Driving license in the Philippines

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Driver's license in the Philippines consists of three types. These are student permit, non-professional, and professional. The minimum age for driving in the Philippines is 16 years old, provided that the driver has applied for a student permit and is accompanied by a duly licensed person, whether professional or non-professional. An applicant can only apply for a non-professional driver's license one month after acquiring a student permit. An applicant needs to have a non-professional driver's license for six months to be eligible for a professional driver's license. An applicant must pass both the Land Transportation Office written exam and a driving exam. If the applicant fails the tests, the applicant must wait for a month before being able to take the tests again.

Contents

Restriction codes

Drivers are assigned a restriction code that designates which type of vehicle they can operate. Restriction codes are based on the kind of vehicle and their gross vehicle weight. A new restriction code system which is similar to the European and United Kingdom version is now in use since January of 2021. A driver approved of driving a manual transmission (MT) vehicle is allowed to also drive automatic, whereas those approved for automatic transmission (AT) can not drive manual. [1] [2]

Restriction CodeAllowed Vehicles
Restriction 1*Motorbikes or motorized tricycles
Restriction 2*Motor vehicle up to 4500 kg GVW
Restriction 3Motor vehicle above 4500 kg GVW
Restriction 4*Automatic transmission up to 4500 kg GVW
Restriction 5Automatic transmission above 4500 kg GVW
Restriction 6Articulated Vehicle 1600 kg GVW & below
Restriction 7Articulated Vehicle 1601 kg up to 4500 kg GVW
Restriction 8Articulated Vehicle 4501 kg & above GVW

*Note: Restrictions 1, 2, and 4 only apply to non-professional driver's licenses.


New restriction codes since January 2021

Restriction CodeCategoryDescription
A (Motorbikes)

A1 (Tricycles and microcars)

L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6, L7L1 = Two wheels up to 50 kph,

L2 = Three wheels up to 50 kph

L3 = Two wheel excess of 50 kph

L4 = Sidecar tricycle up to 50 kph

L5 = Three wheel symmetrical up to 50 kph

L6 = 4 wheels with weight up to 350 kg and max speed of 45 kph

L7 = 4 wheels with weight up to 550 kg and max speed of 45 kph

B, B1, B2 (Cars and light trucks)M1, M2 , N1M1 = Vehicles up to 5,000 kg GVW with not more than 8 passenger seats

M2 = Vehicles up to 5,000 kg GVW with more than 8 passenger seats

N1 = Vehicles carrying goods up to 3,500 kgs GVW

C* (Large trucks)N2, N3Vehicles carrying goods exceeding 3,500 kgs GVW
D* (Buses)M3M3 = Passenger vehicles above 5,000 kgs GVW with more than 8 seats
BE* (Articulated car)O1, O2O1 = Articulated vehicle not more than 750 kgs GVW

O2 = Articulated vehicle exceeding 750 up to 3,500 kgs GVW

CE* (Articulated truck)O3O3 - Articulated vehicle exceeding 3,500 kgs GVW

*Note: DL codes C, D, BE and CE only apply to professional driver’s licenses.

Condition code

Applicants are assessed during application if they have certain impairments that could impede their driving capability. They are then assigned a condition code(s) if they fall within a category.

Condition CodeRequirement
Condition A/1Wear eyeglasses
Condition B/2Drive with special equipment for upper limbs*
Condition C/2Drive with special equipment for lower limbs*
Condition 3Customized vehicle only
Condition D/4Daylight driving only*
Condition E/5Should always be accompanied by a person without hearing impairment

*Note: Special driving conditions and special equipment to be used shall be the assessed by a Land Transportation Office driver evaluator.

Use in other countries

ASEAN member states

The Kuala Lumpur Agreement of 1985 authorizes holders of driving licenses issued by the government of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member state to drive in any ASEAN country without the need for an international driving permit. [3]

Australia

Overseas licenses are allowed to be used in Australia for a period of three months, with some allowing six months for visitors with a permanent visa. Permanent Australian residents are obliged to apply for an Australian driver's license, with some states requiring it. [4]

Spain

As of April 16, 2010, an agreement was signed between the Filipino and Spanish governments allowing Filipinos to use their Philippine driver's license in Spain. [5]

Foreign driving license

Foreigners who hold a valid driver's license issued by the road authority of their home country can drive in the Philippines for up to 90 days upon arrival provided that their license is written in English. If the license is not in English, an official English translation from the local embassy of the issuing country is required.

