Renewing your Philippine driver’s license as an OFW or Filipino residing abroad is a manageable process with the assistance of a designated representative and the development of the LTMS (Land Transport Management System) portal. In fact, if your Philippine driver’s license is nearing its expiration date and you’re residing abroad, you have the option to renew it without the need to travel back to the Philippines or even leave your home. You simply need to make use of the LTMS portal, take the CDE and upload the requirements from there, and pay. Nevertheless, it is always an option to send an authorized representative to get the license renewed on your behalf.
In case you decide that you are better off using the LTMS portal instead of sending a representative to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) branch, then you can simply initiate and complete the process by yourself online. Just make sure to read and follow the steps detailed in this guide to avoid having to spend more time than necessary in getting the renewal process completed.
Renewing Your LTO Driver’s License While Working or Living Abroad
You might wonder why you need to bother renewing your license if you’re not currently driving in the Philippines. While it’s true that you can skip renewal and pay a penalty fee upon your return if your license expires during your time abroad and you plan to return within two years after expiration, it’s still advisable to renew. After all, renewing ensures that you avoid potential hassles and additional expenses associated with late renewal penalties.
Expiration Beyond Two Years
For OFWs and Filipinos who have been residing abroad for more than two years, renewing your license becomes imperative. Licenses expired for over two years (but less than ten) are still eligible for renewal, albeit with the requirement to retake the theoretical and practical driving exams. However, if your license has expired for a decade or more, renewal is no longer an option, and you’ll need to start from scratch by applying for a student permit.
Benefits
Like the normal benefits of being able to transact with LTO online, being able to renew your driver’s license online via the LTMS portal offers the following benefits:
- Convenience
- 24/7 Accessibility wherever you are
- Saves money otherwise spent paying for penalties and/or a Special Power of Attorney (SPA) in case you wanted an authorized representative
- Saves time since the process is so much faster online without the need to wait in queues
- It allows you to remain compliant and law-abiding Filipino citizens even when you are abroad
Qualifications
Before you even start with the renewal procedures for your driver’s license via the LTMS portal, you need to first meet the following criteria:
- Must be a holder of Driver’s License not expired for more than two (2) years including advance renewal for those who intend to leave the country within one (1) year before expiry date
- Must be physically and mentally fit to operate a motor vehicle
- Must not have unsettled traffic violation
- Must have completed the Comprehensive Driver’s Education (CDE) and secured the CDE Certificate of Completion (COC) prior to initial renewal of the five (5) years DL
- For DL holders with accumulated five (5) to nine (9) demerit points must have completed the Driver’s Reorientation Course and its examination
- For DL holders with ten (10) or more but less than forty (40) demerit points, must have passed both the Driver’s Reorientation Course and its examination, and the automated Theoretical Examination
Requirements
Once you ensure that you are qualified to renew your driver’s license online despite being an OFW or a Filipino living abroad, then you need to prepare the following documentary requirements:
- Duly accomplished Application for Permits and Licenses (APL) Form
- Presentation of one (1) photocopy of passport (first page, visa page and departure from the Philippines and latest arrival overseas)
- Presentation of original Letter of Authority of authorized representative
- The licensee shall present himself/herself within 30 days upon arrival to the same office where the renewal was made for photo-taking and submit the following:
- Electronically transmitted medical certificate from LTO accredited medical clinic. Submission of one (1) photocopy and presentation of original medical certificate
- Presentation of original and submission of one (1) photocopy of passport (first and arrival pages)
- Presentation of original Official Receipt (OR) which serves as temporary DL
- Electronically Transmitted Certificate of Comprehensive Driver’s Education (CDE) for the initial renewal of DL with five (5) years validity
- Certificate of Completion of Driver’s Reorientation Course for applicants with five (5) to nine (9) and ten (10) or more but less than forty (40) demerit points
Procedures
The process of driver’s license renewal for OFWs as well as the Filipinos living abroad via the LTMS Portal involves the following steps:
Step 1: Make sure that you have a stable internet connection and a compatible web browser on your device.
