What Is The Age Limit To Get A Driver's License In The Philippines?

What is the age limit to get a driver’s license in the Philippines? Whether you are a Filipino citizen or a foreigner, you should know the answer before applying.

Getting a driver’s license before driving your vehicle on the road is vital because it certifies your driving skills to protect you and others. If you haven’t owned any, you may get a fine from the police of P3,000.

Before applying to LTO, you should first know “What is the age limit to get a driver’s license in the Philippines”.

Types Of Driver’s Licenses In The Philippines

There are three driver’s licenses in the Philippines: Student Permit, Non-professional, and Professional. What are the differences?

Student Permit is an obligatory paper to get other licenses. Individuals owning this paper can handle their vehicles if a Non-professional or Professional person presents. Besides, this paper has a short validity of one year without modifying, revising, or renewing, which means you must get other types of licenses after a year.

Non-professional licenses: Individuals owning this paper are allowed to handle 4,500 GVW vehicles with a manual or automatic gearbox.

Professional licenses: Not only private vehicles, but these individuals can also drive public vehicles such as buses, coaches, trailer tractor trucks, etc., with a gross vehicle weight of more than 4,500.

Due to the differences among these licenses, the Philippines Government requires different age limits. Let’s find out in the next sector.

>>>> Check out: Professional and non-professional driver's licenses: What's the difference?

What Is The Age Limit To Get A Driver's License In The Philippines?

Student Permit 

There is no regulation about the ceiling age to apply for Student License, but it has the floor age. You must pass your 16th birthday to apply for the Student Permit if you are a Filipino. The law requires foreigners to be at least 18 years old, no matter what nationality they own. Additionally, they have to stay in the Philippines for one month. 

Many people with an expired driver’s license for above ten years must take the entrance exam for this paper before getting another license.

Non-professional Driver’s License (NPDL)

As mentioned above, individuals must apply for a non-professional driver’s license before one year of owning the Student Permit. Hence, the youngest age is 17 years old for Filipino citizens. 

However, foreigners can attend the NPDL test at the age of 18. How comes? The law requires people to own the Student Permit above thirty days before the NPDL application only.

Professional Driver's License

You must be at least 18 years old to apply for a professional driver’s license, no matter whether you are a Filipino citizen or a foreigner. Suppose the NPDL applicants have to hold a Student Permit above thirty days. In that case, the professional applicants must hold an NPDL for a minimum period of six months or one year, depending on the Article they belong to.

Other Requirements To Get A Driver’s License

With different license applications, these requirements are diverse.

Besides the age limit and the period of the license holder, the Philippines regulations also ask for many other requirements related to the limit of traffic violations, medical proof of physical and mental condition, reading and writing ability, course certificate, etc. 

On the one hand, the applicant must fulfill an application form, supply personal documents such as a valid ID copy, the written consent of a student’s guardian or parents if they are under 18 years old, etc.

The fee is also a factor you must know before applying. It charges about P317 to get the Student Permit and about P820 for NPDL and professional license application.

>>>> Suggested for you: How Long Does an Expired Driver's License Last?

FAQs 

What Is The Age Limit To Get A Driver’s License In The Philippines For Foreigners? 

The foreigner must be 18 years old and above to apply for a driver’s license in the Philippines. However, they must start with the Student Permit and hold it for at least thirty days before getting to the next level - the NPDL. They can apply for a professional one in the upcoming six months or one year.

Hence, foreigners can get three driver’s licenses in a year! However, there are many other requirements they must match.

Is 18 Years Old The Age Limit To Get A Driver’s License?

No, it depends on the nationality and the license you apply for. If you are a Filipino citizen, it is 16 years old for the Student Permit, 17 years old for the NPDL, and 18 years old for the professional license. On the other hand, it’s a must for foreigners to pass their 18th birthday to get ready for these licenses.

Can A 70-Year-Old Get A Driver's License?

Absolutely yes. In the past, 70-year-old individuals were considered weak. They could not control the vehicles and might harm other people. Since the medical system has developed and the living standard has improved, people are physically and mentally healthy to drive safely.

They are not allowed to drive if they catch some medical conditions related to heart disease, nerve, or mental. Additionally, they must attend eyesight checks every three years.

Conclusion

Now you know, “What is the age limit to get a driver’s license in the Philippines?”. If you don’t want to pay a fine of P3,000 to the Government Budget, prepare for a license application.

In case you meet the standards regarding the age limit, let’s find out the process to get the license in the upcoming Article.

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