(LTO will be offering the same services but at a lower rate for those who cannot afford to enroll in a driving school). This additional qualification is part of a new LTO policy implemented in early 2020. According to the Memorandum Circular No. 2019-2176, new driver’s license applicants are now required to complete a minimum of 8 hours of hands-on driving instruction that will teach student drivers how to competently operate a motor vehicle through lessons on start and stop; parking; road crossing and light traffic; backing and turning; maneuvering; highway driving; garage driving; night driving; and heavy traffic. This new program is part of the LTO’s vision to prevent, if not eliminate, road accidents by issuing licenses only to those who are capable of driving.

Must have passed the required written and practical exam after completing the 8-hour practical driving course.

This guide is for individuals who are planning to apply for a Non-Professional Driver’s License, a type of license applicable to individuals who will drive motorcycles and vehicles with up to 4,500 GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight).

The Non-Professional Driver’s License is an official license that will only enable you to drive private vehicles. If you want to earn money driving public vehicles, then apply for a Professional Driver’s License instead.

Applications for a new Non-Professional Driver’s License can be submitted at any LTO District Office, Licensing Center, and Extension Office that processes Driver’s License transactions.

1. Qualifications: Who can apply for a Non-Professional Driver’s License?

As per the latest LTO Citizen’s Charter, you can apply for the Non-Professional Driver’s License if you meet the following qualifications:

  • You must be a Filipino citizen who is at least seventeen (17) years old.
  • If a foreigner, you must be at least eighteen (18) years old.
  • You must be physically and mentally able to drive a motor vehicle. However, just because you have a medical condition doesn’t mean you’ll be completely barred from driving a vehicle. Depending on the physician who will assess you during the medical examination, you may be allowed to drive a vehicle provided that the appropriate condition code will be added to your driver’s license.
  • You must be able to read and write English, Filipino, or any applicable local dialect.
  • You must be a holder of a valid Student Permit issued at least thirty-one (31) days before the Non-Professional Driver’s License application.
  • You must have no unsettled traffic violation.
  • If you’re a holder of an expired foreign driver’s license or a Non-Professional driver’s license that has been expired for more than 2 years, you’re not qualified to renew anymore and must apply for a new one.

2. Requirements

a. Basic Requirements

  • Completely filled out Driver’s License Application Form. Also known as the Application for Driver’s License (ADL) form, you can download a copy via the official LTO website. We also have a copy that you can download right away.
  • Original copy of valid Student Permit issued at least thirty-one(31) days before the date of application
  • Taxpayer’s Identification Number or TIN, if you’re employed
  • Medical examination certificate (online only/electronically transmitted by the clinic). Medical certificates of Non-Professional Driver’s License applicants should only come from an LTO-accredited clinic or physician. To save time and avoid long queues, you can get a medical certificate a few days before your date of application. As of this writing, the medical certificate costs Php 450 and is valid for two (2) months. No need to provide urine or stool samples as the medical exam will only test/measure your vision, blood pressure, and overall medical condition. Although the clinic is responsible for electronically transmitting the certificate to the LTO, applicants will still be issued a hard copy which they should present on the day of their application.
  • Practical Driving Course (PDC) certificates (electronically transmitted) to prove that you have completed the required practical instruction given by LTO or any LTO-accredited driving schools (here’s the complete list of LTO-accredited driving schools in the Philippines as of September 30, 2021). Starting August 3, 2020, new driver’s license applicants, whether Professional or Non-Professional and whose student permits were issued from August 3, 2020 onwards, are now required to submit their certificates electronically to the LTO-IT system, or else their applications will not be processed. The driving school is responsible for sending the certificate to the LTO on your behalf and providing you with a personal copy which you’ll present to the LTO for verification purposes.

b. Additional Requirements

For applicants aged seventeen (17) years old:

  • Original copy of the duly notarized parent’s consent or an affidavit of the guardian authorizing the applicant to secure/apply for a student permit.
  • 1 valid government-issued ID of consenting parent or guardian with photo and signature (original and photocopy)

3. Fees: How much will it cost to apply for a Non-Professional Driver’s License?

The total amount of expenses will depend on the type of vehicle you’ll be driving. The Practical Driving Course takes up the bulk of the expenses with prices ranging from Php 2,000+ (manual, automatic motorcycle) and Php 3,200+ (manual, automatic, 4 wheels) to up to Php 5,200

Different driving schools offer different prices so make sure to shop around to end up with the best deal.

