A lost, stolen, or damaged driver’s license issued by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) is a motorist’s worst nightmare. Never mind being unable to drive or ride your motor vehicle (MV) or motorcycle (MC) until you get a replacement. The real horror is learning how to apply for a replacement or duplicate driver’s license with the LTO. It may seem daunting and inconvenient, especially when you do not know how to do it.
But, contrary to popular belief, it is actually a simple matter. All it takes is some money, a little bit of time, some knowledge, some documents, and a whole lot of patience. It may still seem inconvenient, but since the LTO driver’s license is quite important, you’d probably still take time out of your day to go to the LTO to get a duplicate LTO driver’s license. After all, being unable to drive to and from work or school is more inconvenient if you are used to having your own private vehicle. In this guide, you can learn more about duplicate licenses, including the requirements, fees, and the step-by-step procedures of replacing your lost, stolen, or damaged driver’s license.
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A duplicate license from the LTO refers to the license reissued to replace a valid license that has been lost, stolen, or mutilated. Note that this is different from LTO driver’s license issued right before or after the expiration date which counts as a renewal instead. The license has to be valid before it can be considered as a replacement or categorized as a duplicate driver’s license. The same applies regardless of the type of license (non-professional or professional) as well as the restriction codes in it. Like the regular driver’s license from LTO, however, an official document issued by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) of the Philippines authorizes the license holder to operate a private motor vehicle.
The LTO duplicate license is a neccesity if you are:
The LTO allows the following to secure a replacement for valid driver’s license in cases of loss, damage, or theft:
A duplicate or a replacement driver’s license requires thepayment of the following fees before it can get relaced due to loss, damage, or theft:
The total amount you would need to pay may reach up to P 405.00, but do note that this price may change without notice. You may want to check with the specific LTO Branch you’re visiting if there are any other applicable fees that you’d need to pay.
The entire process of getting a replacement for valid LTO Driver’s License in cases of loss, damage, or theft can be completed within 30 working days or as advised by the respective department authority.
To learn about the validity period of the replacement license, you would have to check the reissued driver’s license card to find the expiration date or the date until which the Driver’s License is valid.
Before you go to the nearest Land Transportation Office (LTO) branch to replace your lost or damaged license or secure a duplicate license, you will need to prepare the following:
To get a replacement or duplicate Driver’s License in place of lost, stolen, or damaged Non-Professional Driver License from the LTO, you may check the step-by-step procedures listed below:
Step 1: Secure an application form from the LTO Central Office or from any concerned officer at the LTO office or download it from the LTO website.
Step 2: Fill in all the necessary details in the application form properly as incomplete applications won’t be accepted.
Step 3: Attach all the photocopies of the required documents that are mentioned in the “Required Documents” section above before submitting the application.
Step 4: Schedule an appointment for the Land Transportation Office Management System (LTMS) Portal online.
Step 5: On the day of you appointment, visit the LTO branch and submit all the documents with the completed form to the concerned officer.
Step 6: After receiving the application, the concerned authority will check the submitted application and document set. If all are in place, the application will be accepted.
Step 7: Pay for the corresponding fees at the cashier and wait for an acknowledgment receipt to be provided. Please save it for future reference.
Step 8: Once paid, the application will be processed further. All the updates on the application status will be sent via SMS to the applicant’s mobile number.
Step 9: Once the process gets completed, the applicant gets a call from the office regarding the application so he can come in for the required procedures like the vision test.
Step 10: Once completed with the vision tests, the applicant has to do the biometric procedure in the office.
Note: This entire process can be completed within 30 days or as advised by the respective department authority.
Step 1: To replace lost or stolen or damaged Non-Professional Driver License, the applicant has to make the application online by visiting the LTMS Portal.
Step 2: The applicant has to click the “Register Now” button.
Step 3: Read all the details carefully, enter the captcha, and then click the “Next” button.
Step 4: The applicant has to click the “Enroll as an Individual”.
Step 5: Enter all the nationality details and click the “Next” button.
Step 6: Once registered, the applicant has to login with the nominated email ID and password and then click the “Sign in” button on the official Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) Portal website.
Step 7: Click licensing.
Step 8: Click apply for a duplicate/replacement license.
Step 9: Enter in all the details in the application form.
Step 10: Upload a scanned copy of the affidavit of loss you previously acquired, along with the other required documents which are mentioned above.
Step 11: Once done, pay for the fees listed above in online mode by clicking “Payment confirm.”
Step 12: After entering all the details, the applicant has to click the “Submit” button.
Step 13: After receiving the application, the concerned authority will check the submitted application and document set. If the documents are authentic and complete, the application will be accepted.
Step 14: Once the application is accepted, it will be processed further and all the updates on the application status will be sent via SMS to the applicant’s mobile number.
Step 15: Once the process gets completed, the applicant gets a call from the office regarding the application.
Step 16: The applicant will then need to visit their LTO branch of choice ro complete the vision tests and biometrics procedures.
Note: This entire process can be completed within 5 – 7 days or as per the timeline advised by the respective department authority.
Learn about the complete procedures for processing an LTO replacement Driver’s License in cases of loss, damage, or theft from the YT channel of Chi Plays by watching the video below:
