Driver's License Renewal

I went to the LTO Driver’s License Renewal Center in ATC this morning. I got there at 7:45AM. There were about 3 to 4 persons inside the very cold room. So happy that their AC is working perfectly. It makes waiting very comfortable!

I wasn’t expecting them to entertain clients just yet because it’s not even 8 o'clock yet. But hey, a very diligent mister was already there ready to take pictures of those who are renewing their driver’s license. It wasn’t the first step but he’s taken the initiative to make the process faster for the early birds by doing what he can possibly accomplish while the first two windows were still unmanned. Good job there mister!

Window 1 says Pre-evaluation,
Window 2 is where they evaluate your requirements,
Window 3 is where you are supposed to have your picture & signature
captured but we did that in Window 6 instead.

By the way, here are the step-by-step procedures in renewing your driver’s license:

Requirements are your old license, Medical Certificate and Drug Test Result.

So my picture and signature had already been taken even before I was given the form. Took a number (#4!) and waited until the drug testing center opens.

After 10 minutes, they’ve called out numbers 1-5 and asked us to proceed to the drug test cashier. The fees are P300 for the Drug Test and P100 for the Medical Exam,... gave me a bottle to pee in,... took my picture and electronic signature again for the drug test result,... then waited for the doctor to arrive for the medical exam.

The doctor came in after about 15 mins. I think he is in his senior years. Nakakatuwa sha ha! He just asked me if I use eyeglasses, which I said I don’t. After that, he went on filling-out the medical result form. I was just looking. On my blood pressure, he wrote 110/70 without actually checking! Ay korek naman! That is normally my BP! I asked him how he knew. He replied that he knows just by looking at me. Bongga ni doc di ba? May gauge ang mata! I-report ko kaya sa PMA to?! But of course, if you are like most of us who just want to get over with the process, you would no longer make a fuss about it. Pero I still felt like I’ve been robbed of P100 for the medical fee! I was expecting for an eye, height, weight check and a BP monitoring just like what I had on my past renewals. But he did none of that. Nagsulat lang. Wala pa 2 mins, tapos na! Hay, so kaka ka dok! L

After another 10 minutes, the result for the drug test was released.

I then proceeded to Window 1 to submit the requirements. After a while, they announced that there will be a slight delay as their scanner had some technical problems. Hokey!

After about 20 minutes, I was called from the cashier to settle the fees. I paid P493 for License Fee (P350), Penalty (P75) and Computer Fee (P68). The penalty is for renewing my license 12 days later. You have to pay P75 if you are a day to 1 year past your license's expiration and P150 if it's 1 to 2 years late.

I already have my new license by 9:10AM.

It was fast but it could’ve been faster if not for the doctor and some technical delays they said. Still, it was fast and easy as compared to my past experiences! And I’m just glad that I don’t have to spend half of the day waiting. ^_^