How to apply for a Student Driver's License in the Philippines

DISCLAIMER: THE DETAILS I WROTE HERE ARE ACCURATE AS OF 2014. PLEASE VISIT LTO SITE REGULARLY FOR CHANGES.

I'm so confident to write this post. You know why? Because I applied for a student driver's license twice!! Hahaha! Before you think of anything else, I got approved naman on both applications. Problem was di ako nagpursue to learn how to drive on my first student license so ayun naexpire lang nang di ako nakaapply ng non-pro (the real thing). With this new one, I intend to really learn na. 

To help you guys out, here's the steps I took:

1. I researched muna. I read the LTO site and some other blog sites so as to educate myself. Some details I learned:

Qualifications:
1. Must be at least sixteen (16) years old.
2. Must be physically and mentally fit to operate a motor vehicle.
3. Must be able to read and write in Filipino or English.

Requirements:

1. Original with photocopy of birth certificate.
In the absence thereof, any of the following:
a. Joint affidavit of two (2) disinterested persons who know the applicant and who can attest to his/her age and identity accompanied by non-availability of record from NSO or local civil registry office.
b. Any legal document to prove his age and identity such as GSIS, SSS, Passport or any government issued identification card.
2. For applicants below 18 years old, require parent’s or guardian’s written consent with photo copy of ID Card to prove his/her identity. If not accompanied by parent/guardian, the written consent must be duly notarized.
3. Taxpayer’s Identification Number (TIN) if employed
4. Duly accomplished Application for Driver’s License (ADL).

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 Area to have your picture and signature taken when your name is called.
4. Proceed to the Cashier when your name is called to pay the necessary fees and obtain an Official Receipt.
5. Proceed to the Releasing Counter when your name is called and present the Official Receipt and claim the Student Driver’s Permit.

Venue: Any Licensing Center / District Office with DL Transactions

Fees and Charges:

Student Permit (SP) Fee	Php. 150.00
Application Fee	100.00
Computer Fee	67.63
TOTAL	317.63

For more detailed instructions, please click on the LTO site link above.

2. I downloaded and answered the Application for Driver's License form (which I downloaded from the LTO site also). Then I also printed my requirements. In my case, I prepared (1) Original and photocopy of my NSO Birth Certificate (2) Original and photocopy of my Marriage License (3) Photocopy of my SSS Digitized ID (4) Photocopy of my TIN ID (5) Photocopy of my Passport. 

3. We went to LTO Binangonan Extension Office very early. As in by around quarter to 7 am nakapila na kami. Sadly, mejo mahaba na ang line when we get there. To think na 8am pa ang open ng office ha. Argh. By the way, LTO Binangonan is very easy to locate. It's just on the Angono Hiway area (very near Balaw-balaw restaurant). Basta hindi ka aabot sa triangle ng Pagasa (if coming from Taytay Area) or di ka na aabot sa triangle ng Angono (if coming from Binangonan area).

4. Some notes though, according sa mga tsismis, mahigpit sa Binangonan Office. As in maraming bawal. Look na lang this -

I was wearing pants but I'm wearing sandals. Luckily wala naman sumita sa akin. I also saw people wearing shorts and slippers but nasa loob naman sila. To be safe, just follow na lang. Btw, when I applied in LTO Pasig, nakashorts and slippers din ako but I still got my license. My conclusion is that this rule is crucial for those who will take the Test Drive. Maybe?

5. GETTING THE FORMS - A few minutes after 8am, we were ushered inside the office. For the licenses, Binangonan office will direct you to the back side. The front office apparently are for Vehicle Registration and other matters. So, we formed a line and waited at window 1. According to my seatmates in the line, we will get our ADL form here. I asked the guards if I should fall in line here pa if I have my form already. Sa window 1 pa rin daw. So I waited more or less 1 hour just to get to this window.

I presented my requirements to the girl. While checking my papers, she made me recite the Driver's Road Safety Pledge. Don't worry you will read it naman e. After a while, she handed back my papers and then told me na I only need to present the stapled bunch to window 4. And I need to fill up the "new" form. So that's the reason why the guards said na window 1 pa rin. Because they do not honor printed forms. I specifically printed mine pa naman on legal paper because I read from one blog that they do not accept those printed on other sizes. Yun pala they do not accept any printed forms at all. When I checked what's the difference, may stamped name na yung signatory on their form. 