Holders of driving licenses issued by any ASEAN member-state government are allowed to drive in the Philippines. [3]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newly licensed driver plate</span> Provisional driving plates

An L-plate is a square plate bearing a sans-serif letter L, for learner, which must be affixed to the front and/or back of a vehicle in many countries if its driver is a learner under instruction, or a motorcycle rider with provisional entitlement to ride restricted motorcycles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commercial driver's license</span> License to operate large or heavy vehicles

A commercial driver's license (CDL) is a driver's license required in the United States to operate large and heavy vehicles or a vehicle of any size that transports hazardous materials or more than 15 passengers.

Graduated driver licensing systems (GDLS) are designed to provide new drivers of motor vehicles with driving experience and skills gradually over time in low-risk environments. There are typically three steps or stages through which new drivers pass. They begin by acquiring a learner's permit, progress to a restricted, probationary or provisional license, followed by receipt of a full driver's license. Graduated drivers' licensing generally restricts nighttime, expressway, and unsupervised driving during initial stages, but lifts these restrictions with time and further testing of the individual, eventually concluding with the individual attaining a full driver's license.

A driver's permit, learner's permit, learner's license or provisional license is a restricted license that is given to a person who is learning to drive, but has not yet satisfied the prerequisite to obtain a driver's license. Having a learner's permit for a certain length of time is usually one of the requirements for applying for a full driver's license. To get a learner's permit, one must typically pass a written permit test, take a basic competency test in the vehicle, or both.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Driving Permit</span>

An International Driving Permit (IDP), often referred to as an international driving license, is a translation of a domestic driving license that allows the holder to drive a private motor vehicle in any country or jurisdiction that recognises the document. The term International Driving Permit was first mentioned in the document prescribed in the International Convention relative to Motor Traffic that was signed at Paris in 1926, and is a translation of the French 'permis de conduire international', or 'international driving license'. The Paris treaty, and all subsequent, use the word 'permit' exclusively in relation to all kinds of driving license.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Land Transportation Office</span> Government agency in the Philippines

The Land Transportation Office is an agency of the Philippine government under the Department of Transportation responsible for all land transportation in the Philippines. Functions of the LTO include the inspection and registration of motor vehicles, issuance of licenses and permits, enforcement of land transportation rules and regulations, and adjudication of traffic cases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Driver licences in Australia</span>

Driver licences in Australia refer to the official permit required for a person to legally drive a motor vehicle in Australia. The issue of driver licences, alongside the regulation and enforcement of road use, are all managed by state and territory governments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Driver's licenses in the United States</span>

In the United States, driver's licenses are issued by each individual state, territory, and the District of Columbia. Drivers are normally required to obtain a license from their state of residence. All states of the United States and provinces and territories of Canada recognize each other's licenses for non-resident age requirements. There are also licenses for motorcycle use. Generally, a minimum age of 15 is required to apply for a non-commercial driver license, and 25 for commercial licenses which drivers must have to operate vehicles that are too heavy for a non-commercial licensed driver or vehicles with at least 16 passengers or containing hazardous materials that require placards. A state may also suspend an individual's driving privilege within its borders for traffic violations. Many states share a common system of license classes, with some exceptions, e.g. commercial license classes are standardized by federal regulation at 49 CFR 383. Many driving permits and ID cards display small digits next to each data field. This is required by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators' design standard and has been adopted by many US states. The AAMVA provides a standard for the design of driving permits and identification cards issued by its member jurisdictions, which include all 50 US states, the District of Columbia, and Canadian territories and provinces. The newest card design standard released is the 2020 AAMVA DL/ID Card Design Standard (CDS). The AAMVA standard generally follows part 1 and part 2 of ISO/IEC 18013-1. The ISO standard in turn specifies requirements for a card that is aligned with the UN Conventions on Road Traffic, namely the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic and the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.

