Motorcycles on Philippine Expressways: The 400cc Rule, Toll Class and RFID

The short answer: a motorcycle of 400cc or more may use every Luzon expressway and pays the same toll as a car, Class 1. Anything smaller is barred from all of them, Skyway included. The only tollway in the country that admits smaller bikes is CCLEX in Cebu, in its own lane at a lower fare. You will need an RFID sticker; Easytrip and Autosweep fit them to 400cc-and-up bikes for free, and the installation requirements are the same as for a car with one extra document.

Where the 400cc rule comes from

In March 2007 the Department of Transportation and Communications declared all expressways limited-access facilities and barred every motorcycle from them under Department Order 2007-15. On 4 October 2007 a new department order, signed by Secretary Leandro Mendoza, reopened them to motorcycles with an engine displacement of at least 400cc. The order has been the rule since, and the Toll Regulatory Board has restated it when rumours of a lower threshold have gone round. Modifying a smaller engine does not change the displacement on your OR/CR, and that document is what the plaza and the RFID station go by.

The 2007 order came with conditions that still apply and are enforceable on the expressway:

• Pay the Class 1 toll, the same as a car.
• Keep to the posted speed limits set by law and by the operator.
• No lane-splitting and no overtaking between lanes.
• Headlights on at all times; tail lights and turn signals must work.
• One back rider at most, and both riders in helmets and protective gear.
• No extra cargo beyond saddlebags and luggage carriers made for the motorcycle.
• Comply with Republic Act 4136, the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, on roadworthiness and licensing.

What a motorcycle pays

Class 1 fares, exactly as published for cars. Motorcycles do not have their own column in any Philippine toll matrix. A few examples from the matrices held on this site on 30 October 2026:

Use the calculator for your own entry and exit, and the toll matrix for the full table. If you are curious why a bus pays double and a truck triple, that is in our vehicle class guide.

Getting an RFID sticker on a bike

Cash lanes are now the exception, so a sticker is in practice required. Both operators install them on motorcycles. Easytrip's published requirements for a motorcycle are:

• The motorcycle, 400cc and up, brought to the station. No vehicle, no installation.
• Original or photocopy of the OR/CR showing the plate number, conduction number or MV file number, plus supporting documents where relevant: a deed of sale, a letter of authorisation, or a letter from the dealer stating the motorcycle's specifications.
• An active email address and mobile number.
• Cash for the initial load. Installation is free; the recommended first load is the toll of your first trip.

The dealer's letter is the item cars do not need. Bring it if your OR/CR is new or does not state displacement clearly. Autosweep's stations are also free for the sticker; its reported initial load for Class 1, which includes motorcycles, is ₱200. Station locations and booking are covered in our RFID sticker guide, and the choice between the two operators in Easytrip vs Autosweep. Whichever you choose, enrol the tag in One RFID, All Tollways so it is read on both networks.

Where the sticker goes

Bikes have no windscreen in the car sense, so stickers have been fitted to the headlamp lens or the headlamp cowl. Easytrip still publishes care tips for headlamp stickers: keep pressure washers off it, use mild cleaners, and never move it to another part of the bike or to another bike. In September 2024 the TRB's executive director said the board would require stickers on windshields and stop allowing headlamp placement, because heat and exposure were damaging tags, especially on trucks. Top Gear Philippines reported that no issuance had followed at the time, and we found none since. If you have a windscreen or a flat cowl, that is the better place; if the installer puts it on the headlamp, treat it as the fragile part of the bike it is.

Under 400cc: no, and no exceptions in Luzon

Every Luzon expressway refuses motorcycles below 400cc: NLEX, SLEX, Skyway, SCTEX, TPLEX, CAVITEX, CALAX, STAR, NAIAX, MCX and the NLEX Connector. Skyway's at-grade section and the Osmeña Highway stretch that SMC manages apply the same rule. Signs at every on-ramp say so, and riders are turned back at the ramp or the plaza. The TRB has publicly denied circulating claims of a 200cc threshold.

The one Philippine tollway that admits smaller bikes is the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway. When it opened in 2022 it set aside a motorcycle lane with a 40 km/h limit, no overtaking within the lane, one back rider, and a sub-400cc fare reported at ₱60 against ₱90 for Class 1. Those are 2022 figures reported by MotoPinas, and the fare will have moved since; CCLEX is outside Luzon and outside this site's matrices, so check the operator before you ride.

Frequently asked questions

Is a 400cc motorcycle allowed, or does it have to be above 400cc?

400cc exactly is allowed. The 2007 order says "at least 400 cubic centimetres".

Can I ride Skyway Stage 3 on a big bike?

Yes, at Class 1 fares, with a valid RFID. The under-400cc ban applies to all of Skyway including Stage 3.

Do motorcycles get a discount?

Not on any Luzon expressway. The matrices have no motorcycle rate; bikes pay Class 1.

Can I carry a passenger?

One back rider, helmeted. That is the limit under the 2007 order.

My bike is 400cc but the OR/CR does not say so. Will the RFID station install?

Bring a letter from the dealer stating the specifications, which Easytrip lists as an accepted supporting document. The plaza goes by the registration, so get it corrected with the LTO as well.

Can I scan the sticker from my helmet or a phone case?

No. Tags are registered to the vehicle and must stay where the installer put them. A moved tag is treated as invalid and may be refused at the lane.

Where these details came from

The 4 October 2007 department order, the March 2007 order it replaced and the riding conditions are as reported by GMA News Online on 5 October 2007; the GMA report does not give the October order's number, so we have not quoted one. Easytrip's motorcycle installation requirements and headlamp-sticker care tips are from the Easytrip FAQ, read on 30 October 2026. The TRB's September 2024 statement on headlamp stickers is from Top Gear Philippines, 26 September 2024. Autosweep's initial load by class is from MoneyMax's Autosweep guide, updated January 2025. CCLEX's motorcycle lane rules and fares are from MotoPinas reports in 2022 and are presented as reported then. Toll fares are from the matrices held on this site on 30 October 2026, transcribed from operator matrices approved by the Toll Regulatory Board. We are an independent reference site, not affiliated with any operator, the DOTr or the TRB. Corrections are welcome through the contact page.