Legal basis and related authorities
- Republic Act No. 4136 (the Land Transportation and Traffic Code), as amended by Batas Pambansa Blg. 398, is the legal basis for the Order’s issuance.
- The Order is implemented to streamline and support efficient processing of driver’s license renewal transactions.
- The Order expressly cross-references Section 24 of Republic Act No. 4136 for the renewal timing rule applicable when expiry falls on non-working days.
Scope and key definitions
- The Order revises the rules on the establishment and operations of Driver's License Renewal Centers (DLRCs), including the procedures for driver’s license renewal.
- The Order defines Driver's License Renewal Office (DLRO) as an LTO renewal office that caters to the plain renewal of driver’s and conductor’s licenses without alarm or change in information.
- A Driver is any licensed operator of a motor vehicle.
- A Non-Professional Driver’s License (NPDL) is an authority embodied in a form prescribed by LTO to operate a private motor vehicle.
- A Professional Driver’s License (PDL) is an authority embodied in a form prescribed by LTO to operate a private or public utility vehicle; holding a PDL does not prohibit operating a private vehicle without compensation.
- A Conductor’s License (CL) is an authority embodied in a form prescribed by LTO to assist the driver of a public utility vehicle to collect fares and/or ensure the safety of passengers and/or cargoes while the vehicle is in operation.
- An Accredited Physician is any practicing doctor of medicine duly licensed to practice in the Philippines who examines applicants for driver’s and conductor’s licenses and issues medical certificates as proof.
- A Medical Certificate is a statement from a physician that attests to the result of a medical examination done on an applicant.
- Drivers with Partial Disability refers to drivers given certain limitations due to partial physical impairment.
Establishment of DLROs and approval process
- DLROs must be established in commercial centers and must meet all listed criteria.
- The lease contract/agreement must be between LTO and the commercial center.
- The lease/agreement must be for the free use of space for five (5) years and include one (1) 42 inch LED TV and the Computer System necessary for DLRO operations.
- The office space for LTO must be a segregated area of at least 25 sq. meters for exclusive use of LTO, exclusive of the waiting area, which the commercial center must provide free of charge.
- The location/area must have available and sufficient data communications link served by at least one (1) telecommunications company.
- The location/area must have ample electricity and required electrical and cabling provisions to meet LTO system requirements.
- Applications by commercial centers must be evaluated by the LTO Central Office/Committee on Transfer and Creation of LTO Offices, which recommends approval to the Assistant Secretary.
- The Assistant Secretary must recommend the application to the Secretary of Transportation & Communications for approval.
- Upon approval, the signing officials in the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) must be the Assistant Secretary and the Regional Director.
DLRO personnel requirements and reporting
- Each DLRO must be operated by at least four (4) personnel from the nearest LTO District Office to the DLRO, with at least two (2) of them being organic.
- One personnel must serve as an Evaluator who receives submitted documents and encodes the expiration date of the renewed license.
- One personnel must serve as the Cashier who collects fees, prints the Official Receipt (OR), and releases the license card and the OR to the applicant.
- One personnel must take the applicant’s picture, obtain the applicant’s signature, and print the driver’s license card.
- One personnel must scan all supporting documents and perform other necessary functions except for the Evaluator and Cashier functions.
- All LTO employees assigned to DLRO operations must be knowledgeable of the entire DLRO process to prevent interruption if any employee is unavailable.
- All LTO personnel must be able to determine whether a driver’s license is due for renewal, in alarm, or should be endorsed to the nearest LTO Licensing Offices due to changes of information.
- Employees must be able to evaluate the medical certificate for sufficiency for securing a driver’s license, take picture/signature/print the license card, and receive payment and release the renewed license card with the OR.
- Only LTO organic personnel may substitute or perform the duties of the Evaluator or Cashier if the designated personnel are unavailable.
- The LTO Regional Director must submit a certification under oath that deployment of assigned DLRO personnel will not hamper district office operations; if the assigned personnel are unavailable, the District Office must send a substitute organic personnel.
- DLRO personnel must submit monthly reports of transactions to the District Office, which submits consolidated reports to the Regional Office, which consolidates District Office reports for submission to the Central Office.
Renewal requirements and transaction flow
- A current NPDL, PDL, or CL may be renewed at least one (1) month before expiration but not more than two (2) years from expiration.
- If the expiry date falls on a weekend, holiday, or non-working day, renewal must be done on or before the last working day prior to the expiry date under Section 24 of Republic Act No. 4136.
- If renewal is not done on or before the last working day prior to expiry, the license becomes delinquent and invalid.
- Renewal delinquency and invalidity may be avoided if the license is surrendered to the Director or his deputies on or before the last working day prior to expiry to avoid payment of delinquency fees.
- Medical Certificate: the applicant must present a medical certificate issued by any licensed and practicing physician that is valid within fifteen (15) days from the date issued.
- Tax Identification Number (TIN) must be provided only for professional driver’s license applicants.
- Applicants must pay the required fees and charges.
- Applicants must appear in person for photo-taking and biometric signature.
DLRO transaction flow
- Window 1: The applicant submits the expired driver’s license and a Medical Certificate from any Accredited Physician to the LTO Evaluator.
- The Evaluator validates whether the license is due for renewal and shows a screenshot of present driver’s license data to the applicant.
- If the applicant confirms the information is correct, the Evaluator returns the expired license card and transmits data for picture/signature taking.
- If the applicant wants to change information or add additional restrictions, the applicant must be advised to go to the nearest LTO Licensing Center.
- If the license is on alarm, the Evaluator must inform the applicant to settle the apprehension before the license can be renewed.
- Window 2: Upon receipt of transmitted data, the designated personnel take the applicant’s picture and signature, and the applicant proceeds to the last window.
- Window 3: The Cashier receives payment and releases the new driver’s license card to the applicant.
Fake medical certificates
- Applicants who submit fake medical certificates are not allowed to renew their license.
- Any license issued based on a fake certificate must be put on alarm and immediately recalled.
- Applicants using fake medical certificates are disqualified from securing a driver’s/conductor’s license in the future in accordance with existing rules.
Administrative liability, repeals, separability
- Any official and/or employee violating the Order is subject to appropriate administrative action under the existing Civil Service Rules and Regulations.
- All prior orders, circulars, memoranda, and related issuances or parts inconsistent with the Order are repealed or amended accordingly, including Department Order No. 2007-33 and Department Order No. 2010.
- If any part of the Order is declared unconstitutional or in violation of any existing law, the provisions not affected remain valid and in full force and effect.