Driver's License Printed on Paper? What to Do Next, According to LTO
Laminate it if you want.
(SPOT.ph) Motorists—both first-timers or those about to renew their driver's licenses—may soon get a temporary copy printed on paper as the Land Transportation Office (LTO) faces a shortage of plastic cards. FYI to motorists, you can have it laminated, or just take a photo of the unique QR code as a safety precaution so you can protect your paper ID.
The LTO has said it started issuing temporary driver's licenses on paper as it would run out of plastic cards nationwide by the end of April. It also extended the validity of driver's licenses expiring April 24 onwards to October 31, 2023, without penalties for late renewal.
Also read: Driver's Licenses Will Be Printed on Paper as LTO Runs Out of Plastic Cards
What to do now that you received your temporary driver's license
Once you get a copy of your temporary driver's license, you can opt to have it laminated to keep it safe from elements. Just make sure that the unique QR code printed at the back is visible.
You can also take a picture of the QR code on your phone so you would always have a digital copy which you can show to traffic enforcers, LTO chief Jay Art Tugade said.
"Kung mawala po nila at hindi po nila napicturan ang OR (official receipt) at lisensya sa likod ng OR na na-print, huwag po sila mag-alala. 'Yung data nila is saved at kaya po nila mai-access sa LTO ID system na ginagamit po natin ngayon" he told TeleRadyo on Monday, April 24.
Also read: "For Real?" National ID in Printable Digital Form Riles Twitter Users
When can you expect to get your driver's license on the actual plastic card?
"The soonest na may card na, mag-start ng printing. The drivers will be notified naman sa availability ng plastic card na DL nila, possibly thru social media platforms or other means," the Department of Transportation told SPOT.ph in a Viber message on April 24.
If you are a student driver planning to apply for your non-professional or professional driver's license, you can still apply for your driver's license.
"'Yun nga lang po, ang makukuha lang nila is a photocopy of their OR tapos sa likod ng OR, don po muna ipi-print ang kanilang driver's license para hindi po sila maantala at puwede na rin sila magmaneho," said Tugade.