE and CE are professional-only codes. A private driver towing a trailer behind a car needs BE on a professional license, which surprises many private vehicle owners. Check your codes before you tow, not after an enforcer does.
Old Restriction Codes 1 to 8: The Mapping Table
If your license card still shows numbers instead of letters, it uses the old system. Here is how the old restriction codes map to the new DL codes:
| Old Restriction Code | New DL Code | Vehicle Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A / A1 | Motorcycles / tricycles |
| 2 | B / B1 / B2 | Cars, passenger vans, light goods vehicles up to the weight limit |
| 3 | C / D | Heavy goods vehicles / buses above the weight limit |
| 4 | B / B1 / B2 (automatic only) | Same vehicles as code 2, automatic transmission only |
| 5 | C / D (automatic only) | Same vehicles as code 3, automatic transmission only |
| 6 | BE | Articulated vehicles up to 1,600 kg GVW |
| 7 | BE | Towed-trailer vehicles from 1,601 to 4,500 kg GVW |
| 8 | CE | Heavy articulated vehicles |
Old numbered codes stay valid until your card expires. When you renew, your license is reissued with the new letter codes. You do not need to visit the LTO early just to convert numbers to letters, but you do need to know what your numbers authorize in the meantime.
Manual vs Automatic: The Transmission Rule
One more distinction rides along with your codes: manual transmission (MT) versus automatic transmission (AT).
A code earned with a manual transmission covers both manual and automatic vehicles in the same class. A code earned with an automatic transmission only covers automatic vehicles in that class. This is why old codes 4 and 5 existed as the automatic-only versions of codes 2 and 3.
If you learned and tested on an automatic, your card reflects that limit. Driving a manual vehicle in the same class on an automatic-only code is driving outside your restriction, even though the vehicle type matches.
Condition Codes: The Other Numbers on Your Card
Alongside the DL codes, your license card carries condition codes for health-related driving requirements. These are separate from the vehicle codes, and they are just as binding.
The most common example is condition code 1, which means you must wear corrective lenses — eyeglasses or contact lenses — while driving. If your card carries this condition and you drive without your glasses, you are violating your license conditions.
Other condition codes cover equipment and medical requirements specific to the driver. Read every code printed on your card, not just the vehicle letters. If a condition applies to you, it applies every time you drive, and enforcers check it.
Which Codes Can a Non-Pro License Hold?
Non-professional license holders can hold only codes A, A1, B, B1, and B2, or a combination of them. That covers motorcycles, tricycles, private cars, passenger vans, and light goods vehicles for personal use.
Codes C, D, BE, and CE require a professional license. This is a hard limit, not a recommendation. A non-pro applicant cannot add a heavy-vehicle or trailer code, no matter how much experience they have.
This is also why the license journey has an order: student permit, then non-pro license with light codes, then a professional upgrade for heavier codes and for-hire driving. Each stage unlocks the next.
How to Add a DL Code to Your License
To add a DL code you do not already hold, you apply for an additional code at an LTO licensing center. The general path is:
- Check your current codes and classification. Confirm the new code is available for your license type. Heavy and trailer codes need a professional license first.
- Complete the required training. A new code usually requires a Practical Driving Course for that vehicle type, transmitted to LTMS by an accredited school.
- Take the tests for the new code. Expect a practical driving test in the new vehicle type, and a written component where the LTO requires it.
- Submit your application at a licensing center with your current license, training certificate, medical certificate, and payment.
- Check your new card before you leave. Confirm the added code appears correctly, along with any transmission designation.
Adding a code is a separate transaction from renewal. If your license is also due for renewal, ask the branch how the two transactions combine, so you do not pay twice or leave with a card that misses one of them. For official forms and announcements, check the Land Transportation Office website before your visit. Our LTMS portal guide explains how to check your records and appointments online before your visit.
The Penalty for Driving Outside Your Code
Driving a vehicle your codes do not cover is penalized at ₱3,000 under the LTO’s schedule of fines, as listed in Joint Administrative Order 2014-01. Published guides describe it as driving with an inappropriate restriction code, and the same order has been cited for a one-year bar on holding a license in some accounts of the penalty.
The practical consequences go beyond the fine. A violation is recorded on your LTMS record, where it can block a renewal, an upgrade to a professional license, or a clean-record benefit. For professional drivers, a restriction violation can also affect employment, since operators check driver records.
The rule is simple to follow: before you drive a vehicle you have not driven before, check its type, seat count, and weight against your codes. If any of the three falls outside your codes, do not drive it until your license covers it. Our traffic violations and fines guide lists this penalty alongside the other common violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are LTO driver’s license restriction codes?
LTO driver’s license restriction codes, now called DL codes, are the letters on your license card that state which vehicles you are qualified to drive. They are based on vehicle type, passenger capacity, and gross vehicle weight, and an enforcer compares them against the vehicle you are driving.
What does DL code B mean?
DL code B covers private passenger cars with up to 8 seats, such as sedans, hatchbacks, and SUVs. It does not cover motorcycles, tricycles, or passenger vans with 9 or more seats — those need codes A, A1, or B1.
What is the difference between codes A and A1?
Code A covers solo motorcycles without a sidecar. Code A1 covers tricycles and motorcycles with a sidecar. Each code is separate: A alone does not cover a tricycle, and A1 alone does not cover a solo motorcycle.
Can a non-professional license holder get code C or D?
No. Non-professional licenses are limited to codes A, A1, B, B1, and B2. Codes C, D, BE, and CE require a professional license.
What do the old restriction codes 1 to 8 mean?
Old code 1 maps to A or A1, old code 2 maps to B, B1, or B2, old code 3 maps to C or D, old codes 4 and 5 are the automatic-only versions of codes 2 and 3, old codes 6 and 7 map to BE, and old code 8 maps to CE. Old cards stay valid until they expire.
What is the fine for driving outside my restriction code?
The fine is ₱3,000 for driving with an inappropriate restriction code, and the violation is recorded on your LTMS record, where it can affect renewals and upgrades.
Does a manual code cover automatic vehicles?
Yes. A code earned with a manual transmission covers both manual and automatic vehicles in the same class. An automatic-only code covers automatic vehicles only.
