LTO Digital ID – Electronic Driver’s License: How to Get One

The LTO has opted to offer the eDL online through its Land Transport Management System (LTMS) portal rather than the originally planned “super app” developed in collaboration with DIT.

Some holders of valid driver’s license cards can already check their LTMS account for their eDL, but if you aren’t sure how to do it, let this guide help.

What is an LTO Digital ID?

A LTO Digital ID, also known as an Electronic Driver’s License (eDL), is an electronic version of a driver’s license that is issued and stored electronically. Motor vehicle operators can use this form of authorization as an alternative, secure, and valid form of authorization.

Electronic drivers license cards, which are now available to the public, are the digital counterparts to physical drivers licenses, which are traditionally printed on plastic cards. They can only be stored, accessed, and viewed online through the LTMS portal.

In addition to serving as a temporary digital driver’s license, the eDL was also created to replace the paper-based official receipt. When a license holder is apprehended, law enforcers can scan the QR code to authenticate the document.

eDL has been in development since 2020, allegedly for the government’s “super app” for e-government. Since plastic cards are in short supply, the LTO opted to use its own LTMS platform instead of the super app it originally planned.

According to LTO Memorandum Circular No. HaV-2023-2410, which details the implementing rules and regulations governing the issuance, recognition, and use of electronic Driver’s Licenses in the Land Transportation Office (LTO), was developed with the assistance of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). It is the agency’s latest temporary solution to the shortage of plastic cards.

Read Aslo: National ID Tracking

Benefits of an LTO Digital ID

EDL holders are entitled to the same privileges and responsibilities as physical license holders. The following are among them:

• Valid identification and authority shall be provided by the eDL

• Additionally, it serves as an alternative form of authorization for driving a motor vehicle, subject to license restrictions. The act helps avoid the potential penalties and legal repercussions of driving without a license or one that has expired.

• The card is a valid photo ID that can be used in both public and private offices.

• Through the LTO Portal, renewing a license is easier than getting a new one.

• Licenses expire after five to ten years, depending on the type.

• For safe driving, the licensee must undergo Periodic Medical Examinations (PME) and keep a close eye on their health.

As with physical driver’s license holders, they are subject to the same traffic violations, fines, and penalties.

Eligibility for an LTO Digital ID

The eDL module is only accessible to holders of valid Driver’s Licenses issued by the LTO. In order to get your driver’s license, you must not only pass the LTO driving assessments, but also meet the following requirements:

• Physically and mentally fit

• The ability to read and write Filipino, English, or any local dialect is required

• There must be no unresolved traffic violations

• It must be neat, clean, and presentable

• A well-dressed person is required.

• Driving examinations, both written and practical, must be passed

• For foreign applicants: You must show proof that you have lived in the Philippines for at least one month and will remain in the Philippines for at least one year.

Student License

• Citizens of the Philippines who are at least sixteen (16) years old

  • At least eighteen (18)-year-old foreign nationals with at least one (1) month’s stay in the Philippines and proof of six-month residency required

• A Theoretical Driving Course (TDC) must have been completed

• A valid and active email address is required

Non-Professional Driver’s License

• You must be at least seventeen (17) years old. Foreigners must be at least eighteen (18) years old.

• You must possess a valid Student-Driver’s Permit for at least one (1) month from the date of issuance

• An LTO-accredited licensed driver, LTO Driver’s Education Center (DEC), LTO-accredited Driving School, or LTO-accredited TESDA Training Center must have completed and passed a Practical Driving Course (PDC).

• Theoretical and practical exams must be passed

Professional License

• A minimum age of eighteen (18) is required

• You must have held your non-professional driver’s license for at least six (6) months prior to applying

• You must possess a valid Student-Driver’s Permit for at least one (1) month from the date of issuance

Requirements for an LTO Digital ID

The following requirements must be met before you can apply for an LTO Digital ID:

• LTMS Portal Account – registered and verified LTO Portal account of a driver’s license holder;

• The electronic driver’s license can be stored and displayed securely on an electronic device such as a smartphone, tablet, or other similar electronic device;

• A driver’s license (DL) is a license issued by the LTO that authorizes a person to operate a motor vehicle, either as a non-professional driver or as a professional driver

Driver’s license applications still have to meet other requirements. The following list may be helpful to you:

Student License

• Completed Application for Permits and Licenses (APL).

• A medical certificate from a clinic that is LTO-accredited and one (1) photocopy

• One (1) photocopy and one (1) original of each of the following:

  • Certificate of Birth from PSA/NSO

  • Identification card of the Philippines

  • The passport

  • The local civil registry (in areas without a PSA)

  • Marriage certificate issued by PSA

• Applicants under 18 years of age need the consent of one (1) parent or someone who has custody/care or supervision of the minor applicant authorizing the applicant to obtain a student permit, along with one (1) original and one (1) photocopy of the parent/affiant’s valid government-issued ID with photo and signature.

• The original and one (1) photocopy of any of the following valid IDs with the applicant’s signature and photo:

  • Card of Philippine Identification (PhilID),

  • Passport of the Philippines,

  • Card for Social Security System (SSS),

  • Card with UMID,

  • The PhilHealth ID card,

  • Card with TIN,

  • The postal ID number,

  • A voter’s identification card,

  • ID of the barangay,

  • ID of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC),

  • The Senior Citizen ID card,

  • An OFW’s ID,

  • The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) ID number,

  • The National Council on Disabled Affairs (NCDA) ID,

  • Parent ID for solo parents,

  • Certificate of Voter Registration,

  • e-Card for Government Services and Insurance System (GSIS),

  • Book of Seaman’s,

  • Corporations owned and/or controlled by the government (GOCCs),

  • HDMF or Pag-IBIG ID,

  • DSWD Certification,

  • IBP ID (Integrated Bar of the Philippines)

  • The foreigner must also present the original passport and one (1) photocopy, with a date of entry of at least one (1) month and a visa duration of six (6) months from the date of application, or the Philippine national, the original and one (1) photocopy of the duly completed PSA birth certificate.

• Employer’s Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)

• The original and one (1) photocopy of the Certificate of Completion of the 15-hour Theoretical Driving Course (Transmitted electronically to LTO by accredited driving schools / LTO DECs / LTO Accredited TESDA Training Centers)

Procedures for Securing an LTO Digital ID

Following are the requirements you need to meet in order to proceed. The steps are as follows:

Step 1: Create and register an LTMS portal account at https: //portal.lto.gov.ph;

• The LTMS portal can be accessed at https://portal.lto.gov.ph/.

• Create an LTMS account online.

  • Go to the LTMS portal website and click “Register Now.”

  • Please read the agreement and click Yes if you agree with it.

  • Then click “Next.”

  • To enroll as an individual, click “Enroll as an Individual.”

  • Enter the required information. You can just double-check your personal information on the registration portal if you already have a license;

  • After clicking next, click “Create Account.”.

  • Your registration should be confirmed by a pop-up window.

  • To verify your account, check your email and click the link.

  • When prompted, click “Set Password for Login” and update your password.

Step 2: The DL holder can now log in to the LTMS portal account using their registered e-mail or Client ID and password.

Step 3: Click LTO Digital ID when you open the LTMS portal account to see if your eDL is already available.

Note: LTO is a newly-launched service, so it is highly likely to encounter glitches and errors during its initial launch.

Validity

A license’s validity period can also vary depending on the type of license and the instance of license issuance.

Student License

Student Permits are valid for one (1) year from the date of issuance. The Student Permit is no longer valid after one (1) year for practical driving courses. A new Student Permit will be required after two (2) years if the permit number remains the same. In addition, the holder will need to undergo the apprenticeship period, though all previous training records will be retained.

It is also possible to renew the Student Permit before it expires if the holder hasn’t applied for the Non-Professional Driver’s License. The Non-Professional Drivers License can be obtained after only one month of holding the Student Permit.

Non-Professional Driver’s License 

New Non-Professional Driver’s Licenses will have a five-year validity period from the date of initial issuance, unless revoked or suspended. In the event that a responsible Non-Professional Driver’s License holder with a clean record or who has not committed any road traffic violations in the five (5) years before the license expires will be eligible for a 10-year renewal of the same type of driver’s license.

Professional License

In the Philippines, Professional Driver’s Licenses are valid for five (5) years for first-time license holders and for those renewing with traffic violations, or for ten (10) years for those renewing with a clean driving record.

Fees

The requirement and existing fees for new and renewing DLs will remain. The eDL shall not be charged an additional fee for issuance or access.

Where to Get it

A LTO electronic Driver’s License (eDL) can only be obtained online through the LTO’s portal, LTMS.

Video: How to Secure an LTO Digital ID (eDL)

Important Reminders

Here are some important things you should keep in mind.

• Driver licenses issued by the LTO shall continue to be the primary means of authorization by the LTO to operate motor vehicles in a professional or non-professional capacity.

• An eDL can only be accessed through an account on the LTMS portal, which requires a QR code, fingerprint, and photo.

• Those who use their electronic driver’s licenses have the same rights and responsibilities as physical license holders.

• In addition, the eDL will serve as a valid form of identification and authorization for LTO enforcers.

• A fee is not charged for the issuance or access to the eDL.

• When presenting the eDL in lieu of the physical driver’s license cards to any LTO law enforcement officer or deputized agent, photographs or screenshots shall not be recognized/accepted since the app has features that allow them to verify the authenticity of the eDL presented during apprehension.

• A person who fails to present their eDL through their LTMS portal account will be charged with failure to carry a driver’s license.

• In the Central Office, the Management Information Division ensures that the eDL is readily accessible to portal account holders at all times.

• By scanning the QR code with an electronic device such as a smart phone, tablet, or other device capable of securely storing and displaying the eDL, the eDL can be verified and authenticated.

• By scanning the bar code with the law enforcement handheld device, eDL can also be verified and authenticated.

• Philippine citizens living abroad who renewed their driver’s license online using LTMS will also receive an eDL through their portal account.

• An eDL will be marked as alarmed when a traffic violator is apprehended until the equivalent fine is paid.

• A 72-hour electronic temporary operator’s permit (eTOP) will also be issued to motorists who have been arrested. In order to maintain their temporary permits, motorists must settle their violations within this timeframe.

• Temporary Operator’s Permits (TOP) or Electronic Temporary Operator’s Permits (eTOP) are valid for seventy-two (72) hours from the date of issuance, after which they become invalid and the driver is prohibited from operating any motor vehicle.

• Drivers and operators who fail to settle their apprehension within fifteen (15) days from the date of TOP issuance will lose access to the LTMS portal account’s eDL feature for thirty (30) days.

• LTMS portal account suspension after failure to settle apprehension shall be lifted after settlement of case and payment of fine.

• If the hearing officer or adjudicator determines that the suspension is meritorious and the approving officer approves, the suspension may be lifted before the 30-day period expires.

• When necessary, eDLs will be subject to the same suspension or revocation penalties as physical licenses.

• As part of the adjudication process, the hearing officer or adjudicator must verify whether the apprehended violator had a suspended or revoked eDL at the time of apprehension. The hearing officer/ adjudicator shall impose the appropriate fine and penalty after making their determination.

FAQs

QNO(1):Where do I reach out to for questions or concerns regarding the eDL?

Ans:Contact the LTO via the following information for more information, inquiries, or concerns:

Land Transportation Office (LTO)
LTMS portal: Access the LTO’s official website and fill out the Contact Us form at https://portal.lto.gov.ph/ords/f?p=PUBLIC_PORTAL:CONTACT_US:115716301949471.

Phone call: The company has a telephone number of (632) 922-9061 to 66.
Email: Their email address is clientcare@lto.gov.ph.
LTO Text Hotline Service: To access LTO’s nationwide SMS service for drivers and vehicle owners, type LTOHELP and send it to 2600.
LTO office: You can contact any LTO branch office near you for information.

QNO(2):How do I get my LTO digital license?

Ans:You can access it by following these steps:

1. Here you can create an account for the LTMS portal.

2. Log in with your registered email address or Client ID and password.

3. Your license can be viewed by clicking “DIGITAL ID.”

Conclusion

In the Philippines, physical driver’s licenses may no longer be available at the LTO driver’s license office due to a shortage of plastic cards.

In response to the shortage and in order to improve the agency’s digitization, the agency rolled out the electronic Driver’s License (eDL). However, screenshots of the LTO digital ID are not an acceptable option since they are not convenient.

As a result, one must be in possession of a valid driver’s license, as well as an active LTMS account. Regardless, finding cheaper alternatives to securing a driver’s license would take more than just a desire. Whatever the case, if you have a vehicle, whether it’s a motorcycle, a four-wheel drive, or a vehicle that you use to earn a living, getting an eDL will allow you to use it freely, without fear of legal repercussions. When you secure an electronic driver’s license or an LTO Digital ID in the Philippines, you won’t be losing out at all.