New Driver's License: Requirements, Fees, Exams
Land Transportation Office · licences
Quick answer
A New Non-Professional Driver's License costs ₱685.00, being a ₱100.00 application fee and a ₱585.00 licence fee. You must be 17 years old, hold a student permit for at least 1 month, and pass the Practical Driving Course. LTO publishes a total counter time of 5 hours 38 minutes.
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.
A first licence costs ₱685.00 and, on LTO’s own published timings, takes 5 hours 38 minutes at the office. Most of that is the two examinations.
What it costs, and when you pay
LTO splits the money into two collections at two different points.
| Point in the process | Item | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Step 5, before the exams | Application fee | ₱100.00 |
| Step 12, after passing the practical test | Driver’s licence fee | ₱585.00 |
| Total | ₱685.00 |
That ordering matters. If you fail the practical driving test you have already paid the ₱100.00 and not the ₱585.00, and the re-take costs another ₱100.00.
Whether you qualify
| Requirement | Rule |
|---|---|
| Age | At least 17 years old; foreigners at least 18 years old |
| Literacy | Able to read and write in Filipino and/or English |
| Student permit | Held for at least 1 month from issuance |
| Practical Driving Course | Attended and passed at an LTO Driver’s Education Center, LTO-accredited driving school or LTO-accredited TESDA training centre |
| Fitness | Physically and mentally fit to operate a motor vehicle |
| Violations | No unsettled traffic violation |
| Examinations | Passed the Automated Theoretical Examination and the Practical Driving Test |
The licence covers DL Codes A, A1, B, B1 and B2. Offices run 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and the governing statute is RA 4136.
The student permit guide covers the ₱250.00 document you need before any of this.
What you bring
- Duly accomplished Application for Permits and Licenses (APL) form, 1 original
- Electronically transmitted medical certificate from an LTO-accredited medical clinic, 1 original and 1 photocopy
- Practical Driving Course certificate, electronically transmitted, 1 original and 1 photocopy
- Valid Student-Driver’s Permit, 1 original
- Parental or guardian’s consent with a valid government ID, if you are 17 years old
- Situational: TIN, if employed
The fifteen steps
| Step | What happens | Published time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Queue number, APL form and checklist issued | 1 minute |
| 2 | Wait for your number to be called | 1 minute |
| 3 | Submit the APL form and requirements; the officer evaluates and uploads | 55 minutes |
| 4 | Apply for the licence; the application prints and goes to the cashier | 1 minute |
| 5 | Pay the ₱100.00 application fee | 25 minutes |
| 6 | Receive the Official Receipt | 1 minute |
| 7 | Biometric capture: fingerprints, photo and signature | 20 minutes |
| 8 | Proceed to the examination area; details verified | 1 hour 40 minutes |
| 9 | Wait in the examination queue and review | 1 minute |
| 10 | Take the theoretical exam; results issued | 1 minute |
| 11 | If passed, proceed to the practical driving exam | 1 hour 20 minutes |
| 12 | If passed, pay the ₱585.00 driver’s licence fee | 25 minutes |
| 13 | Receive the Official Receipt | 1 minute |
| 14 | The DL card prints and is issued | 25 minutes |
| 15 | Sign the log sheet; identity verified by fingerprint scan | 1 minute |
| Total | 5 hours 38 minutes |
LTO states the processing time includes waiting time and starts on submission of complete requirements. If you arrive when the transaction cannot finish within the day, you are told to return the next working day and are prioritised at the step where you stopped.
If you fail
| Exam | What happens |
|---|---|
| Theoretical | Receive the result and re-apply the following regular working day, or any day at your convenience, provided the student permit has not passed 2 years from issuance |
| Practical | Re-take after 7 days from the date of the last practical examination, provided the permit has not passed 2 years from issuance and the ₱100.00 application fee is paid again |
The 2-year ceiling on the student permit is the real constraint. Past it, LTO requires a new permit bearing the same number and a repeat of the apprenticeship period.
