What you need to know about the new license system in the Philippines

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has overhauled the way our license system works. This new change now affects everything from how we apply to the new requirements needed to get a license along with the associated offenses, and how you will be penalized for them. With that in mind, here is a quick proper on the changes done to the system and what you will need to take into account when you renew or get your new driver’s license.

As part of the new changes, those who will apply to get a student permit will need to complete several driver’s seminars. The seminar encompasses 15 hours worth of learning and can be taken up in different sessions. 

New student permits, license applicants, and license renewers alike now show proof that they have attended and completed the required number of hours from any LTO-accredited driving school before they can apply or renew their licenses. 

While there are no prescribed seminars yet, the LTO does already provide free learning materials on their LTMS Online Portal that can help you prepare or freshen up your knowledge.

As previously mentioned if you are applying for a student permit you will need to attend a minimum of 15-hour theoretical driving seminar at an LTO-accredited driving school or at the LTO itself. Those applying for the permit will be happy to know that it is divided into three sessions each lasting 5 hours.

The seminar will cover everything a new driver will need to know with information about the LTO and its scope and responsibilities as well as its function. It also covers traffic signs, signals, pavement markings, rules on turning, parking, right of way, overtaking, and expressway rules. Aside from this it also covers components and functions of motor vehicles, routines for inspection, applicable laws, and driving procedures. It is important to note that each of these sessions will have a 30-minute exam at the end to test your retention of knowledge.

For those who are applying for their driver’s license, on top of getting their student permit, they will also need to have a minimum of 8-hours of hands-on driving lessons from an LTO-accredited instructor from an LTO-accredited driving school or from the government office itself. Aside from this hands-on training, a written exam will also accompany it as part of the curriculum.

The 8-hour practical session will cover the following, starting and stopping, backing and turning, road crossing and light traffic, maneuvering and hanging, garage driving, parking, highway driving, heavy traffic, and night driving. At the end of this session, there will be a 30-minute written examination.

With the new system, even license renewal gets a little more complicated than before. For starters, those who want to renew their licenses with a 5-year validity will need a minimum of eight hours of theoretical driving classroom seminars.

This seminar is separate from what those who are first applying for their licenses have to take as it is called the Driving Enhancement Program (DEP). It covers the Land Transporation Code and laws, road and traffic rules, defensive driving, handling emergencies and breakdowns, duties and responsibilities of a driver, and a viewing of the LTO road safety video. Similar to all the other processes it too will conclude with a 30-minute exam. 

Aside from these seminars and exams, you will also need to pass a medical examination to make sure that you are physically fit to drive a car. For those with a five-year validity, they will need to have two medical examinations done in a year. Those who have a 10-year valid license will need to have it done every two and half years at LTO-accredited clinics. 

For those who have demerits on their licenses, things will get a bit tricky. As an example, those who have five to nine demerits on their licenses will need to take four hours' worth of theoretical driving classroom seminars. 

It too is a different kind of seminar and is called the Driving Enhancement Program Intervention Seminar. It covers the Land Transporation Code and special laws, traffic rules and penalties, and a special segment on values, it also covers road courtesy and discipline. Just like the rest, there is a 30-minute exam after.

Those with more demerits ranging from 10 and above will have an additional four hours of intervention program seminars that they will need to attend. Special cases don’t stop here, if you have committed the same violation at least three times you will also be required to take a four-hour intervention seminar as well.

Something to take note of is that these seminars are on top of the already required eight hours of theoretical driving seminars that you will need to attend in order to renew your license. In the rare event that you have 20 demerit points on your license then you will need to take eight hours worth of seminars on top of the already required eight totaling your time spent in seminars to 16.

Demerits or demerit points are a way for the LTO to keep track of your offenses. This affects everyone from a student permit holder all the way to a valid license holder and the points given will depend on the offense committed. Each offense or violation falls under one of three categories: Minor Violations, Less Grave violations, and Grave Violations. Each of these categories comes with its own point system which we will discuss later.

Demerit points will be counted for every violation committed in a single apprehension. As an example, if you are found to have two violations then you will be given demerit points equal to the severity of each violation.

Now on to the demerits:

• Light Violation - 1 Demerit point
• Less Grave Violation - 2 Demerit points
• Grave Violations - 5 Demerit points

You can’t really do much to get rid of your demerit points other than just waiting for your license renewal. When this time comes all drivers shall revert back to zero demerit points upon the renewal of their license. However, the history of committed traffic violations from which previous demerit points were incurred shall be archived and shall form part of the driver's permanent records.

An example of this would be if you are caught texting while driving, while the points for it will be removed, the violation itself will remain on your record. This means that if you are caught doing the same violation it will be taken as your second offense and have a heavier impact with more demerits that will be added.

Something to take note of is that drivers of public utility vehicles will have double the number of demerit points for every traffic violation committed while operating a for-hire motor vehicle. This means that they will have a multiplier of two for every violation type they commit. Aside from this, these drivers will also be prohibited from changing classifications of their licenses upon receipt of demerit points. There is a three-month restriction for 1-2 demerit points, six months for 3-4 demerit points, and one year for five or more demerit points.

Student permits will also be removed if their holder accumulates more than five demerit points and shall be barred from applying for a new one for one year. Students whose driver’s permits have been revoked three times will no longer be allowed to apply.

Drivers without any violations or demerit points within the first five years of their license’s validity will be granted a 10-year driver’s license on their next renewal. Take note that this 10-year validity does not come easy as only deserving drivers will receive this after attainting a spotless record all while maintaining certain health checkups throughout the 10-year validity. Take note that if you do end up getting any demerit points you may lose your chance at getting the 10-year long license.