LTO extends validity of driver's licenses expiring from April 3 for one year

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is extending the validity of driver's licenses that expired starting April 3 this year to April 2, 2024—to address the continuing non-availability of driver's license plastic cards.

In a memo dated Sept. 6 and uploaded Sept. 7, the LTO said that in case of renewal, the system-generated driver's license official receipt shall be stamped or printed with "valid as temporary driver's license until the plastic card is released," indicating the following:

• name of the issuing office, contact person, phone number, email address
• name and signature of the releasing officer
• screenshot of the client's driver's license card, front and back, printed at the back of the official receipt

No collection of penalties will be made for the expired licenses, the agency noted. Old or expired licenses shall be returned to owners and shall remain valid until the new plastic card is released, it added.

There has been a shortage of plastic cards since April, and the LTO has resorted to paper-based licenses as an alternative.

The LTO has also mulled over launching an electronic version, but it has yet to take shape.