Where this sits in the fee ladder
| Transaction | Published fee | Published time |
|---|---|---|
| Student-Driver’s Permit | ₱250.00 | 1 hour 53 minutes walk-in |
| New Non-Professional Driver’s License | ₱685.00 | 5 hours 38 minutes |
| Plain or advance renewal | ₱585.00 | 2 hours 11 minutes walk-in |
| Renewal with examination | ₱685.00 | 5 hours 40 minutes walk-in |
| Change of classification to professional | ₱685.00 | 4 hours 39 minutes walk-in |
| Additional driver’s licence codes | ₱685.00 | 6 hours 1 minute |
| Conversion of a foreign licence | ₱785.00 | 2 hours 37 minutes walk-in |
| Enhancement of Driver’s License | ₱225.00 | 2 hours 11 minutes walk-in |
| License Certification | ₱100.00 | 2 hours 1 minute |
| License History | ₱100.00 | 2 hours 6 minutes |
Accepted government IDs
LTO’s charter names the IDs it accepts across licensing transactions. Several are covered elsewhere on this site.
| ID | Where it is covered |
|---|---|
| Philippine Identification (PhilID) | National ID registration |
| UMID card | SSS UMID and MySSS Card |
| TIN card | TIN ID |
| Philippine passport | Passport renewal |
| OWWA ID | OWWA membership |
| HDMF (Pag-IBIG) ID | Pag-IBIG MID number |
The full list also includes the SSS card, PhilHealth ID, Postal ID, voter’s ID and voter’s certification, barangay ID, PRC ID, senior citizen ID, OFW ID, NCDA ID, solo parent ID, GSIS e-Card, seaman’s book, GOCC ID, DSWD certification and IBP ID.
What this page does not cover
LTO does not publish, in the charter pages read for this guide, the fee for the Practical Driving Course, the fee for the medical certificate, the pass mark on the theoretical examination, the content of the practical driving test, or the separate License Schedule of Fees and Charges the charter refers to for additional fees. None of those figures are stated here.
Related
The student permit guide covers the prerequisite document. The renewal guide covers the ₱585.00 renewal and the expiry penalties, and the LTMS portal guide covers the transactions you can start online.
Frequently asked questions
- How much is a new driver's licence?
- ₱685.00 in total: a ₱100.00 application fee paid before the examinations, and a ₱585.00 driver's licence fee paid after you pass the practical test. LTO collects them at two separate points in the process.
- What are the qualifications?
- At least 17 years old, or 18 for foreigners. Able to read and write in Filipino or English. Holder of a Student-Driver's Permit for at least 1 month from issuance. Attended and passed the Practical Driving Course. Physically and mentally fit. No unsettled traffic violation. Passed the Automated Theoretical Examination and the Practical Driving Test.
- How long does it take?
- LTO publishes a total of 5 hours 38 minutes, which includes waiting time and starts when you submit complete requirements. Of that, 1 hour 40 minutes is the theoretical examination and 1 hour 20 minutes the practical driving test.
- What if I fail the theoretical exam?
- You receive the result and may re-apply the following regular working day or any day at your convenience, provided the student permit has not passed 2 years from its date of issuance.
- What if I fail the practical exam?
- You re-take the practical exam after 7 days from the date of the last practical examination, provided the student permit has not passed 2 years from issuance, and provided the ₱100.00 application fee is paid again.
- Which vehicle codes does a non-professional licence cover?
- DL Codes A, A1, B, B1 and B2. That is the set LTO names for the Non-Professional Driver's License in its charter.
- Can I do this through the portal?
- The charter lists the New Non-Professional Driver's License only as a walk-in service. Portal versions exist for the student permit, for plain and advance renewal, for renewal with examination and for several other transactions, but not for this one.
- What documents do I bring?
- The accomplished APL form, an electronically transmitted medical certificate from an LTO-accredited clinic, the Practical Driving Course certificate, your valid Student-Driver's Permit, and parental consent with a valid government ID if you are 17. A TIN is a situational requirement if you are employed.