LTO Student Permit: Requirements, Fees and Validity
Land Transportation Office · licences
Quick answer
An LTO Student-Driver's Permit costs ₱250.00: a ₱150.00 permit fee plus a ₱100.00 application fee. You must be 16 years old and have finished the 15-hour Theoretical Driving Course. LTO publishes 1 hour 53 minutes walk-in, or 49 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.
A Student-Driver’s Permit is the first document in the Philippine licensing chain, and it costs ₱250.00. LTO’s 2026 Citizen’s Charter publishes every fee and every step, so this page is a straight reading of that document.
What it costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Student-Driver’s Permit fee | ₱150.00 |
| Application fee | ₱100.00 |
| Total | ₱250.00 |
The same ₱250.00 applies whether you walk in or book through the LTMS portal. What changes is when you pay: the portal takes the ₱100.00 application fee online and the ₱150.00 permit fee at the cashier on the day, while a walk-in pays the whole ₱250.00 in one go at step 4.
Who can apply
| Applicant | Rule |
|---|---|
| Filipino citizen | At least 16 years old |
| Foreign citizen | At least 18 years old, in the Philippines for at least 1 month, with proof of stay for at least 6 months |
| Everyone | Physically and mentally fit to drive |
| Everyone | Able to read and write in Filipino or English |
| Everyone | No unsettled traffic violation |
| Everyone | Completed the Theoretical Driving Course |
| Under 18 | One parent’s or guardian’s consent, plus their valid government ID |
The statute behind all of this is RA 4136, and licensing offices run 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
The eight things 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
- PSA/NSO birth certificate, PhilID, passport, Local Civil Registry copy or PSA marriage certificate, 1 original and 1 photocopy
- Parent’s consent if you are under 18, 1 original and 1 photocopy
- Any issued ID with photo and signature, 1 original and 1 photocopy
- For foreign nationals, passport with an entry date at least 1 month back and a visa duration of 6 months from the date of application
- Electronically transmitted Certificate of Completion of the 15-hour Theoretical Driving Course, 1 original and 1 photocopy
- LTO Client ID, an electronic copy from the LTO Public Portal
If you are employed, a TIN is a situational requirement. The BIR TIN registration guide covers getting one, and the National ID guide covers the PhilID that LTO lists first among acceptable documents.
The walk-in route, step by step
LTO times every step. The figures below are the charter’s own.
| Step | What happens | Published time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Get a queue number, APL form and checklist | 1 minute |
| 2 | Wait for your number to be called | 1 minute |
| 3 | Submit the APL form and all requirements; the officer evaluates, encodes and uploads | 30 minutes |
| 4 | Pay at the cashier: ₱150.00 permit fee and ₱100.00 application fee | 50 minutes |
| 5 | Receive the Official Receipt | 1 minute |
| 6 | Biometric capture: fingerprints, photo and signature; the permit prints | 15 minutes |
| 7 | Sign the log sheet and claim the permit | 15 minutes |
| Total | 1 hour 53 minutes |
The portal route, step by step
Thirteen steps, but most of them happen before you leave the house.
| Step | Where | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 5 | Portal account | Log in, fill out the profile, apply, choose location, date and time, choose a payment mode, get the confirmation |
| 6 | Payment channel | Pay the ₱100.00 application fee; the receipt arrives by email |
| 7 | Client Service Officer | Show up and present the paid transaction |
| 8 to 9 | Counter | Queue number, then biometric capture |
| 10 to 11 | Cashier | Pay the ₱150.00 permit fee and receive the Official Receipt |
| 12 to 13 | Releasing window | The permit prints, you sign and claim it |
| Total | 49 minutes |
That is roughly 1 hour saved against the walk-in route for the same ₱250.00. The LTMS portal guide covers what the portal does across every other licence transaction.
How long it lasts
This is the part most people get wrong, because the permit has two different clocks.
| Milestone | What LTO publishes |
|---|---|
| 1 year from issuance | The permit is valid. After 1 year it can no longer be used for the practical driving course |
| Practical course finished inside the 1 year | The permit can still be used to apply for a Non-Professional Driver’s License |
| 2 years from issuance | You must acquire a new student permit bearing the same permit number, and undergo the apprenticeship period again, reckoned from the new permit’s issuance. All records of training courses are retained |
| Renewal | Allowed on or before the expiry date if you are not ready for the licence. Except for traffic-violation penalties, only the basic fee is collected after expiry |
There is a legacy rule worth knowing: under MC 2020-2194 dated 29 June 2020, holders of student permits that expired and were issued before 03 August 2020 must complete the TDC.
Renewing the permit
| Route | Published time | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Renewal of Student-Driver’s Permit, walk-in | 1 hour 53 minutes | ₱250.00 |
| Renewal of Student-Driver’s Permit, portal | 48 minutes | ₱250.00 |
What the permit leads to
The permit exists to get you to a licence, and LTO sets a minimum holding period.
| Requirement for a New Non-Professional Driver’s License | Figure |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 17 years old, or 18 years for foreigners |
| Student permit held for at least | 1 month from issuance |
| Practical Driving Course | Attended and passed, from a DEC, accredited driving school or accredited TESDA centre |
| Theoretical examination | 1 hour 40 minutes of the published process |
| Practical driving test | 1 hour 20 minutes of the published process |
| Total published time | 5 hours 38 minutes |
| Total fee | ₱685.00, being ₱100.00 application and ₱585.00 licence |
| If you fail the practical test | Re-take after 7 days from the last practical exam, provided the permit has not passed 2 years, and a further ₱100.00 application fee is paid |
The new driver’s licence guide walks that application in full.