If you’re short on cash, LTO has also launched the Driver’s Education Center in some regions where you can avail of the PDC for free or at an affordable price.

For the practical exam, you don’t have to pay anything if you bring your own vehicle. Otherwise, you can rent one of the Driving School vehicles for a fee of around Php 200 - Php 500.

4. Step-by-step Guide (Manual/Walk-in Application)

  1. Before you proceed to an LTO office and apply for a Non-professional Driver’s License, make sure that you have already completed an 8-hour Practical Driving Course (PDC) and obtained a PDC Certificate. Note that without a PDC Certificate, your application will not be entertained. You are also required to have an LTO Client ID that proves that you already have an account in the LTO Online Portal or Land Transportation Management System (LTMS). To obtain your client ID, you must create an LTMS account. Read the section How to Apply for an LTO Driver’s License Online: New and Updated Guide of this article to know how to create an LTMS account.
  2. At the LTO Office, submit all the documentary requirements for the Non-Professional Driver’s License Application to the receiving personnel. Don’t go to the LTO renewal offices in malls which only process renewal and student permit applications.
  3. The receiving personnel will check the completeness of the documents and then transmit them to the evaluator.
  4. The evaluator will then review the applicant’s qualifications and if qualified, the application will be encoded in the system.
  5. Head to the Cashier and pay all the necessary fees when your name gets called.
  6. Take the Basic Driving Theory Test for Non-Professional Driver’s License. Depending on the LTO office, you will be given either the old written exam that has 40 items and a passing grade of 30 or the new digital/computerized exam with 60 items and a passing grade of 48. Either way, the LTO offers reviewers on its website and on its online portal (or LTMS) to help you pass the exam. To find the reviewers in the LTMS, just look for the E-Learning tab and select the topic you want to read or review. You’ll be informed of the results right after the written examination.
  7. If you have passed the written examinations, the next step is to take the practical driving test.
  8. After passing both the written examinations and the practical driving test, the application will be approved by the Approving Officer.
  9. Head to the designated area for the photo and signature taking and wait for your name to be called.
  10. After the approval, the Non-Professional Driver’s License will be released as well as the Official Receipt. You also have to write your name and affix your signature on the Release Form.

5. Additional Notes

  • A Non-Professional Driver’s License is only valid for five years.
  • Create an account in the LTO online portal or Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) before going to an LTO office to make your application faster. For more details on how to create an account in the LTMS, read the How to Apply for an LTO Driver’s License Online section of this article.
  • Some LTO offices now require online appointments while others still accept walk-in applicants. To avoid hassles, make sure to call the LTO office where you’ll file your application in advance and inquire about the exact protocol they follow.
  • To save money on medical examination fees, you can submit the extra copy of the medical certificate issued to you when you applied for the student permit (assuming that you chose a clinic that issues two copies of the medical certificate and that you’ll apply for the non-professional license 31 days after obtaining a student permit).
  • The Practical Driving Course (PDC) is only mandatory for applicants whose student permits were issued from August 3, 2020 onwards. If you were issued a student permit before this date, you no longer need to take the practical driving course provided that your student permit isn’t expired yet.
  • The Practical Driving Course will not be delivered in one full session but in either eight 1-hour sessions or four 2-hour sessions. This will ensure the driver will learn at his/her own pace and not be overwhelmed by the driving lessons.
  • The written examination for the Non-Professional Driver’s License consists of 40 items and you need to get a score of 30 in order to pass.
  • Under the new policy, you can only apply for a Professional Driver’s License about a year after obtaining a Non-Professional Driver’s License.
 
Click ENROLL NOW
 
 
Related Posts: