It was again time to renew my driver’s license. It is really not very difficult to remember a driver’s license expiration date since it always falls on the license holder’s birthday.  This is something I have to do every three years and the last three years passed by very quickly, but I didn’t mind very much. After all, to renew driver’s license is now an easy task that can be done comfortably inside malls, or so I thought.

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3 Years Ago

It was the first time I was going to renew my license in a mall and I was thinking how convenient it was. Not having to wait  in hot waiting areas is such a relief. I had high hopes that it wouldn’t take so much time to finish my transaction.

The short line at the LTO Office in the mall where I went to was very encouraging.  On the other hand, the line beside it where the Drug Testing Center was located was quite intimidating. Judging from the looks of the people who were in line, they must have been there for quite some time.  I confirmed that observation when I had to wait for at least four hours to take my drug test and to get the results. That was the main choking point then as the rest of the steps did not take very long. But because of the long wait for the drug test, everything else seemed to take too long to finish.

Fast-Forward Today

I was relieved to have read in the newspaper sometime in February this year that mandatory drug testing for license renewal has been abolished. With higher hopes this time that license renewal will indeed be quick and easy, I again proceeded to the same mall I went to three years ago. This time, there was no long wait. I was having my picture taken and was signing before I even had the chance to comb my hair. I was actually grinning ear-to-ear with the great ease of renewal until the person on the counter stumped me with her remark: “You need to go to the regular LTO Office because your picture and signature cannot be transferred by the system”. Say what?

And so it happened that I had to endure the same long waiting period at the designated LTO Office because of a failure in the system. Apparently, all of us who renewed our licenses three years ago in that LTO Office located at the mall will have the same problem this year. Tough luck! Add to that the fact that I went home with a temporary license printed on paper because they ran out of cards. That means I will have to go back to claim my driver’s license card by the end of May at the earliest or on the second week of September at the latest. I wonder how much time I need to wait to get it on claiming day.

Steps to Renew Driver’s License

The steps for renewing driver’s license are actually very simple. The LTO Website provides the following information:

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Requirements:

1. Current Driver’s License due to expire or expired but not more than two (2) years.

2. Duly accomplished Application Form for Driver’s License (ADL). *form can be downloaded from the site although available in licensing centers

3. Medical Certificate with Official Receipt (from LTO accredited or Government physician)

4. Negative drug test result (from a DOH accredited drug testing center or Government Hospital) *no longer a requirement

Procedures:

1. Proceed to the Customer Service Counter to get your checklist of requirements and secure a Driver’s License Application Form. (This form is available for download here. You can accomplish this form prior to transacting your business at the LTO.) Get a queue number and wait for your number to be called.

2. When your number is called, proceed to evaluator counter and submit all the required documents and have it checked for completeness and authenticity.

3. Proceed to the Photo taking /Signature/ Fingerprint Scanning Area to have your picture and signature taken and fingerprint scanned when your name is called.

4. Proceed to the Cashier when your name is called to pay for the necessary fees and obtain an Official Receipt.

5. Proceed to the Releasing Counter, present the Official Receipt and claim the Card type License.

Venue: Any Licensing Center / Driver’s License Renewal Center /District Office with DL Transactions

Fees and Charges:

 

License Fee Php. 350.00
Computer Fee 67.63
TOTAL 417.63

 

Penalty:

 

If expired:
1 day to 1 year Php. 75.00
1 year & 1 day to 2 year 150.00
More than 2 years 225.00
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My Say

The steps above are indeed fairly easy. However, this does not take into consideration the unexpected ( or expected) challenges that may arise. While system glitches are always possible, there needs to be a ready manual back-up when needed. The main choking point in the LTO Office I went to is the cashier. My wait would probably have not lasted the whole afternoon up until the closing time if only there was an option for an additional cashier in exceptionally busy days. Their ought to be an easier way to renew driver’s license.