# Can I drive on my US license?



## mrbobo (Dec 11, 2014)

I read on the internet that you must apply for a Philippine driver license after 90 days in the Philippines. I have been exiting and reentering the Philippines every 59 days on a tourist visa. I get the 59 day tourist visa at the airport in Manila for 2800 pesos. I have a friend that lives in Chiang Mai so it makes it easy and getting away from the wife every 59 days doesn't hurt matters. Does the ninety requirement get reset to zero when I reenter the country? I was reading the requirements for a Philippine drivers license and it seems like a real hassle, with a physical required, drug testing etc. When we lived in the US I did all the driving although my Filipino wife does have a US drivers license. When we go out here in the Philippines my wife does all the driving and I ride shotgun. I like to drive and occasionally would like to take over the wheel especially on the long drive to Manila.


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

I believe it is based on every time you enter the country. 

Getting a RP DL is very easy. Eye exam, and a copy of your US driver's license and you are on your way. I think that they have discontinued the drug test (pee in a bottle). It only took me about 20 minutes to renew my RP DL last year. I imagine up where you live it would not have any lines. 

A RP DL is advantageous as if a policeman wants to take your DL you can give him that one and hold onto your US License.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Philippine license easy to get*



mrbobo said:


> I read on the internet that you must apply for a Philippine driver license after 90 days in the Philippines. I have been exiting and reentering the Philippines every 59 days on a tourist visa. I get the 59 day tourist visa at the airport in Manila for 2800 pesos. I have a friend that lives in Chiang Mai so it makes it easy and getting away from the wife every 59 days doesn't hurt matters. Does the ninety requirement get reset to zero when I reenter the country? I was reading the requirements for a Philippine drivers license and it seems like a real hassle, with a physical required, drug testing etc. When we lived in the US I did all the driving although my Filipino wife does have a US drivers license. When we go out here in the Philippines my wife does all the driving and I ride shotgun. I like to drive and occasionally would like to take over the wheel especially on the long drive to Manila.


Your ok, bring in your passport and plane ticket as long as your stay hasn't been over 90 days from plane landing, stamp in passport. <Snip>  I think it's now a blood test, eye exam, your passport, plane ticket, drivers license from the states.

Fee's aren't that much, I think it was no more than 1,200 peso's. I have the short cut with all the costs but their website isn't working, here's the short cut below

SUMMARY OF DRIVERS LICENSE AND PERMITS FEES AND CHARGES


<Snip>


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

No more drug test of any kind. No blood test. They do take your blood pressure and check you eyes. That's it--easy as pie. I had to renew my license last year. My wife and I were in and out of the LTO office in just under one hour..


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## Cebu Citizen (Dec 13, 2013)

mcalleyboy said:


> Your ok, bring in your passport and plane ticket as long as your stay hasn't been over 90 days from plane landing, stamp in passport. <Snip>  I think it's now a blood test, eye exam, your passport, plane ticket, drivers license from the states.
> 
> Fee's aren't that much, I think it was no more than 1,200 peso's. I have the short cut with all the costs but their website isn't working, here's the short cut below
> 
> ...


You need a return plane ticket to get a drivers license?


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Time in country proof*



Cebu Citizen said:


> You need a return plane ticket to get a drivers license?


No, it's been 5 years since I did this but the plane ticket is only proof along with your passport how long you've been here, LTO is checking that it hasn't been over 90 days.

I live in Southern Luzon so the lines are very long for any license or vehicle registration process in my area but it looks like your in a large city so I think this process would be quicker and painless.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

mcalleyboy said:


> No, it's been 5 years since I did this but the plane ticket is only proof along with your passport how long you've been here, LTO is checking that it hasn't been over 90 days.
> 
> I live in Southern Luzon so the lines are very long for any license or vehicle registration process in my area but it looks like your in a large city so I think this process would be quicker and painless.


