Land Transportation Office (LTO)

LTO Professional Driver’s License

A Professional Driver’s License is a different credential from a Non-Professional license and from license renewal. Typical published patterns require you to already hold a Non-Professional Driver’s License for a minimum period (commonly described as at least six months for same-restriction upgrades—confirm the Citizen’s Charter / LTMS line for your case), complete medical and any required PDC, pass theoretical and practical examinations for the professional codes you seek, and file via APL / LTMS. Confirm exact holding periods, NBI/police items, and fee assessment at LTO before you travel.

High-level guide for obtaining a Professional Driver’s License after a Non-Professional license—without inventing unverified Citizen’s Charter fee totals.

Last verified October 8, 2026

Updated October 8, 2026

Framed as a static progression guide after NPDL. Exact Citizen’s Charter line items and fee totals remain confirm-at-office because full CC PDF retrieval is often blocked and unofficial portals disagree. Do not reuse renewal ₱585 totals.

Quick Summary

Agency
Land Transportation Office (LTO)
How to apply
Online or walk-in
Published processing time
Depends on appointment volume, exam slots, and whether medical/PDC records are already in LTO systems. Confirm queue or portal guidance at your licensing site.
Published LTO fees
See fees

What You’ll Need

Use this as a preparation checklist. Items marked “If it applies” are situational.

  • Valid Non-Professional Driver’s License held long enough for your case

    Confirm at office

    Professional issuance / change-of-classification commonly requires a minimum NPDL holding period (often described as at least six months for same restriction codes, with longer rules when adding codes). Confirm the exact holding period and restriction-code rules on the current LTO Citizen’s Charter or LTMS service description for your transaction.

  • Electronically transmitted medical certificate from an LTO-accredited clinic

    Confirm at office

    Same family of medical transmission rules used in other LTO licensing services. Present original and photocopy as instructed.

  • Practical Driving Course completion when required for your codes

    Confirm at office

    Complete PDC through an LTO-accredited path when the professional/additional-code service requires it. Confirm whether your existing PDC still applies.

  • Duly accomplished APL form for Professional Driver’s License / change of classification

    Confirm at office

    Use the Application for Permits and Licenses form path published for the professional service (LTMS or office form).

  • Pass theoretical and practical examinations for professional codes

    Confirm at office

    Expect automated theoretical and practical driving tests aligned to the restriction codes you are applying for—confirm at the licensing site.

  • Police / NBI or other clearances if the current checklist requires them

    If it appliesConfirm at office

    Some licensing checklists for professional licenses list additional clearances. Bring only what the current official checklist for your office/service shows.

How To Do It

  1. 1

    Confirm the exact LTO service name for your case

    Confirm at office

    New professional license vs change of classification from NPDL may appear as different LTMS/office services. Read the holding-period and code rules shown for that service.

  2. 2

    Complete medical / PDC and prepare APL

    Confirm at office

    Finish electronically transmitted medical (and PDC if required), then accomplish the APL for the professional transaction.

  3. 3

    Take exams, pay the assessed fees, and claim the license

    Confirm at office

    Pass required tests, pay only the Order of Payment / LTMS assessment for the professional service (not a renewal total), and claim the card as instructed.

Fees

Only amounts published by LTO are shown as figures. Third-party charges are flagged instead of guessed.

Professional license / change-of-classification fees
Do not reuse Driver’s License Renewal totals. Application, card, computer, and change-of-classification lines vary—pay the assessment shown for your transaction against the published DL fee schedule.
Confirm at office
Confirm at LTMS / LTO cashier

Important Notes

  • Professional issuance ≠ Driver’s License Renewal

    Official source

    Renewing an existing professional or non-professional license is a different procedure. Use the Driver’s License Renewal guide when you already hold the credential you only need to renew.

  • Charter line items must be confirmed at LTO

    Confirm at office

    Full LTO Citizen’s Charter PDFs are often difficult to retrieve automatically. This page intentionally keeps holding periods and fee totals as confirmation items rather than inventing precise figures.

Where / How To Apply

LTO Licensing Centers / District or Extension Offices publishing Professional Driver’s License or change-of-classification services, and LTMS portal paths where offered. Confirm the exact service name on LTMS or at the licensing site.

Open LTMS PortalVisit LTO website

Official Sources

Verify the checklist against the agency before you travel or pay.

  • LTO website

    Land Transportation Office

    Open official source

  • LTMS Public Portal

    Land Transportation Office

    Open official source

  • LTO driver’s license fee schedule

    Land Transportation Office

    Use to cross-check line items after LTO issues your assessment—not to invent a professional-license total.

    Open official source