LTO extends license renewal deadline to Oct. 31, waives April 24 late penalties

FILE PHOTO: A staff of the Land Transportation Office shows a brand new student driver’s license at the Land Transportation Office Quezon City District Office in Centris Station. But the LTO is currently facing a dwindling supply of plastic cards for driver’s licenses. According to LTO chief Jay Art Tugade their supply of plastic cards for driver’s licenses is running low and that permits will just be printed on the back of Official Receipts soon. INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is extending the validity of driver’s licenses that expire on April 24 as the agency faces a dwindling supply of plastic cards.

LTO chief Jay Art Tugade said in a memo on Friday that holders of driver’s licenses expiring on April 24 are not required to renew them until October 31 and that all penalties for late renewal will be waived.

“All holders of driver’s license cards expiring 24 April 2023 onwards shall no longer be required to renew their licenses until October 31, 2023, or as soon the driver’s license cards become available for distribution to the public,” his memorandum circular states.

“Further, all penalties for late renewal transactions shall be waived,” it also reads.

The other day, Tugade said that LTO’s supply of plastic cards for driver’s licenses is running low and that permits will just be printed on the back of Official Receipts soon.

READ: Paper-based licenses to save LTO’s day in the face of card shortages

He said they estimate that the remaining inventory of 147,000 pieces of plastic cards across LTO branches nationwide may be wholly used by the last week of April.

READ: Plastic card shortage to hit 5.2 million motorists

The card shortage problem is expected to affect drivers either renewing or applying for a new license.

READ: DOTr told: Solve license card shortage before LTO backlog grows

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