Getting My License - Mandaue, Lto

[MikeB]

Last Monday I went through the process of acquiring a Philippine drivers’s license at the LTO office in Mandaue and thought I would share my experience. I have been here now a little more then 4 months and, since our driver’s licenses from our home country are only good for 90 days from date of entry, it was time. I had read a little about the process and was aware there was a drug and alcohol screening but no written or road test. It’s a “foreign license conversion” since my current driver’s license from the state of Florida is still valid so the assumption is that if you have a valid foreign license you have the skills required to navigate the roads here. I guess we’ll see about that. Although it seemed pretty straightforward I contacted Paul W of Cebu Expat Services to help walk me through the process. Paul and his wife Elsa have been helping expats deal with the system for years and are very knowledgeable. They have handled my 3 visa renewals, ACR card, and also accepted my balikbayan shipment from the US because I had no address here to ship my boxes. We agreed to meet at 8am when the office opened. I made the mistake of overestimating traffic and left at 7am from my place near Fuente Circle. That was a mistake because it put me there more then 30 minutes before they opened. I was expecting an official government building with plenty of security (or at least as much as a typical convenience store) and was surprised when the taxi started going down a rutted dirt road and let me off in front of the locked gates of the LTO office. Upon disembarking from the taxi I was immediately surrounded by several men who offered to help me through the process, for a fee of course. I explained, no thanks, I’m waiting for someone and that got rid of most of them but there were a couple that hung around insisting they had the best deals and could get it done faster. I was not getting this unwanted attention solely because I was a foreigner, everyone who came there for business was accosted in a similar way. Finally at the appointed hour, Paul and Elsa came riding up on one of their motorbikes like the calvary in an old western. They explained that the 1^st step was getting the drug test, electronic fingerprinting, and handing over 400p. Private companies perform this, they are not directly affiliated with LTO, at least that is my understanding. After passing the test with flying colors, we proceeded across the dirt road to the now open LTO office with the signed papers in hand; along with passport, ACR card, and current driver’s license. You are required to have all 3 originals and copies (I was told). The next step was to pay 600p and we were told to wait for pictures. It was early, about 9am, but getting hot. The waiting area consisted of a large unairconditioned room with about 20 or so formica chairs facing a row of numbered windows. The crowd steadily swelled until there were about 75 or so people waiting and coming and going (mostly coming), far more then the number of allotted chairs. The single guard came every 10 minutes or so and told the impatient crowd to move away from the windows. There is aircon in the building but only behind the doors of the staff area. There was one locked restroom marked “CR for staff only” (thankfully, since I had already submitted my sample, I was not in need). After a while my name was called to take the picture and sign my name. Having completed that I thought that I was home free. Wrong. There are a total of 2 pictures required and they are taken at different times, reason unknown. After standing and waiting a while longer my name was called again and the 2^nd (and final) photo was taken. The next and last step was the processing of the photos and paperwork and I would be called to the “Releasing” window (#5 - last one on the left) for the license. Unfortunately, there was a low ink problem and the wait was longer then usual but my name was finally called and I had my license in hand and quickly left, stopping only to buy an “official” license holder in the parking lot for 20p. Along with the license was a paper receipt that Paul and Elsa strongly advised me to carry at all times with the license. If stopped and ticketed by the pulis they take the receipt unless you don’t have it, then they take the license. If they hadn’t told me I would not have known, there is no information provided by LTO staff or any signage explaining anything that I saw. The entire process took a little less then 3 hours, not bad time-wise. I was told that the LTO office in Lapu Lapu is more businesslike and the helpers and fixers are not around or maybe not as apparent. I would like to thank Paul and Elsa, I’m very glad I enlisted their help and I highly recommend them.

[Mr Lee]

Excellent info :541: and I will be sure to have Paul and Elsa help me when the time comes to get my license.

[bungoton]

We might have been in the LTO office at the same time. I got my license on Monday too. I had a similar experience but with my wife taking me to the office and dealing with the bureaucrats. The total time was about the same for me - 3 hours, but we had a staff member phone to let us know when my license was ready to pick up. The most difficult part was giving my sample for the drug test with the bathroom door open and a room full of people a few feet away.

[Old55]

Interesting read thanks for posting that Mike!

[Art2ro]

Back in 1998 in Olongapo City when I applied for my Philippine driver's license, it took 6 weeks to get it because the paperwork was sent to Manila and the license was processed, made there and redistributed back to the Olongapo LTO office! There wasn't any drug testing back then! That was in 1998, I don't know about today's LTO processing time in Olongapo City! For my license renewal last year, I went to the LTO office nearby Alabang (ATC) Alabang Town Center, which was a 25 minute drive from our home, it only took me about an hour to renew my license, because senior citizens were put at the head of the line and their waiting area was air conditioned which seats about 75 people! Most SM malls now have LTO license renewals and takes about 2 to 3 hours!

[scott h]

Great info, confirmation of what I had read about in blogs and forums elsewhere. Thanks for letting me check one more block off my "need to know" list prior to us making the move

[Mr Lee]

Not to hijack Mikes thread but anyone can probably answer this, or Mike can. Questions?? What is the renewal dates for drivers licenses? Is it like here in the states where it expires on our birthday? If so that would be a reason for me to hold off getting one, because we are usually not there on our birthday, also how many years is the license good for?

[Art2ro]

Not to hijack Mikes thread but anyone can probably answer this, or Mike can. Questions?? What is the renewal dates for drivers licenses? Is it like here in the states where it expires on our birthday? If so that would be a reason for me to hold off getting one, because we are usually not there on our birthday, also how many years is the license good for?

Valid for 3 years and expires on one's birthday.

[Elsa]

Not to hijack Mikes thread but anyone can probably answer this, or Mike can. Questions?? What is the renewal dates for drivers licenses? Is it like here in the states where it expires on our birthday? If so that would be a reason for me to hold off getting one, because we are usually not there on our birthday, also how many years is the license good for?

Valid for 3 years and expires on one's birthday.

And also, You can renew your drivers license late with the penalty fee of 75.00 pesos. Elsawww.Denial of service

[beegee]

Thanks Mike, this is on my (growing) list of things to know before I come over next year.