LTO to begin 10-year driver’s licenses rollout — How can you avail one?

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade previously said that there are no longer backlogs when it comes to driver’s license cards. Tugade said that the Land Transportation Office (LTO) has now solved the issue regarding the backlog of 3-million driver’s license cards.

Backlogs on driver's license cards are now solved, according to DOTr Sec. Arthur Tugade

Tugade added that the LTO has already begun to roll out new driver’s license cards with five-year validity. The LTO claimed that the new license cards have been integrated with more safety features that are not visible to the naked eye to secure personal information, as well as to further differentiate it from counterfeits.

The LTO is also looking to start distributing driver’s license cards with 10-year validity in October 2021. This was previously stated by the agency through an official statement released last August 2020. Does this mean that every individual who will renew their driver’s license moving forward be eligible for the 10-year validity? Nope. The 10-year driver’s license validity is not for everyone. So, how can you avail one?  

You need to have a spotless record to get a 10-year license validity

According to the LTO, the 10-year driver’s license validity is reserved for drivers that have a clean or spotless record. This means that motorists who committed even a single traffic violation will not be eligible to avail of the driver’s license with 10-year validity. For drivers who incurred a traffic violation will be given a five-year validity upon renewal.    

The issuance of driver’s licenses with 10-year validity is in line with the implementation of a provision in Republic Act No. 10930 that was signed into law in 2017. It is stated that “any holder of a professional or non-professional driver's license who has not committed any violation of Republic Act No. 4136 and other traffic laws, rules and regulations during the five-year period shall be entitled to a renewal of such license for 10 years.”

The LTO is following a demerit point system for each violation committed

The LTO has also implemented a demerit point system for each violation committed by a motorist. The demerit point system depends on the gravity of the traffic violation that is classified according to their corresponding categories: grave for five points; less grave for three points; and light for one point.

The individual’s driver’s license will be revoked if he/she accumulates a total of 40 demerit points. He/She will also be banned from getting a new license for two years from the date of settlement of all fines and penalties. The accumulated demerit points will reset once you renew your driver’s license.

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