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LTO Student Permit Requirements, Fee and Steps

The student-driver's permit (SP) is your first step to a driver's license. Here's who can get one, what to bring, what it costs and how long it lasts, from the LTO's 2026 Citizen's Charter.

Written byPapelesPH Editorial TeamEdited byAnnatalia
Checked 4 Oct 20265 min read6 official sourcesHow we check
PapelesPH is an independent guide, not a government office. Requirements and fees can differ by office, so confirm with the issuing office. We never ask for your personal details.
Quick answer
16+Minimum age (Filipinos)
₱250Application + permit fee
15 hoursTheoretical Driving Course
1 yearValidity

Filipinos aged 16 and over can get an LTO student-driver's permit. You need a PSA birth certificate (or passport), a medical certificate from an accredited clinic, a completed 15-hour Theoretical Driving Course (TDC), no unsettled traffic violations and a filled-in APL form. Under-18s also need parental or guardian consent. The fee is ₱250 (₱100 application + ₱150 permit), and the permit is valid for one year.

Read the steps Open portal.lto.gov.ph (LTMS)

Who can get a student permit

From the LTO Driver's Manual on the LTMS portal:

ApplicantAgeProof of identity
FilipinoAt least 16PSA or Local Civil Registry authenticated birth certificate, or passport. Married women also bring their PSA marriage certificate
ForeignerAt least 18, in the Philippines for at least one month, with proof of stay of at least six monthsPassport with a visa valid for at least six months, or a PSA birth certificate if born in the Philippines

You must also be physically and mentally fit to drive, able to read and write in Filipino or English, and have no unsettled traffic violation. (The LTO's 2026 Citizen's Charter says Filipino or English; its older Driver's Manual also allowed a major dialect.)

Requirements checklist

  • Proof of identity: PSA birth certificate, PhilID (National ID) or passport, original and one photocopy. Local Civil Registry birth certificate where there's no PSA copy. Married women: PSA marriage certificate too.
  • One ID of your own with your photo and signature, original and one photocopy.
  • Parental or guardian consent if you're under 18, with the parent's or guardian's valid government ID showing a photo and signature.
  • Medical certificate from an LTO-accredited clinic, transmitted electronically by the clinic, plus the original and one photocopy. The LTO publishes a list of accredited medical clinics, but it was last updated on 5 March 2025 and many accreditations on it have since expired, so ask the clinic or your LTO office before you book.
  • Certificate of completion of the 15-hour Theoretical Driving Course (TDC), transmitted electronically by the school, plus the original and one photocopy.
  • LTO Client ID (create one on the LTMS portal).
  • TIN, if you're employed. See how to get a TIN.
  • A duly accomplished APL form (Application for Permits and Licenses).

Take the TDC at a school that links your certificate to the LTO. The LTO's process links your training certificates to your LTMS record, so check that your driving school is LTO-accredited before you pay. The LTO's list of accredited driving schools is a PDF last updated in September 2023, so also ask the school for its current LTO accreditation. The LTO also lists its Drivers Education Centers.

LTO student permit, step by step
  1. 1Be 16 or olderUnder 18: parent or guardian consent
  2. 2Finish the TDC15-hour Theoretical Driving Course
  3. 3Get a medicalFrom an LTO-accredited clinic
  4. 4Apply at the LTOAPL form + PSA birth certificate
  5. 5Pay ₱250₱100 application + ₱150 permit

The permit is valid for 1 year. Sources: LTO Driver's Manual (LTMS) and LTO Citizen's Charter.

How to apply

The LTO's portal flowchart shows the same steps whether you start online or walk in:

  1. Enroll on the LTMS portal

    Create your account at portal.lto.gov.ph. If you walk in instead, LTO staff enroll you and link your certificates.

  2. Choose the transaction

    Select the student-driver's permit application.

  3. Upload your requirements and pick a schedule

    Choose the date, time and LTO office.

  4. Pay

    Select your payment method and pay the fee.

  5. Go to the LTO office

    Your biometrics are captured and your details verified.

  6. Get your permit

    It's printed and released, and you acknowledge receipt.

How much it costs

FeeAmount
Application fee₱100
Permit fee₱150
Total₱250

Source: the LTO Citizen's Charter (2026, 1st Edition), which also matches the fees in the LTO Driver's Manual. The walk-in process takes about 2 hours from submitting complete requirements. Renewing an expired student permit costs only the basic fee, apart from any traffic violation penalties.

How long a student permit is valid

The Driver's Manual (Section 4) sets these rules:

  • The permit is valid for one year from the date it's issued.
  • After one year, you can't use it for the practical driving course. You can still use it to apply for a non-professional driver's license if you finished the practical driving course within that year.
  • Two years after it was issued, you need a new student permit with the same permit number, and the required apprenticeship period starts again from the new date. Your training records are kept.
  • You can renew it on or before the expiry date if you're not ready for a license yet. After expiry, only the basic fee is collected, apart from any traffic violation penalties.
  • Under LTO Memorandum Circular 2020-2194, holders of expired student permits issued before 3 August 2020 must complete the TDC.

Changes, loss and replacement

TransactionWhat to bring
Change of civil statusPSA marriage contract. If annulled, the court order with decree of finality. If widowed, the spouse's death certificate
Change of addressBarangay clearance with your complete address, or a billing statement. See barangay clearance
Change of driving conditionsMedical certificate from an accredited clinic
Change of other personal detailsPSA birth certificate. For a change in citizenship, your passport or Bureau of Immigration certificate
Lost or damaged permitAffidavit of loss or mutilation

After the student permit

When you're ready for a driver's license, keep your permit valid and finish the practical driving course within its one-year validity. Once you have a license, it's valid for five years from your birthday, or ten years at renewal if you had no traffic violations (RA 10930). See LTO license renewal.

Sa Tagalog: paano kumuha ng student permit?

Puwedeng kumuha ng student permit ang Pilipinong 16 taong gulang pataas. Kailangan ang PSA birth certificate (o passport), medical certificate mula sa accredited clinic, certificate ng 15-hour Theoretical Driving Course (TDC) at APL form. Kung wala pang 18, kailangan ng pahintulot ng magulang o guardian. Ang bayad ay ₱250, at valid ito nang isang taon. Mag-enroll sa portal.lto.gov.ph, mag-upload ng requirements, pumili ng schedule at magbayad.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum age for an LTO student permit?

16 for Filipinos, with parental or guardian consent if you're under 18. Foreigners must be at least 18.

How much is a student permit in 2026?

₱250 in total: a ₱100 application fee and a ₱150 permit fee, per the LTO Driver's Manual.

Is the 15-hour Theoretical Driving Course required?

Yes. The LTO lists completion of the 15-hour Theoretical Driving Course as a qualification for the student permit.

How long is a student permit valid?

One year from issue. You can renew it, and after two years from issue you need a new permit with the same number.

Do I need a TIN for a student permit?

Only if you're employed. The LTO lists a TIN as a requirement for employed applicants.

Can I apply for a student permit online?

You can enroll, upload your requirements, choose a schedule and pay through the LTMS portal, but you still go to an LTO office for your biometrics and to get the permit.

Document

LTO license renewal

Requirements, the ₱585 fee, late penalties and a fee calculator.

Read guide Document

Valid IDs in the Philippines

The IDs most offices accept, and which to bring for your clearance.

Read guide Document

TIN ID and Digital TIN ID

Get a TIN online through ORUS, then generate your free Digital TIN ID.

Read guide

Sources

Last checked 4 October 2026. See how we research and the updates log.