Number Coding in Manila: An Updated Guide for Motorists

Rush hour in Metro Manila occurs daily. To tame the traffic beast, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) implements the number coding scheme. This system uses license plate numbers to assign specific days when affected vehicles have limited access to major roads during peak hours.

Savvy motorists know this code and meticulously plan their journeys to avoid the dreaded coding hours. However, navigating this system can be a bumpy ride for the uninitiated.

If you’re the latter, this blog is for you. It discusses number coding in Manila so you can navigate the metropolitan streets and get to your neighborhood essentials with confidence and ease.

Successfully navigating Manila’s coding scheme, along with the broader traffic patterns of Metro Manila, is key for residents and professionals commuting daily to major hubs. Whether you’re heading to the bustling business centers in Makati or Taguig, accessing commercial areas in Quezon City, or reaching key destinations in Pasay, understanding these regulations is crucial for efficient travel and making the most of living in these vibrant locations

Disclaimer: Please note that the details outlined in this guide reflect the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) number coding scheme and local traffic regulations as of 2025. While this is the current system at the time of writing, traffic policies, including city-specific exemptions and the postponed EDSA odd-even scheme, are subject to updates. Always verify the latest announcements from the MMDA or local government units before planning your daily commute.

The MMDA’s number coding scheme applies to private vehicles. The last digit of your plate number determines the day you can’t drive on Metro Manila roads.

The odd-even scheme is a traffic rule that the MMDA planned to help reduce the number of cars on EDSA during the EDSA rehabilitation project. It was supposed to replace the existing number coding scheme on the highway, not supplement it. 

The usual number coding would still apply to other roads. Hybrid cars, electric vehicles, motorcycles, and TNVS units (like Grab) would have been exempt.

The idea was simple: if your plate number ends in an odd or even number, you could only drive on certain days.

NOTE: The MMDA planned to test the scheme in June 2025 but postponed it after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. put the EDSA rebuild on hold. For now, number coding still applies across Metro Manila.

The number coding scheme generally applies on most Metro Manila roads from Monday to Friday. However, the MMDA makes transportation in Metro Manila more flexible by designating window hours that allow you to be on the road. The only exception to these window hours is Makati City, which has its own traffic coding scheme.

Refer to the table below:

The following major roads observe MMDA’s number coding scheme.

• Araneta Avenue
• Aurora Boulevard
• Bonifacio Avenue
• C5
• C6
• Del Pan
• EDSA
• Magsaysay Boulevard
• Marcos Highway
• Ortigas Avenue
• Quezon Avenue
• Quirino Avenue
• Recto Avenue
• Rizal Avenue
• Roxas Boulevard
• Shaw Boulevard
• South Luzon Expressway (SLEX)
• Taft Avenue

Number coding in Metro Manila has exceptions for certain roads and vehicle types, even though the system applies to the city. Here are exemptions you should take note of.

Roads:

• Samson Road, Caloocan
• Sales Road
• MIA Road
• Ninoy Aquino Avenue
• Domestic Road
• BGC
• Skyway
• NAIA Expressway
• Parts of Airport Road
• Parts of Gil Puyat Avenue (formerly Buendia)
• Other tollways and sections of toll roads that pass through Metro Manila

Vehicles:

• Electric and hybrid vehicles
• Public utility vehicles or PUVs (including tricycles)
• Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS)
• Motorcycles
• Garbage trucks
• Fuel trucks
• Ambulances
• Fire trucks
• Marked government vehicles
• Marked media vehicles
• Motor vehicles that carry essential or perishable goods

Since Makati City has a different coding scheme, it only honors the following exemptions:

• Ambulances, fire trucks, police patrol cars, and military vehicles on official function
• Vehicles with diplomatic plates
• Marked government vehicles
• Marked media vehicles in official use
• Makati City-accredited tow trucks
• Vehicles used by medical practitioners during emergencies
• Vehicles with Senior Citizen Blu Card holders as drivers or passengers

1. What are the window hours in number coding?

The majority of Metro Manila roads implement window hours—from 10:01 AM to 4:59 PM and from 8:01 PM to 6:59 AM the next day—to allow coded vehicles to be on the road without penalty. However, not all areas follow the same rules.

Makati enforces coding from 7 AM to 7 PM with no window hours. Meanwhile, cities like Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, and Taguig apply modified or more relaxed versions of the scheme or don’t implement it at all in some areas.

2. Is there a number coding in Metro Manila on holidays and weekends?

The MMDA suspends number coding in Metro Manila on holidays and weekends. It also lifts the scheme during calamities, public transport failures, and sometimes on special occasions, such as the day of the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).

3. Are healthcare workers exempt from number coding in Metro Manila?

Healthcare workers in Metro Manila are no longer exempt from the number coding scheme and must adhere to regular restrictions. The only exception applies to healthcare professionals working in Makati during medical emergencies.

4. Are motorcycles exempt from the number coding scheme?

Motorcycles do not follow the coding in Metro Manila, except in Makati City.

5. What is the penalty for number coding violations?

The typical penalty ranges from ₱300 to ₱500, depending on the location of the violation. You should settle the fine within seven days to avoid an increase and potential implications on your driver’s license renewal.

6. Are senior citizens exempt from number coding in Metro Manila?

Senior citizens are not exempt from the number coding in Metro Manila. The MMDA removed the exemption in 2022, citing available window hours as enough flexibility.

However, Makati City implements its own policy by excluding seniors who are residents, registered voters, and Blu Card holders from the number coding system. While lawmakers continue to push for broader exemptions, no policy change is final yet.

7. What is the odd-even scheme in EDSA?

The odd-even scheme in EDSA is a planned traffic rule where cars with plate numbers ending in odd digits (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) are allowed to use EDSA on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Meanwhile, those with even numbers (0, 2, 4, 6, 8) can only drive on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. 

The MMDA designed it to reduce traffic during the EDSA rehabilitation project. However, the scheme was suspended following President Marcos’s decision to halt the rebuilding of the highway.

8. Will the odd-even scheme be implemented in addition to the number coding?

No. The odd-even scheme was intended to replace number coding on EDSA, not supplement it. Number coding would still apply to other roads in Metro Manila.

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