Driver's License Renewal: Fees, Penalties, Steps
Land Transportation Office · licences
Quick answer
Renewing a Philippine driver's licence costs ₱585.00. Late renewal adds ₱75.00 up to 1 year expired, ₱150.00 up to 2 years, and ₱225.00 beyond that, which also forces an examination. LTO publishes 2 hours 11 minutes walk-in, 38 minutes by portal.
Last verified
Where these figures come from
About these figures: the numbers below come from LTO's official published sources: Land Transportation Office | Citizen's Charter 2026 (1st Edition) (https://lto.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Citizens-Charter-2026-1st-Edition-2.pdf, retrieved 2026-08-31); Land Transportation Office | Citizen's Charter (https://lto.gov.ph/citizens-charter/, retrieved 2026-08-31). Agencies change fees and rates without notice, so confirm with LTO before you rely on them. Last verified: 2026-08-31.
Renewal is ₱585.00. What varies is the penalty on top, and whether you sit the examinations again. Both depend on one number: how long the licence has been expired.
The penalty ladder
| How long expired | Penalty | What else changes |
|---|---|---|
| Not expired, or advance renewal | ₱0.00 | Nothing |
| 1 day to 1 year | ₱75.00 | Nothing |
| More than 1 year to 2 years | ₱150.00 | Nothing |
| More than 2 years | ₱225.00 | Requires examination. You move to Renewal with Examination |
Storage of a driver’s licence before its expiry date means no collection of penalties on reactivation, which is LTO’s own note in the charter.
What it costs in total
| Route | Licence fee | Penalty | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain or advance renewal, on time | ₱585.00 | ₱0.00 | ₱585.00 |
| Expired up to 1 year | ₱585.00 | ₱75.00 | ₱660.00 |
| Expired 1 to 2 years | ₱585.00 | ₱150.00 | ₱735.00 |
| Expired more than 2 years | ₱685.00 with examination | ₱225.00 | ₱910.00 |
The last row is arithmetic on LTO’s published figures rather than a single figure LTO prints, and it assumes the ₱685.00 Renewal with Examination fee. LTO also refers to a separate License Schedule of Fees and Charges for additional fees, which the charter does not reproduce.
Who qualifies for plain or advance renewal
| Requirement | Rule |
|---|---|
| Licence status | Not expired for more than 2 years, including advance renewal for holders who intend to leave the country within 1 year before the expiry date |
| Fitness | Physically and mentally fit to operate a motor vehicle |
| Violations | No unsettled traffic violation |
| CDE | Completed the Comprehensive Driver’s Education before the initial renewal of the 5-year licence |
| 5 to 9 demerit points | Completed the Driver’s Reorientation Course and its examination |
| 10 or more but fewer than 40 demerit points | Passed that course and its examination, and the Automated Theoretical Examination |
The CDE carve-out is worth reading twice. LTO states it is no longer required for any licence holder issued a Student-Driver’s Permit on or after 03 August 2020, and for anyone who renewed to their current licence on or after 28 October 2021.
What you bring
- Electronically transmitted medical certificate from an LTO-accredited medical clinic, 1 original and 1 photocopy
- Electronically transmitted CDE Certificate of Completion, if it applies to you, 1 original
- Original driver’s or conductor’s licence, 1 original and 1 photocopy
- Driver’s Reorientation Course certificate, for applicants with demerit points
- Plane ticket, for advance renewal only, original or electronic copy
The walk-in route
| Step | What happens | Published time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Queue number, APL form and checklist issued | 1 minute |
| 2 | Wait for your number | 1 minute |
| 3 | Submit the documents; the officer evaluates and uploads | 1 minute |
| 4 | Apply for renewal; the application prints | 1 minute |
| 5 | Wait; the application goes to the cashier | 55 minutes |
| 6 | Pay ₱585.00 | 25 minutes |
| 7 | Receive the Official Receipt | 1 minute |
| 8 | Biometric capture | 20 minutes |
| 9 | The DL card prints and is issued | 25 minutes |
| 10 | Sign the log sheet; fingerprint verification | 1 minute |
| Total | 2 hours 11 minutes |
The portal route
| Step | Where | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 5 | Portal account | Log in, apply for renewal, select appointment, select payment mode, receive confirmation |
| 6 | Payment channel | Pay the fee |
| 7 to 9 | Counter | Present the transaction, get a queue number, biometric capture |
| 10 to 11 | Releasing | The card prints; sign and claim with fingerprint verification |
| Total | 38 minutes |
That is about 1 hour 30 minutes saved for the same money. The LTMS portal guide covers the account and booking mechanics.
