Us Driver Licnese

[Bruce]

Does a simple Kano tourist need anything other than a US driver license for riding a motorcycle? I plan to do more traveling this next trip and also... any issues for us foreigners and the new helmet law about the APPROVED stamp? No need to quote or link to the law. Just your personal experiences will be fine..

 

I have a helmet from the US but no Phils stamp on it.

[Jack Peterson]

I have a helmet from the US but no Phils stamp on it.

 

my US neighbour was done 1500 peso last week, he was wearing a US DOT helmet, Now the LTO say it is OK BUT the DTI say no. there is such contravercy still, over this law,  

 

I am still driving on my Spanish license,  although they cant understand what is written, there are little pictures, next to the class, so it is not a problem, I just point to the little silouhette of a motor cycle

 

 

 

:tiphat:

[pesochek]

I drove with my russian license for about 2 monthes. There're no english words also (some french only hehe). I heard that you can only drive for 3 weeks with your foreign license. So eventually it turned out that it's easier to spend half of day in closest LTO to make a "conversion of foreign license" operation. It costs about P1000 in total: actual fee is 600 + 100 for processing + 200 for drug test and + 100 for doctor inspection.

 

All helmets should have ICC stickers. That is a must from this january. And afaik they do not provide those stickers anymore for already bought helmets, you can only buy another one. Looks like great mafia operation to make huge money out of nothing.

[MikeB]

I drove with my russian license for about 2 monthes. There're no english words also (some french only hehe). I heard that you can only drive for 3 weeks with your foreign license. So eventually it turned out that it's easier to spend half of day in closest LTO to make a "conversion of foreign license" operation. It costs about P1000 in total: actual fee is 600 + 100 for processing + 200 for drug test and + 100 for doctor inspection.

Did you get the the license "officially translated" by the Russian Embassy?

"Chapter III, Sec. 21 of the Republic Act (RA) 4136, otherwise known as the “Land Transportation and Traffic Code” states that:. “Bonafide tourists and similar transients who are duly licensed to operate motor vehicles in their respective countries may be allowed to operate during but not after (90) days of their sojourn in the Philippines.” Nothing in this article shall be construed to prohibit the licensee for an option to convert valid foreign driver’s license to Philippine driver’s license within the period of ninety (90) days from the date of his last arrival in the Philippines. However, if the foreign driver’s license is not written in English, such driver’s license should always be accompanied by an Official English translation issued by the Local Embassy of the issuing country."

http://www.fdjcreativesolutions.com/faq---drivers-license.html

[pesochek]

Ah yes, forgot that. I did official translation before going to LTO. However I don't have any ACR or TIN, as you can see these are also in list of required.

 

[pesochek]

And also it appears to be 3 months not 3 weeks, even better then. I was surprised why I wasn't ticketed while processing my application. That's why.

[OnMyWay]

Does a simple Kano tourist need anything other than a US driver license for riding a motorcycle? I plan to do more traveling this next trip and also... any issues for us foreigners and the new helmet law about the APPROVED stamp? No need to quote or link to the law. Just your personal experiences will be fine..

 

I have a helmet from the US but no Phils stamp on it.

 

Back to one of Bruce's original questions about the US license, I am also curious about this because I may try to rent a motorbike in Subic next week.  I only have a US drivers license without a motorcycle endorsement.

[pesochek]

Back to one of Bruce's original questions about the US license, I am also curious about this because I may try to rent a motorbike in Subic next week.  I only have a US drivers license without a motorcycle endorsement.

As already quoted you can use your native license for 3 monthes since your arrival to Philippines. So there're 2 documents you have to present to traffic police officer in case of checkpoint: passport with arrival stamp and your native drivers license. But sometimes it's ok to go without passport - they trust your word easily.

[Jollygoodfellow]

Back to one of Bruce's original questions about the US license, I am also curious about this because I may try to rent a motorbike in Subic next week.  I only have a US drivers license without a motorcycle endorsement.

As already quoted you can use your native license for 3 monthes since your arrival to Philippines. So there're 2 documents you have to present to traffic police officer in case of checkpoint: passport with arrival stamp and your native drivers license. But sometimes it's ok to go without passport - they trust your word easily.

 

 

The question above is regarding having no motor bike licence, I assume only car licence from the US. I have no idea if separate licences are needed in the Philippines for car or bike. Anyone? 

[i am bob]

It is all one physical hold-it-in-your-hand licence with different restrictions.  (Just to avoid confusion because I know somebody will ask if you can have both on different papers...  hehe!)

 

If you only have a car licence from you home country, you can only get car on your Philippine licence and will need to do a test for motorcycle in the Philippines - officially.  I have heard of some of the smaller offices putting any non-professional qualification you ask for - which actually would only be motorcycle or car...  hehe!

 

There is also a restriction cars as well - standard or automatic.  I doubt we would have to worry about that though.

 

The only other restriction on a non-professional licence is by weight of vehicle.  No one wants to own a full size bus, do they?

 

:tiphat: