LTO rolls out e-Driver's License via LTMS Portal

Back in May, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) announced (amid the plastic cards supply shortage) that the agency will be issuing electronic copies of driver’s licenses or e-Driver’s License (e-DL) via a secured super app.

Today, LTO begins issuing the e-DLs to qualified drivers, following the release of implementing guidelines as part of the agency’s digitalization efforts. However, instead of accessing the e-DL through a super app developed in cooperation with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the LTO opted to use its very own LTMS.

Under LTO Memorandum Circular No. HAV-2023-2410, holders of valid Driver’s Licenses issued by the LTO will be given access to the e-DL module.

“[The] e-DL is a valid, secure, and an alternative form of authorization for persons operating motor vehicles. We are launching this as part of the agency’s digitalization,” LTO Officer-in-Charge Assistant Secretary Hector Villacorta said. “The e-DL will also ensure efficiency in our service,” he added.

As stated in the new LTO guidelines on the use of e-DL, holders of such digital driver’s licenses will have the same privileges and responsibilities accorded to holders of physical driver’s licenses. e-DL holders are likewise subject to the same rules on traffic violations, imposition of fines and penalties, according to the LTO guidelines.

LTO enforcers and its deputized agents shall accept a holder’s e-DL as a valid form of authorization and identification to operate a motor vehicle.

LTMS Portal

Access to LTO’s new e-DL can only be done through the agency’s Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) portal. In the event of an apprehension, according to LTO, the motorist must present their e-DL only by accessing the LTMS portal. Meaning, screenshots or saving the digital driver’s license in a similar manner, or those who fail or refuse to present their eDL will be considered a violation of failure to carry a driver’s license.

We tried to access our own e-DL via LTMS today, and we ran into a problem.

We understand that the new system may be experiencing some birth pains at the moment, but we hope that we will have access to our e-DL within the next few days the next time we log in to the portal.