6 tips to renew your driver license or submitting LTO address change request in PH

Nothing lasts forever, even the validity of our driver’s license. That is why in order to continue to enjoy the privilege of driving in the Philippines, we have to make sure that we renew our license before it expires. Renewal of driver’s license may entail additional errand and fee for some drivers if they want to submit for LTO change address request, but it is way simpler than applying for new driver’s license. 

Meanwhile, there are cases when our driver’s licenses do not bear accurate information. For example, two months after you got your driver’s license, you moved to a new city. In order to conform to the change in circumstance, we need to ask for revision of our records before the LTO.

Renewal of driver’s license and revision of records only involve simple processes that may be accomplished for a day. Although each remedy requires a different set of documents, in both cases of renewal of driver’s license and revision of records, the applicant follows the same procedures. 

Follow 6 steps guided by Philkotse.com to get your driver’s license renewal done with least hassle.

1. Preparing the required documents

When applying for renewal of driver’s license, whether non-professional and professional license, or conductor’s license, the applicant should present his current driver’s license together with the LTO prescribed form of medical certificate as issued by any licensed physician. By this time, since you are just renewing your license, you are expected to know everything about license in the Philippines.

On the other hand, if one wishes to apply for revision of records, the documents he needs to prepare depends upon the information he intends to revise under his current driver’s license.

To date, there are five types of possible changes that LTO allows:

• Change name
• Correction of birth date or name
• Change citizenship
• Civil status
• Drivers license change address

The applicant needs to prepare the required documents before he can avail of this remedy. 

The applicant needs to prepare the required documents before he can avail of this remedy

Drivers license name change presupposes the existence of a valid court order granting the petition to change the name of the person. Hence, the applicant needs to attach the court order itself when applying for the revision of records before the LTO.

Also, if said applicant is a Muslim, it is incumbent upon him to secure an affidavit of at least two (2) disinterested individuals and a certification from OMA (Office of the Muslim Affairs). 

Further, the applicant needs to duly accomplish the Application for Driver’s License (ADL) form, which may be downloaded at the LTO website or may be secured from the Customer Service Counter.

In fact, this application form may be accomplished before going to LTO in order to save time from falling in line and filling up the aforesaid application.

How to change address in driver's license Philippines.

Since correction of birth date or name only involves a clerical correction, court order authorizing such revision is no longer necessary. The applicant only needs to submit his duly accomplished ADL, photocopy and original copy of the applicant’s birth certificate as issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO), and his current driver’s license.

>>> Worth to note: Renewal of LTO driver's license: The Ultimate guide for Filipino Drivers.

If the applicant wishes to change the entry of his citizenship on his driver’s license, he needs to present ADL, current driver’s license, and his immigration card or passport as issued by the Bureau of Immigration department.

For change of civil status, the applicant needs to submit his duly accomplished ADL and current driver’s license. If married, he needs to submit a photocopy and original copy of his marriage contract. If the marriage contract is not written in Filipino or English, the applicant needs to submit an official English translation of it, to be issued by the embassy where such marriage took place.

Lastly, if the applicant is annulled, he needs to submit the court order of such annulment.

How to change address in driver's license you may ask? For change in address, the applicant only needs to submit his current driver’s license and a duly accomplished ADL.

If married, he needs to submit a photocopy and original copy of his marriage contract

2. Presentation of Documents

In this process, the applicant ensures that the necessary documents are correct and complete. He will submit it before the Public Assistance Complaint Desk (PACD) of LTO and receives a queue number from the officer-in-charge. In case you have scheduled your appointment via renewal license online booking system, print and bring the proof of reservation. 

The applicant ensures that the necessary documents are correct and complete

3. Evaluation of Documents

Upon submission, the Evaluator will check the authenticity and completeness of the documents submitted by the applicant. This is done by accessing the stored data of the applicant in the LTO system.

Thereafter, the personnel will generate transaction ID, which will be presented to the applicant for verification and confirmation of the details as provided by the system.

Upon submission, the Evaluator will check the authenticity and completeness of the documents submitted by the applicant

4. Picture taking and Affixing of Signature

At this stage, the applicant will wait for his name to be called for picture taking and signing purposes. Subsequently, the officer will review and approve the application.

 The applicant must sign all the documents after making sure he provided the correct information

5. Payment of necessary fees

The applicant will proceed to the cashier for the payment of necessary fees. The cashier accepts payment and issues an official receipt to the applicant. The total cost of the transaction is Php 417.63 (license fee of Php 350.00 and computer fee of Php 67.13).

The applicant will proceed to the cashier for the payment of necessary fees

6. Releasing of Driver’s License

The releasing clerk will release the driver’s license and official receipt to the applicant. Furthermore, the applicant will be required to write his name and affix his signature in the Release Form, for recording purposes.

An important reminder to all holders of driver’s license, renew your license before it expires to avoid paying for a higher fee. Failure to renew the expired driver’s license for more than two years renders it dormant. To activate a dormant driver’s license, the driver needs to pay as much as Php 1,045.26 fee for its renewal.

Also, before going to LTO, the driver should ensure that he has no pending cases before the department. If there are, he needs to settle those, otherwise, his application may not be approved.

Applicant must write his name and affix his signature being the license is completely released

Being a grantee of a driver’s license is a privilege under the law. Thus, our government has the sole right to impose rules to regulate the process of getting a driver’s license. They set standards on how to apply, how to renew our license, how to ask for revision of records.

We should not treat renewal and revision as additional burden but a way to continually enjoy the privilege of driving legally in our country. Otherwise, you might be charged with criminal offense if you drive with expired driver’s license.

Applying for your license renewal or LTO change address, name, etc is getting easier through the constant work of the Land Transportation Office. As a driver, nevertheless, you should also do your part in being a responsible individual when you're on the road to keep everyone safe. Remember that violations always have corresponding penalties that may even lead to your license being suspended or revoked. For more useful articles, check out Philkotse.com.