Car and driving licence in the Philippines: a used car may not enter, and after 90 days a Philippine licence
Importing a used car into the Philippines is prohibited, apart from one narrow exception for immigrants. So sell your car in the Netherlands. With your Dutch driving licence and an international driving permit you may drive for the first 90 days. After that you convert it at the LTO, for ₱ 785 and without a driving test, because in the Netherlands you also drive on the right.
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Written and checked by Auke on , against the sources at the bottom. Is something no longer right? Report it below and I'll fix it.
A used car may not enter the Philippines. There is one narrow exception for immigrants, with a permit from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). For almost everyone the conclusion is: sell your car in the Netherlands and buy one locally. You may drive for the first 90 days on your Dutch licence, together with an international driving permit. After that you convert it at the LTO, the Philippine vehicle and licensing authority, for ₱ 785 (about € 11).
What applies?
| Subject | What applies | Amount or term |
|---|---|---|
| Importing a used car | prohibited (EO 156), except for an immigrant with a permit under DTI's NDI programme | then not to be sold for at least 3 years; at most 3 tons |
| Household goods exemption | never applies to vehicles | import duty, excise and 12% VAT |
| Driving on your Dutch licence | only together with an international driving permit | the first 90 days |
| Converting at the LTO | valid licence, visa valid for at least 120 days, medical certificate, English translation | ₱ 785 plus the medical |
| Driving test on conversion | only for those from a country with left-hand traffic | no test for a Dutch national |
| Traffic | drive on the right, overtake on the left |
Can you bring your car?
No, in almost all cases you cannot. Executive Order 156 of 2002 prohibits the import of all used motor vehicles. The only exception for private persons is a car owned and used by a "returning resident or immigrant": a returning Filipino or an immigrant. It needs a permit under DTI's No-Dollar Importation Program (NDI). The car may then not be sold for at least three years, and weighs at most 3 tons. The LTO only registers it once it meets the emission standards.
Even if you fall under that exception, you are not done. A car never falls under the household goods exemption. So you pay import duty, excise and 12% VAT.
Exactly who qualifies for the NDI programme, with which visa and how long the car must be in your name, is not on any official page that opened. DTI's service page returned an error. So do not ship a car without a written DTI permit in hand. Without that permit the car will not enter the country.
A Dutch car has the steering wheel on the left. That suits traffic in the Philippines, where you drive on the right. But for almost everyone buying locally is the logical route.
How long can you drive on your Dutch licence?
The traffic law (RA 4136, section 21) lets a foreigner with a valid licence from their own country drive for the first 90 days of their stay. NederlandWereldwijd adds: your Dutch licence is only valid together with a valid international driving permit. So get one in the Netherlands before you leave. If you stay longer than 90 days, you need a Philippine licence.
How do you convert your licence?
At the LTO, the Land Transportation Office, you apply to convert a foreign licence. The conditions:
- Your licence is valid. If it has expired, you take the theory and practical tests.
- You read and write English, Filipino or one of the major regional languages.
- You have no unpaid traffic fines.
- Your visa is valid for at least 120 days from your arrival.
What you bring:
- the application form (APL);
- a medical certificate from a clinic the LTO accredits; the clinic sends it electronically;
- your Dutch driving licence, with a copy;
- an official English translation, because the Dutch licence is not in English;
- your passport: the first page, the visa page and the stamp of your last entry;
- your tax number (TIN), if you work.
The conversion costs ₱ 785: ₱ 585 for the licence, ₱ 100 for the application and ₱ 100 for the conversion. The medical comes on top. At the counter it takes up to 2.5 hours. A driving test is only needed for those from a country with left-hand traffic. The Netherlands drives on the right, so you do not have to take a test.
Two things are uncertain. The LTO asks for the English translation from "the embassy of the country that issued the licence". Whether the Dutch embassy in Manila provides one, and whether the LTO accepts your international driving permit as a translation, is not confirmed. And the 120-day visa requirement may be a problem for a tourist who extends by one or two months at a time. Check both with the LTO beforehand. The amounts come from the 2024 Citizen's Charter; the LTO's own website could not be opened.
A licence for trucks and heavier vehicles is only granted on conversion with a work permit (AEP) from the Department of Labor.
What is the traffic like?
You drive on the right and overtake on the left. NederlandWereldwijd calls the traffic chaotic and advises against driving in the dark or in bad weather. Take that seriously, especially in the typhoon season.
What else can go in the container is covered in household goods to the Philippines.
In Vertrekklaar this is phase 4 of 5 of the journey, step 4.3: the same steps, but for your situation — in your order, tickable, and with the deadlines watched. See the whole journey to the Philippines or go straight to step 4.3 in the open plan.
What this rests on
The facts in this article come from these official pages. Rules change. When in doubt, go by the source, not this article.
- Executive Order 156 (2002), sections 1 and 3 — the import ban on used cars and the exception for immigrants — lawphil.net
- DTI Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau — used cars of returning residents and immigrants under the NDI programme — fairtrade.dti.gov.ph
- Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (RA 10863), section 800(i) — vehicles fall outside the household goods exemption — lawphil.net
- Land Transportation and Traffic Code (RA 4136), sections 21 and 37 — 90 days on a foreign licence, and driving on the right — lawphil.net
- NederlandWereldwijd — travel advice for the Philippines, with the international driving permit and the traffic — nederlandwereldwijd.nl
- LTO Citizen's Charter 2024, service 9 (via DOTr Caraga) — converting a foreign driving licence — caraga.dotr.gov.ph
- LTO Citizen's Charter 2024, fees (via DOTr Caraga) — ₱ 785 for the conversion — caraga.dotr.gov.ph
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