Driver's License Renewal For Dummys

[OnMyWay]

After reading Mike's topic on the new rules for foreigners and driver's licensing:

 

http://www.philippines-expats.com/topic/24400-first-timers-and-your-drivers-license/

 

I checked my license and realized it expired on my birthday last September!   :bash:

 

That article had me worried that the new rules might apply to expired licenses and / or renewals, but then I found this LTO list of requirements:

 

http://www.lto.gov.ph/lto-advisory/179-driver-s-license-supporting-per-transactions-as-per-latest-administrative-order

 

Which indicated that that a renewal, even for expired license, should be simple.

 

We finally headed down to LTO yesterday.  I went to the Olongapo office where I originally got my license 3 years ago.  There is an LTO in SBMA but we thought they only do registration work.  After arriving and going to the first window, this dummy realized that he had left his expired license in the copier at home!   :bash:

 

So, dummy and baby Katy head back to the house while wifey walks a block down to NSO to get a few copies of our marriage license.  We got back before she was done so we waited for her before going back to LTO.  (She says NSO has a nice air con waiting room for preggys, elderly, etc.)  Her time to get the certificates was about 30 minutes.

 

Back to window 1 at LTO.  1 minute there and over to the medical certificate office.  When I got my original DL, I had to do the pee / drug test.  Is that gone now or just not required for renewal?  And the medical included BP and sight.  Anyway, sat down in the medical office without waiting.  Guy asked if I wore glasses to drive. I said no, I wear contact lens.  Scribble, scribble, "pay the lady".  Paid p102.  Total time about 3 minutes.  No actual tests.

 

Back to window 1.  Shuffle, shuffle.  Before we left the window, the wife asks him if we can get the license same day.  He said no, but you can get it same day at the SBMA office.  Huh?  We thought they did not do licenses at SBMA LTO.  Turns out that they do renewals, but not first time licences.   He hands all the paperwork back to us and we are off to SBMA LTO.

 

10 minutes later we are at the typically uncrowded SBMA LTO office.  There were about 5 people there.  They have one window for DL and something else, and the guy was not there when we arrived (it was about 1155).  Waited a few minutes for him and handed him the paperwork.  3 minutes later he called my name, took my pic, and I went to the cashier to pay.  Licence fee p350.  Late renewal penalty p75.  Comp fee? p67.63.  Total p492.63

 

Back to the releasing window with the paperwork and OR.  3 minutes later he calls my name and I have my brand new plastic license.  :dance: Good until my birthday in 2018.

 

That is how a dummy does it.  I'm sure you can do better, but I was happy.   :)  Far better than the ridiculously inefficient DMV in California. 

 

The only thing I didn't find out is, if you do your renewal directly at SBMA LTO, where can you get the medical?  Maybe I will stop by and ask.  You might have to go to Olongapo LTO first.

 

I assume that Olongapo LTO does not have the plastic license blanks which is why they can't do same day.  My original license in 2013 took about 1 hour total to get the plastic.

[OnMyWay]

Try to keep the New License posts over on the other Mike S. topic, to keep them consolidated there and avoid confusion.  That is an important topic to many of you and we are all interested to hear what comes of it.

 

http://www.philippines-expats.com/topic/24400-first-timers-and-your-drivers-license/

 

This one is about renewal.  Ron was just confirming that his was not a renewal.

[OnMyWay]

If I read the direction correctly: http://www.lto.gov.ph/images/Home/Advisory/AVT_2015_031.pdf

 

Ill. QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

A. Qualifications:

1. Must be at least eighteen (18) years old;

2. Must be physically and mentally fit to operate a motor vehicle;

3. Must be able to read and write Filipino, English or the applicable local dialect;

4. Must be a holder of a valid SP issued at least thirty (30) days prior to the application; and

5. In addition, for foreigners. the applicant must have been in the Philippines for at least one {1) month with proof that he/she will stay in the country for at least one {1) year from date of application.

 

A balikbayan visa in my opinion is not proof you will stay in the country for 1 year; you can leave anytime. And you would have to go immediately on arrival to the LTO office to apply or risk a laps of a day....

 

Either you have to present a work contract or some sort of proof you will live in the country for 1 year.

Perhaps a rental agreement or maybe a certificate of registration at the Embassy for those who live here already for more than one year. 

 

Yes Luke, but Ron stated on the other topic that the director would give him the license.  This topic is about renewals, not first time licensing. See post #13 here:

 

http://www.philippines-expats.com/topic/24400-first-timers-and-your-drivers-license/page-2

[Dave Hounddriver]

This topic is about renewals, not first time licensing.

 

MOST of the posts in this thread were about first time driver's licenses.  Those posts have been moved to the correct thread here http://www.philippines-expats.com/topic/24400-first-timers-and-your-drivers-license/

 

Future posts in this thread need to be about RENEWALS please.

[earthdome]

I wonder how long you have to renew your Philippine DL once it has expired. Mine just expired but it may be a year before I get back to the Philippines and have an opportunity to renew it.

[robert k]

I wonder how long you have to renew your Philippine DL once it has expired. Mine just expired but it may be a year before I get back to the Philippines and have an opportunity to renew it.

Not absolutely certain but I believe that they just renew it as if you had renewed it on time. If it was expired for 1.5 years you will have to renew your renewed license in 1.5 years instead of the normal 3. Like a vehicle that has skipped a years registration that they presume is still on road for registration purposes, they presume you are still driving. But don't take this as gospel.

Edited February 1, 2016 by robert k

[earthdome]

 

I wonder how long you have to renew your Philippine DL once it has expired. Mine just expired but it may be a year before I get back to the Philippines and have an opportunity to renew it.

Not absolutely certain but I believe that they just renew it as if you had renewed it on time. If it was expired for 1.5 years you will have to renew your renewed license in 1.5 years instead of the normal 3. Like a vehicle that has skipped a years registration that they presume is still on road for registration purposes, they presume you are still driving. But don't take this as gospel.

 

 

That would be nice if I didn't have to jump through all the hoops required for a new license.