Number coding in Metro Manila: 2026 schedule and hours

This guide is for anyone driving in Metro Manila in 2026, and for buyers deciding whether an EV or hybrid's coding exemption is worth paying for. The MMDA's "expanded" number coding hours have not changed this year. The MMDA reaffirmed them in January 2026. What changes week to week are the suspensions for holidays, bad weather and events like the November 2026 ASEAN Summit.

Which plates are coded on which day?

Your coding day depends on the last digit of your plate. Each weekday covers two digits. Coding hours are the same on every coded day.

Monday

12

Tuesday

34

Wednesday

56

Thursday

78

Friday

90

No coding on Saturdays, Sundays, or regular and special non-working holidays. Makati codes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. with no window hours.

For a vehicle still on a conduction sticker, the MMDA uses the last digit on the sticker and ignores the letters. The same last digit also sets your registration renewal month. See plate numbers explained.

What are the coding hours and window hours?

On your coding day you cannot drive on Metro Manila roads from 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. or from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. You are free to drive in between. Those free periods are what motorists call "window hours".

Coded time per weekday: 7-10 a.m. and 5-8 p.m.

6 hours

Fine for a coding violation (Metro Manila Traffic Code)

₱500

EV and hybrid coding exemption under the EVIDA law

Until ~2030

The MMDA has floated other schemes from time to time. In 2025 it planned a 24-hour odd-even scheme on EDSA to replace regular coding during the EDSA rebuild. It cancelled that when the rehabilitation was postponed. As of mid-November 2026 we found no official notice that an odd-even scheme is in force. Check MMDA advisories before relying on any new scheme.

Which cities and roads have different rules?

Makati is the main exception. It runs its own coding from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekdays, with no window hours. That was restored in March 2022, and 2025 guides list the same hours. Makati also exempts vehicles carrying a senior citizen with a Makati Blu Card, whether they are driving or riding.

Other cities mostly follow MMDA hours, with local exceptions:

Local rules change without much notice. If you regularly drive into one city, check its traffic office's page before you rely on a road being exempt.

Are electric and hybrid cars exempt from number coding?

Yes. Section 25 of the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (Republic Act No. 11697) exempts electric vehicles from "the mandatory unified vehicular volume reduction program, number-coding scheme, or other similar schemes" run by the MMDA, similar agencies and LGUs. The exemption covers battery electric vehicles (BEV), plug-in hybrids (PHEV), full hybrids (HEV) and light electric vehicles.

Three details matter:

1. It is temporary. The law's non-fiscal incentives last eight years from its effectivity in 2022, so they run out around 2030 unless Congress extends them.
2. Mild hybrids don't count. The DOE recognises a vehicle only if it has at least one electric drive for propulsion. Mild hybrids such as the Suzuki Ertiga Hybrid were left off its list.
3. The DOE list decides. In October 2025 the DOE said owners do not need a separate certificate. A vehicle qualifies if its model is on the DOE's list of recognised EVs. The HPG checks green plates against that list and tickets fakes.

Compare more options under electric cars and hybrid cars, see the cheapest EVs, or read hybrid vs electric before you decide.

Who else is exempt?

In January 2026 the MMDA listed these vehicles as exempt from the expanded scheme:

• public utility vehicles and TNVS (Grab and similar)
• motorcycles
• ambulances and fire trucks
• marked government vehicles and marked media vehicles
• garbage trucks and petroleum delivery trucks
• vehicles carrying perishable or essential goods

In March 2026 the MMDA also exempted trucks carrying petroleum products and basic goods from coding and the truck ban, citing rising fuel prices. Makati's Blu Card rule for senior citizens applies only in Makati. If you think your vehicle qualifies for another exemption, confirm it with the MMDA before you drive on your coding day.

How much is the fine, and how is coding enforced?

The fine is ₱500 under the Metro Manila Traffic Code of 2023, and it is the same for every offence, according to MMDA data reported in June 2025. Coding violations were the second most common violation the MMDA recorded from January to April 2025. Makati processes its own tickets. Older guides cite ₱300 there, so check the ticket you receive.

Cameras are back as well. The no-contact apprehension programme (NCAP), which records violations on camera, resumed on 5 October 2026 in Manila, Quezon City, Parañaque, Muntinlupa and San Juan, with fines set by the Metro Manila Traffic Code. You can check for violations in the eGovPH app or on your city's NCAP portal. Be careful with texts or emails that ask you to pay through a link. Check the violation on an official channel first.

When is number coding suspended?

Coding is lifted automatically on regular and special non-working holidays. The MMDA said so again in October 2026. It can also be suspended when special non-working days are declared for events.

Recent and upcoming no-coding days:

Coding resumes on Thursday 19 November 2026 for plates ending in 7 and 8. Coding was not suspended for the State of the Nation Address in July. For last-minute changes, follow the MMDA's official social media pages.

Buying your first car and thinking about coding? Compare SUVs, sedans and scooters, which are not coded.

This guide is general information. MMDA and city rules change often, so confirm with the MMDA or your city's traffic office.