Renewal with examination
If the licence has been expired more than 2 years, or you carry 10 or more but fewer than 40 demerit points, this is the route.
| Walk-in | Portal | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | ₱100.00 | ₱100.00 |
| Licence fee after passing | ₱585.00 | ₱585.00 |
| Total fee | ₱685.00 | ₱685.00 |
| Theoretical examination | 1 hour 40 minutes | 1 hour 40 minutes |
| Practical driving test | 1 hour 20 minutes | 1 hour 20 minutes |
| Total published time | 5 hours 40 minutes | 4 hours 32 minutes |
The examination content is the same as a new licence application.
Renewing from abroad
LTO runs a distinct service for overseas Filipinos, handled by the Operations Division at the Central Office.
| What LTO publishes | |
|---|---|
| Service | Renewal of Driver’s License for OFW and Filipinos Living Abroad |
| Published total time | 3 hours 37 minutes |
| Authorised representative | Presents an original Letter of Authority |
| Personal appearance | The licensee presents themselves within 30 days for biometric capture |
| Fee shown at the cashier step | Possible penalty, otherwise ₱0.00 |
An OFW renewing a licence is usually renewing other documents in the same trip. The Balik-Manggagawa OEC guide and the OWWA membership guide cover two of them.
Other licence transactions and their fees
| Transaction | Fee | Walk-in time | Portal time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain or advance renewal | ₱585.00 | 2 hours 11 minutes | 38 minutes |
| Renewal of Driver’s License | ₱585.00 | 2 hours 7 minutes | - |
| Renewal with examination | ₱685.00 | 5 hours 40 minutes | 4 hours 32 minutes |
| Renewal for OFWs and Filipinos abroad | Penalty only | 3 hours 37 minutes | - |
| Change of classification to professional | ₱685.00 | 4 hours 39 minutes | 3 hours 35 minutes |
| Enhancement of Driver’s License | ₱225.00 | 2 hours 11 minutes | 1 hour 7 minutes |
| Conversion of a foreign licence | ₱785.00 | 2 hours 37 minutes | 1 hour 27 minutes |
| Revision of records | ₱50.00 or ₱325.00 | 1 hour 48 minutes | - |
| License Certification | ₱100.00 | 2 hours 1 minute | - |
| License History | ₱100.00 | 2 hours 6 minutes | - |
Licensing offices run 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and LTO states processing times include waiting time.
What this page does not cover
LTO does not publish, in the charter pages read for this guide, the validity period of a renewed licence, the demerit-point values attached to specific violations, the fee for the medical certificate, the fee for the Comprehensive Driver’s Education or the Driver’s Reorientation Course, or the contents of the separate License Schedule of Fees and Charges. None of those are stated here.
Related
The new driver’s licence guide covers the ₱685.00 first application. The student permit guide covers the ₱250.00 document at the start of the chain, and the LTMS portal guide covers the online route.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does renewal cost?
- ₱585.00 for a plain or advance renewal. If the licence has expired, LTO adds a penalty: ₱75.00 for 1 day to 1 year expired, ₱150.00 for more than 1 year up to 2 years, and ₱225.00 for more than 2 years.
- What happens if my licence expired more than 2 years ago?
- The ₱225.00 penalty applies and you are moved to Renewal with Examination, which means the Automated Theoretical Examination and the Practical Driving Test. That route is published at ₱685.00 and 5 hours 40 minutes walk-in, or 4 hours 32 minutes through the portal.
- Can I renew early?
- Yes. LTO's service is Plain or Advance Renewal, and advance renewal is open to holders who intend to leave the country within 1 year before the expiry date. A plane ticket is the additional requirement for advance renewal.
- Do I need the Comprehensive Driver's Education course?
- Only for the initial renewal of the 5-year driver's licence. LTO states the CDE is no longer required for holders who were issued a Student-Driver's Permit on or after 03 August 2020, and for those who renewed to their current licence on or after 28 October 2021.
- What about demerit points?
- Holders with 5 to 9 accumulated demerit points must complete the Driver's Reorientation Course and its examination. Holders with 10 or more but fewer than 40 demerit points must pass both that course and its examination and the Automated Theoretical Examination.
- Is the portal faster?
- Substantially. LTO publishes 2 hours 11 minutes for walk-in renewal against 38 minutes through the portal, a difference of about 1 hour 30 minutes for the same ₱585.00.
- I am an OFW. Can I renew from abroad?
- LTO runs a separate service, Renewal of Driver's License for OFW and Filipinos Living Abroad, handled by the Operations Division at the Central Office and published at 3 hours 37 minutes. It uses a Letter of Authority for an authorised representative, and the licensee must present themselves within 30 days for biometric capture.
- What do I bring?
- An electronically transmitted medical certificate from an LTO-accredited clinic, your original driver's or conductor's licence, the CDE certificate if it applies to you, a Driver's Reorientation Course certificate if you have demerit points, and a plane ticket for advance renewal.