Every LTO licence fee, for context
The charter publishes a fee for each licensing transaction. Knowing the whole ladder makes the ₱250.00 easier to place.
| Transaction | Published fee |
|---|---|
| Student-Driver’s Permit, new or renewal | ₱250.00 |
| New Non-Professional Driver’s License | ₱685.00 |
| Plain or advance renewal of a driver’s or conductor’s licence | ₱585.00 |
| Renewal with examination | ₱685.00 |
| Change of classification, non-professional to professional | ₱685.00 |
| Additional driver’s licence codes | ₱685.00 |
| Conversion of a foreign driver’s licence | ₱785.00 |
| Enhancement of Driver’s License | ₱225.00 |
| License Certification | ₱100.00 |
| License History | ₱100.00 |
| Revision of records | ₱50.00 or ₱325.00, depending on the transaction |
Late renewal carries its own ladder: ₱75.00 for 1 day to 1 year expired, ₱150.00 for more than 1 year to 2 years, and ₱225.00 beyond 2 years, which also forces an examination. The renewal guide sets those out.
What this costs alongside everything else
A first licence rarely travels alone. These are the published figures from the other agencies on this site.
| Document | Published fee | Where it is covered |
|---|---|---|
| PSA viewable online birth certificate | ₱130.00, or ₱185.00 for a CENOMAR | PSA birth certificate |
| NBI clearance | ₱130.00 plus a ₱30.00 e-payment fee, ₱160.00 in total | NBI clearance requirements |
| Philippine passport, regular | ₱950.00 | Passport renewal |
| BIR TIN card, first issue | Free; ₱100.00 to replace | TIN ID |
| SSS monthly contribution | 15% of a Monthly Salary Credit running ₱5,000 to ₱35,000 | SSS contribution table |
| Pag-IBIG monthly contribution | ₱400 a month since February 2024 | Pag-IBIG contribution table |
What this page does not cover
LTO does not publish, in the pages of the charter read for this guide, the fee for the 15-hour Theoretical Driving Course, the fee for the medical certificate, the fee for the Practical Driving Course, or the separate License Schedule of Fees and Charges the charter repeatedly refers to. Those are set outside the charter, and no figure for them is stated here.
Related
The new driver’s licence guide covers what the permit leads to. The renewal guide covers the ₱585.00 renewal and the expiry penalties, and the LTMS portal guide covers the online route in detail.
Frequently asked questions
- How much is an LTO student permit?
- ₱250.00 in total: a ₱150.00 Student-Driver's Permit fee plus a ₱100.00 application fee. The split is the same on both routes, but the portal collects the ₱100.00 online and the ₱150.00 at the cashier on the day.
- How old do I have to be?
- 16 years old and above for Filipino citizens. A foreign citizen must be at least 18 years old, must have been in the Philippines for at least 1 month, and must show proof of stay for at least 6 months. Applicants below 18 need a parent's or guardian's written consent with a valid government ID.
- Do I need the theoretical driving course first?
- Yes. The charter lists an electronically transmitted Certificate of Completion of the 15-hour Theoretical Driving Course as a standard requirement, secured from an LTO Driver's Education Center, an LTO-accredited driving school, or an LTO-accredited TESDA training centre.
- How long is a student permit valid?
- 1 year from the date of issuance. After 1 year it can no longer be used for the practical driving course, though it can still be used to apply for a Non-Professional Driver's License if the practical course was completed inside that 1-year window. After 2 years you must acquire a new permit bearing the same permit number and repeat the apprenticeship period.
- Is the portal faster?
- On LTO's own figures, yes. The charter publishes 1 hour 53 minutes for the walk-in route and 49 minutes for the portal route, a difference of about 1 hour. Both are same-day; the portal moves the queuing and evaluation steps out of the office.
- How long must I hold the permit before applying for a licence?
- At least 1 month from issuance. That, plus a passed Practical Driving Course, is what LTO requires before a New Non-Professional Driver's License application at ₱685.00.
- Can I renew a student permit?
- Yes, on or before the expiry date if you are not ready to apply for the Non-Professional Driver's License. Renewal is ₱250.00 and LTO publishes 1 hour 53 minutes walk-in or 48 minutes through the portal. Except for settling traffic-violation penalties, only the basic fee is collected after the expiry date.
- What ID do I bring?
- Any government-issued ID with photo and signature. LTO's charter names the PhilID, Philippine passport, SSS card, UMID, PhilHealth ID, TIN card, Postal ID, voter's ID, barangay ID, PRC ID, senior citizen ID, OFW ID, OWWA ID, NCDA ID, solo parent ID, voter's certification, GSIS e-Card, seaman's book, GOCC ID, HDMF ID, DSWD certification and IBP ID.