Do they hassle you at the LTO on your length of stay when you go into renew your Philippine license? They should not. I have renewed mine every time it is due and never a word from them. Just present my current license. pay the fee, as well as take blood pressure and eye sight and that's it.
We have found that if at the LTO office at SM Clark when they open at 10am, it will take less than one hour to get done. On top of that, at the SM office they are quite friendly and curious. Makes it a good experience each time so far.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*No Hassles*



Jet Lag said:


> Do they hassle you at the LTO on your length of stay when you go into renew your Philippine license? They should not. I have renewed mine every time it is due and never a word from them. Just present my current license. pay the fee, as well as take blood pressure and eye sight and that's it.
> We have found that if at the LTO office at SM Clark when they open at 10am, it will take less than one hour to get done. On top of that, at the SM office they are quite friendly and curious. Makes it a good experience each time so far.


They don't ask about my current immigration status, everything seems to run smoothly.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

May be the different LTO's, but when I did my License, there was no eye exam nor drug test. Only a "Medical Exam" which was a phony blood pressure check for 100 Peso's and to show my Arizona DL. Paid the fee and was out the door in less than an hour. This was the Iloilo LTO so YMMV.

Fred


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

Jet Lag said:


> Do they hassle you at the LTO on your length of stay when you go into renew your Philippine license? They should not. I have renewed mine every time it is due and never a word from them. Just present my current license. pay the fee, as well as take blood pressure and eye sight and that's it.
> We have found that if at the LTO office at SM Clark when they open at 10am, it will take less than one hour to get done. On top of that, at the SM office they are quite friendly and curious. Makes it a good experience each time so far.


So as a tourist can I walk into the SM Clark LTO and get a PI driver's license for the heck of it?


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

Yes, just bring your US license and you won't have to take a test or anything. They used to issue the first DL as a paper license and you had to wait 6 months before you were able to get a plastic one issued (never understood this but it happened to me in 2007). Also, once you get a DL keep the Original receipt with the DL if ever you get stopped (even after you get the plastic one)...


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## Cebu Citizen (Dec 13, 2013)

The LTO Offices I have been to, (Malls), do not offer a new license...only renewals, and they only tell me to go to a main branch. When I go to the LTO website, (which is NOT user friendly), it only lists one main branch in Quezon City...which is all the way on the other side of town from my location in Pasay City.

Does anyone have any personal information of a main LTO branch where I can go and get my first initial Philippine Driver's License issued to me?

What all do I need to take with me and how much will it cost me?

I have a current valid US Driver's license and I have been here 90 days. I want to get a Philippine License before my US License expires in a few months...

I am hoping it is as simple and easy as turning in My US License and getting a Philippine License but we will see how that turns out after the task is completed.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Cebu Citizen said:


> The LTO Offices I have been to, (Malls), do not offer a new license...only renewals, and they only tell me to go to a main branch. When I go to the LTO website, (which is NOT user friendly), it only lists one main branch in Quezon City...which is all the way on the other side of town from my location in Pasay City.
> 
> Does anyone have any personal information of a main LTO branch where I can go and get my first initial Philippine Driver's License issued to me?
> 
> ...


You may want to keep your US licence up to date as well as you may find that you would need to retake a driving test in the US if you let it expire for more than a couple of years.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*LTO Pasay City*



Cebu Citizen said:


> The LTO Offices I have been to, (Malls), do not offer a new license...only renewals, and they only tell me to go to a main branch. When I go to the LTO website, (which is NOT user friendly), it only lists one main branch in Quezon City...which is all the way on the other side of town from my location in Pasay City.
> 
> Does anyone have any personal information of a main LTO branch where I can go and get my first initial Philippine Driver's License issued to me?
> 
> ...


You won't have to turn in your US license.

Things to bring: Passport, Immigrant card if you have one, plane ticket if possible.

PM you the rest.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

I thought you needed a curent home country license or you had to take the test and learner permit process all over again.

Valid home country licence is just an automatic ( as far as anything is automatic in Philippines) issue of Philippine DL


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

I'm going to try this next time I come over for grins.


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## Cebu Citizen (Dec 13, 2013)

I will go and apply for my Philippine Drivers License and then report back in this Forum Thread to let everyone know exactly what I had to do and exactly what I needed to submit as well as the total costs associated with the new license.

We'll see what happens when I go to the LTO Office in Pasay next week...


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## mrbobo (Dec 11, 2014)

Good Luck!


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