LTO secures plastic cards for Driver’s Licenses, and here are the new deadlines for renewal
Is this real? Can it be true? Will the LTO finally be able to issue everyone a plastic Driver’s License card? Following the Land Transportation Office’s posts on its social media page, as well as that of the DOTr’s, it seems that this is so. As of yesterday, October 5, the two government agencies have released an updated schedule for the renewal of recently-expired licenses and declared that the distribution of plastic card licenses will be completed in the first quarter of 2024, respectively.
LTO’s new schedules for the renewal of expired Driver’s Licenses
Photo: Land Transportation Office
In light of a TRO being issued against the use of the recently received supply of plastic cards by the LTO, the validity of Driver’s Licenses that expired starting April 3, 2023, and those that are set to expire was extended. As it stands, that seems to have finally been resolved as the Land Transportation office has announced that it now has a sufficient supply of plastic cards to be used for printing Driver’s Licenses, and thus, has also released a schedule for the renewal of already-expired licenses.
Photo: Land Transportation Office
Previously, the validity extension that was granted by the LTO was to hold until April 2, 2024, or “until such time availability of plastic cards is sufficient”. If, by that time, no plastic license cards are available, everyone must have their licenses renewed on (or before) April 3, 2024. But again, given that we already have a fresh supply – enough, it seems, for everyone – here are the schedules that you must know especially if your license has already expired.
For Driver’s Licenses that:
- expired between April 1 to 30, 2023 – renew from October 6 to November 6, 2023
- expired between May 1 to 31, 2023 – renew from November 1 to 30, 2023
- expired between June 1 to 30, 2023 – renew from December 1 to 31, 2023
- expired between July 1 to 31, 2023 – renew from January 1 to 31, 2024
- expired between August 1 to 31, 2023 – renew from February 1 to 26, 2024
- expired between September 1 to 31, 2023 – renew from March 1 to 31, 2024
Please note the discrepancy between the information above regarding the renewal dates for licenses that expired in the month of April. The infographic below indicates that renewal is from October 6-31, but in yesterday’s Press Briefing, LTO Chief Vigor Mendoza clarified that it will be until November 6, as indicated above.
Photo: Land Transportation Office
“Meron na po tayong sapat na bilang ng [We now have a sufficient supply of] plastic cards to cover the printing of the driver’s licenses that expired mula [from] April 1 hanggang [until] September 30 dahil sa tulong ng ating DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista ay mas pinadami ang production at mas pinabilis ang delivery para ma-address na natin ang backlog sa [because with the help of DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista we got more production and faster delivery to address our backlog with] driver’s license,” said Mendoza.
For his part, DOTr’ Bautista said, “We want to make sure that this issue of license cards is resolved immediately. The LTO must oversee that the delivery from the manufacturer is well within the timelines we have set.” Along with this, the Department of Transportation has boldly declared that the distribution of Driver’s License plastic cards will be completed in Q1 of 2024 (again, as posted on DOTr’s social media page).
With all this new information, we can all start to breathe a sigh of relief. All this time of trouble and waiting actually looks like it’s coming to an end, and we sincerely hope that both the LTO and the DOTr can keep up and, ultimately, deliver on their promise(s). You have our gratitude, of course, but we’ll be keeping our eyes on your progress and our plastic card Driver’s License, too.
