Before you start
- Valid foreign driving licence
- ACR I-Card and passport
- English translation, if applicable
- Medical certificate and drug test from LTO-accredited clinics
Step-by-step
- 1
Use your foreign licence for the initial period
Valid for a limited window after arrival if in English. Carry it with your passport and immigration documents.
In personWho: You - 2
Complete the medical exam and drug test
Both are required and must be done at LTO-accredited clinics. The drug test surprises people but is entirely routine here.
In personWho: You - 3
Apply at an LTO office
Submit your foreign licence, translation if needed, ACR I-Card, passport and test results. Bring originals and photocopies of everything.
In personWho: You - 4
Sit the theory exam if required
Depending on your licence's origin and validity you may need to pass a written exam. Practical tests are less commonly required for existing licence holders.
In personWho: You - 5
Receive your Philippine licence
Issued as a plastic card, with validity depending on your visa duration and driving record.
In personWho: You
Documents you’ll need
- Foreign driving licence
- English translation, if needed
- ACR I-Card
- Passport and visa
- Medical certificate and drug test results
- Photographs
Things most newcomers don’t know
A mandatory drug test is part of the process.
It's standard for all Philippine licensing and catches every newcomer off guard. Book it at an LTO-accredited clinic alongside the medical — a test from a non-accredited provider will be rejected.
Source: LTO licensing requirements
Most residents in Metro Manila choose not to drive.
Traffic is severe, parking is scarce, and Grab plus the rail lines cover the city adequately. Many expatriates convert the licence purely as an ID document and for trips outside the metro.
Source: community-reported
The number coding scheme restricts driving by plate.
Metro Manila bans vehicles from certain roads on one weekday per week based on the last plate digit, during peak windows. Rules vary by city within the metro, which makes it more confusing than it sounds.
Source: MMDA Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program
Bring photocopies of everything, twice.
Philippine government offices routinely require photocopies you're expected to have brought. Arriving with duplicates of every document saves a second visit — this is generic advice that is genuinely load-bearing here.
Source: community-reported, consistently
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not budgeting for the mandatory drug test, or using a non-accredited clinic.
- Driving past the initial window on a foreign licence.
- Buying a car without understanding number coding in your part of the metro.
- Arriving at the LTO without photocopies and losing the day.
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.
Make it your personal checklist
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Sources
- Land Transportation Office — official, Verified July 2026
- MMDA — traffic schemes — official, Verified July 2026
Last verified July 2026. Government processes change — always confirm critical details against the official source before acting.