The LTO to issue temporary digital driver’s licenses amidst card shortage

The LTO announced that it will be moving forward with digital licenses, and not paper licenses, as per the office’s latest announcement.

Related: Philippine driver’s license guide – Everything you need to know

To recap, the LTO has run out of cards to produces new driver’s licenses. The office announced last month that it will be issuing a temporary license on paper and will be considered valid until the official card can be issued.

The LTO enlisted the help of the National Printing Office of the Philippines in order to print the needed license cards. The NPO has since agreed to create five million plastic license cards for the LTO within the next 60 days.

Until that time comes, however, the LTO will have to issue licenses through paper, or through its latest development, a digital copy. LTO’s Chief, Jayart Tugade chimed in:

"The advantage of the digital license is that motorists can present it to law enforcement officers during apprehension. It is equivalent to presenting the physical driver's license. We also appreciate the way the super app functions similarly to a wallet, containing all government IDs, among other things, within your mobile device.”

Jayart Tugade
Chief, Land Transportation Office of the Philippines

Motorists who are renewing their license or applying for one will have to make do with their paper documents (for those who’ve already renewed or gone through the application process), or with the new digital licenses to be provided by the LTO upon the completion of all the necessary requirements for application or renewal.

The question of what the digital licenses will look like remain to be seen as the LTO hasn’t issued an image of what is considered to be an official digital copy. However, the digital document will be accompanied by an official receipt (OR), for validity.