6. VALIDATION - Another waiting game. Student Permit applicants should wait for their numbers to be called at window 4. Paulit-ulit sila dito sa paging system kasi may mga pasaway na pumupunta pa rin kay ate sa counter. I cannot blame them kasi naman they were calling by batches, like 10-15. It will take them 1 hour to call the next batch. Ang tagal no? Kaya siguro yung iba nagfollow up. It does not help na you are seeing other people approaching the counter then ibibigay lang nila forms nila while us (yellow cards - student) need to wait pa to be called. Yun pala, the window accepts forms for Student, Renewal and Duplicate. Those for Renewal and Duplicate, they can just pass their forms there and wait in the next window. Kami talagang magaantay ng tawag. Malamang inuuna nila ung Renewal ang Duplicate kaya matagal magmove ang tawag sa amin. So that makes Student Applications singit lang? That's what I thought.

After 1 1/2 hours, my number was called na. I just presented the form to her. This was where I tested my observation. During my first application kasi sa Pasig Branch, it only took me an hour to get my student license. Here in Binangonan, pila pa lang yun sa form. What is wrong with this branch?? Going back, remember that from window 1 they gave me the form and stapled two photocopies (SSS and TIN). Then she returned the other papers to me. Meaning, my requirements were pre-checked na. The only thing that window 4 will check is if ok ang fill up ko sa form. Right? Upon giving my form to her, I asked if ok na ba yung requirements kasi andami ko binigay sa window 1 and yun lang inattach nya. She checked my papers then said, "Ok na." If the process is normal, I'm done na since nacheck na. I just have to wait for matagal na ang 10mins for her to encode my details. Pero NO! She dismissed me and said wait to be called at window 3.

7. PHOTO-CAPTURE - After another 15 minutes of waiting, I was finally called na sa window 3 for the photo and signature capturing. Mabilis lang and then I was instructed to wait for yet another call from them. No more pictures na starting here. Mejo badtrip na kasi ako dito.

8. CASHIER - More and more waiting! I again waited for another 10 minutes before tawagin ang name ko to go to the Cashier window sa harap daw (remember nasa likod ng LTO Binangonan ang licensing). So gora na ako sa harap only to know na I again have to wait to be called sa window mismo.

Buti na lang may TV, I didn't notice the 15 minute wait because I was watching Byahe ni Drew. Ang cool talaga ng show na yun. :) Although may TV din naman sa likod, pero the TV sa harap kasi ay nakataas so everyone can watch unlike sa likod na nakapatong lang sa table so yung nasa harap lang nakakanuod. Anyway, from the Cashier window, I paid na 318 php then was asked to return to the back and wait for my name to be called on window 6.

9. RELEASING - Again I waited for 15 minutes to be called. Yehey I have my Student's License na!

Syet! Kulang pala ng 0.37 php ang isinukli sa akin! Hahaha! And then I need to pay 30 php pa daw ulit. Para saan kamo? Para dito -

Sabi ni D hindi naman daw required ang plastic cover. Nagpauto lang daw ako. Awww! Parang required kasi pagkakasabi ni kuya sa window 6 e. Anyway, at least di sya malulukot.

Anyhoo, I finished around 11 in the morning. My companion, by the way, finished 12 noon na. And mind you, 2 numbers lang ang pagitan namin. I'm #21, he's #23. Ang weird noh? I bet naipit ang papel nya somewhere sa pasahan nila ng papel sa loob. And believe me, walang kwenta ang pag-follow up kasi ang sasabihin lang sayo "Antayin na lang po na tawagin kayo." Eeennnggg!

How's my experience? Sobrang nakakawala ng bait! Ang nakakapagtaka when I first applied sa Pasig ok naman ang experience ko pero sa Binangonan super tagal. Imagine 8am (sige i-minus na natin yung one hour na pila namin bago magopen ang office nila) to 12 noon, just to get a Student's License. Ibang klase! Sa Pasig, it only took me one hour for the same license. Sige na nga baka naman kasi Monday lang kaya super daming tao. But still, I felt like kaya matagal dahil walang sistema. Ohh that's just me. I might be wrong. :)

Can you do me a favor guys? Remind me to seriously learn how to drive na. Baka masayang na naman ang lisensya ko. Argh :P

Can't wait to drive,
Yosh