LTO to require theoretical driving course certificate starting Aug. 3

Starting August 3, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) will only accept and process applications for student permits (SP), new driver’s Licenses (DL) and additional restriction code transactions from applicants who have secured driving course completion certificates.

In an advisory signed by LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante, the agency said the required driving course completion certificates should be issued by LTO-accredited driving schools, authorized driving school instructors/administrators, and by LTO-Driver Education Centers (DECs) in LTO offices "which are ready to conduct the 15-hour driving course starting July 1, 2020."

“All student permit applicants, including those for foreign SPs and those with expired SPs who will be applying for new SPs beginning August 3 onwards, are required to secure the Theoretical Driving Course (TDC) Certificate,” the LTO said.

Meanwhile, for application of new driver’s license —professional and non-professional— all applicants with student permits issued from August 3 onwards will also be required to secure Practical Driving Course (PDC) Certificates.

Likewise, applicants for additional restriction codes will also be required to secure their PDC certificates for the additional restriction code being applied for.

“These certificates will then be electronically transmitted by the accredited driving school or DECs to the LTO-IT system,” LTO said.

As for the conversion of a Foreign Driver’s License to a Philippine Driver’s License, no TDC or PDC certificates will be required, it said.

Galvante noted that the move aims to further strengthen the digitalization efforts of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in line with minimizing human intervention in various agency transactions.

“To recall, we have already launched the new Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) in 24 offices as our way of adhering to the directive of [Transportation] Secretary Tugade to shift to digitalization of transactions. As we ready for the nationwide activation of this new system, I have directed all concerned regional offices and district offices to be fully equipped and ready to accept electronically-transmitted certificates, which are prerequisite in securing driver’s licenses before August 3,” he said.

The LTO earlier advised that it will be temporarily suspending the acceptance of student permit applications from July 1 until August 2, 2020, because of new training requirements in the transaction. -NB, GMA News