Step 2: Navigate to the official LTMS portal by typing “LTMS LTO” into your search engine or directly visiting the official LTMS portal website.
Step 3: Log in to your registered LTMS account by keying in your login credentials, using either your registered email address or LTO Client ID and the nominated password. Then, click the “Sign In” button.
Note: If you have yet to register for an LTMS portal account, then you’ll need to create an LTMS portal account first by clicking the Register button and following the registration prompts.
Step 4: Once logged in, locate and click on the Licensing icon on the Dashboard menu options.
Step 5: Read and accept the Terms of Use.
Step 6: In the Licensing section, you’ll find the types of license such as Driver’s License and Conductor’s License. Click on the type of license that you have, then click Next.
Step 7: You will then see the different transactions you can do via the LTMS portal, including New, Renewal, Conversion of Foreign License, Additional Code or Category, Change of DL Classification, Renewal of Delinquent PDL with Valid Foreign DL, Dropping of Category or Additional or Removal of Driving Conditions, Revision of Records, Enhancement of DL, Change of Clutch Type, and OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) DL Renewal. Select OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) DL Renewal.
Step 8: Complete the required fields and upload the necessary documents.
Step 9: Select your preferred LTO branch for the appointment location/agency as well as your preferred date and time.
Step 10: Take a moment to review the license details and verify its accuracy. Pay attention to important details such as dates, spelling, and other details then submit the application.
Step 11: Select payment mode.
Step 12: Wait for the application confirmation and proceed to the selected payment channel.
Step 13: Pay the application and license fees and wait for the Official Receipt to be received via email. The OR will serve as the temporary driver’s license until the OFW or the Filipino living abroad returns to the country.
Step 14: Within 30 days upon return to the Philippines, the licensee must visit the LTO branch where the renewal was processed, get a queue number, and wait for his turn.
Step 15: Then, the licensee needs to show up to the Client Service Officer (CSO), present the OR and submit all requirements for renewal including electronically transmitted medical certificate from an LTO-accredited medical clinic.
Step 16: The licensee then needs to wait for his/her turn for the photo-taking and biometric capturing.
Step 17: Once done, the licensee needs to go to the Client Service Officer (CSO) window and present the OR to collect the updated permit/driver’s license.
Step 18: Sign in the log sheet and claim the new DL card.
Fees
The fees for renewing the driver’s license for OFWs and Filipinos who live abroad is the same as the plain or advance renewal for LTO driver’s license. To ensure that you are ready, here’s a list of fees you must be prepared to pay:
Plain Renewal
- Application fee – P 100.00
- License Fee – P 585.00
Total – P 685.00
Renewal of One (1) Day to One(1) Year Expired DL
- Application fee – P 100.00
- License Fee – P 585.00
- Penalty – P 75.00
Total – P 760.00
Renewal of More than One (1) Year to Two (2) Years Expired DL
- Application fee – P 100.00
- License Fee – P 585.00
- Penalty – P 150.00
Total – P 835.00
Renewal of DL Expired for More than Two (2) Years
- Application fee – P 100.00
- License Fee – P 585.00
- Penalty – P 225.00
- Application Fee – P 100.00
Total – P 1010.00
Other Fees
- Change Classification fee = P 100.00
- Additional Restriction Code (ARC) = P 100.00
Processing Time
The processing time, not including the time prior to the submission of the complete requirements and the preparation of the requirements as well as the actual time spent by the licensee at the LTO office is approximately one (1) hour and fifteen (15) minutes. Do note that this could take much longer in cases when other transactions like revision of records, change classification, or additional DL codes are included along with the renewal.
Video: How to Renew Driver’s License of OFWs or Filipinos Living Abroad
For a visual walkthrough on how to renew your LTO driver’s license if you are an OFW or a Filipino who lives abroad, then you may check out this video from Kuyas ea:
Summary
Renewing your Philippine driver’s license as an OFW or Filipino residing abroad is a manageable process with the LTO LTMS portal. By understanding the renewal requirements and following the outlined steps on how to renew your license online via the LTMS portal, you can ensure that your license remains valid and up-to-date wherever you are in the world, even while you’re miles away from home.