In Canada, driver's licences are issued by the government of the province or territory in which the driver is residing. Thus, specific regulations relating to driver's licences vary province to province, though overall they are quite similar. All provinces have provisions allowing non-residents to use licences issued by other provinces and territories, out-of-country licences, and International Driving Permits. Many provinces also allow non-residents to use regular licences issued by other nations and countries. Canadian driver's licences are also valid in many other countries due to various international agreements and treaties.

In Pakistan, the driving licence is the official document which authorises its holder to operate various types of motor vehicles on publicly accessible roads. Driving licences can be obtained by submitting an application to any licensing authority in the applicant's district.

A driving licence in Singapore is required before a person is allowed to drive a motor vehicle of any description on a road in the country. Like many other countries in the world, an individual must possess a valid driving licence before being permitted to drive on the road, and driving licence holders are subject to all traffic rules.

The New Zealand driver licence system is a graduated system that has been in place since 1988. It consists of three phases for a car licence, each with varying levels of conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Driving licence in the United Kingdom</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Driving licence in Malaysia</span>

A driving licence is required in Malaysia before a person is allowed to drive a motor vehicle of any description on a road in Malaysia under the Road Transport Act 1987, section 26(1). Under section 26(1) of the Road Transport Act, an individual must possess a valid driving licence before being permitted to drive on the road, or can be prosecuted under section 26(2). Upon conviction, the miscreant is liable to fines or jail or both. Driving licence holders are subject to all traffic rules stated in the Road Transport Act 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Driving license in Indonesia</span>

The Indonesian driving license is a legal document required for a person to be allowed to drive a motor vehicle in Indonesia. It is issued by the Indonesian National Police (POLRI), renewable every 5 years, and is valid in all ASEAN member states without an International Driving Permit. Driving license holders are subject to all Indonesian road rules and regulations. There is no provisional driving license in Indonesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Driving licence in Thailand</span>

Driving licence in Thailand is a document that allows the holder to drive on any roads in the Kingdom of Thailand. The minimum age to drive a motor vehicle is 18, and to drive a motorcycle is 15. Driving licence is issued and administered by the Department of Land Transport, Ministry of Transport and its branches, land transport offices across Thailand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Driver's license</span> Document allowing one to drive a motorized vehicle

A driver's license, driving licence, or driving permit is a legal authorization, or the official document confirming such an authorization, for a specific individual to operate one or more types of motorized vehicles—such as motorcycles, cars, trucks, or buses—on a public road. Such licenses are often plastic and the size of a credit card.

A Lebanese driving licence is a driving licence issued by the government of Lebanon. It authorises its holder to operate various types of motor vehicles on highways and some other publicly accessible roads. It is issued by each individual district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-Distracted Driving Act</span> Philippine law

The Anti-Distracted Driving Act (ADDA), officially designated as Republic Act No. 10913, is a Philippine law that prohibits distracted driving by restricting and penalizing the use of mobile phones and other electronics devices while driving on any public thoroughfare, highway, or street in the Philippines. The republic act defines "distracted driving" as "using mobile communications device to write, send, or read a text-based communication or to make or receive calls" or "using an electronic entertainment or computing device to play games, watch movies, surf the internet, compose messages, read e-books, perform calculations, and other similar acts" while behind the wheel of a moving vehicle or while temporarily stopped at a red light. The law covers all private and public vehicles, including agricultural machines, construction equipment, public utility buses and jeepneys, taxicabs, motorcycles, tricycles, pedicabs, kuligligs and carriages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traffic law in the Philippines</span> Rules of the road in the Philippines

Traffic law in the Philippines consists of multiple laws that govern the regulation and management of road transportation and the conduct of road users within the country.

References

  1. Roces, Inigo (June 8, 2021). "New Driver's License Codes: What Can You Drive?". Manila Bulletin.
  2. "Driver's License - LTO". Land Transportation Office . Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Agreement on the Recognition of Domestic Driving Licences Issued by ASEAN Countries (PDF).
  4. "Driving with an Overseas Licence". Australia.gov.au. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  5. Padua, Reinir (May 4, 2010). "Pinoys with LTO Licenses Can Now Drive in Spain". Philstar Global. Retrieved February 15, 2022.