These days, more and more people are applying to become licensed drivers. Part of the requirements is to pass a Theoretical Driving Course or TDC (for new student permit applicants), and a Practical Driving Course (PDC) (for non-professional drivers). Both of these courses are offered by driving schools.
These driving schools, however, must be duly accredited by the Land Transportation Office (LTO). If you are planning to put up a new driving school in the Philippines, this article will discuss how you can apply for LTO accreditation — including the necessary documents, facilities, costs, and reportorial requirements involved.
Why Apply for LTO Accreditation?
Getting accredited by the LTO is mandatory for every driving school in the country. Having this accreditation means the school is able to provide quality training to aspiring drivers. It also means that the school’s facilities and equipment have passed stringent standards.
Purpose of LTO Accreditation
Generally speaking, an LTO accreditation means that a company has passed the requirements and standards set by the agency. Specifically, the purpose of LTO accreditation is to:
- Ensure the compliance of driving schools with regard to facilities, equipment, materials, and driving instructors’ qualifications;
- Issue the authority for driving schools to offer driver and conductor education programs;
- Ensure the uniformity of education course topics, requirements, and hours of instruction across all accredited driving schools;
- Raise the standard of driving instruction, with the aim of developing safety consciousness and a positive driving attitude among aspiring drivers, while minimizing the incidence of road accidents;
- Ensure the effective implementation of rules and regulations related to the operation of driving schools; and
- Roll out recently issued rules and regulations related to the operation of driving schools.
Eligibility
Any person or group of persons who would like to establish a driving school may apply for LTO accreditation. They must file an application with the Office of the Regional Director through the Regional Accreditation Committee (RAC) in their area.
Required Documents
When applying for LTO accreditation, the new driving school must prepare the following documentary requirements:
- Filled up application form;
- Certificate of Business Name Registration from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) (for single proprietorship);
- Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Certificate of Registration, Articles of Incorporation/Partnership, and Board Resolution issued by the Board Secretary (for partnerships or corporations);
- Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) Certificate of Registration, Articles of Cooperation, and Board Resolution issued by the Board Secretary (for cooperatives);
- Valid Business Permit;
- Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Registration and Taxpayer’s Identification Number (TIN);
- Pre-operating Financial Statement showing that the owner/applicant’s financial condition can be expected to operate for at least one (1) year;
- Bank certificate or credit line in the name of the proprietor (for sole proprietorship) or the partnership/corporation: PHP 3 million pesos for the main office, PHP 1.5 million for every additional driving school;
- Applications of at least one (1) TDC instructor and one (1) PDC instructor with their documentary requirements;
- Location plan and sketch of maneuvering site;
- Official Receipt (OR) and Certificate of Registration (CR) of the vehicles registered under the name of the proprietor (for sole proprietorship) or the partnership/corporation;
- Application fee; and
- Accreditation payment receipt.
NOTE: For corporations, motor vehicles registered under the name/s of the incorporator/s are not allowed.
Cost of LTO Accreditation
When applying for LTO accreditation, be sure to prepare payment for the following fees:
- Application Fee — PHP 1,000.00
- Legal Research Fee — PHP 10.00
- Accreditation Fee — PHP 5,000.00
- Legal Research Fee — PHP 10.00
Required Facilities and Equipment
With regard to facilities and equipment, the driving school must:
- Have a minimum classroom dimension of 24 square meters, with a space of not less than 1/5 square meters for every student for a maximum class size of 40 students;
- Ensure that ergonomics, thermal comfort, ventilation, lighting, and acoustics are considered in classroom layout and design;
- Have audiovisual materials and display with a lateral dimension of not less than six (6) inches;
- Have an updated set of traffic signs, signals, and pavement markings, as described in the manual of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and other transport agencies;
- Have automotive parts to be used as aids in teaching basic automotive servicing (for students applying for a light vehicle driver’s license);
- Have a closed-circuit television (CCTV) system connected with a built-in date and time recording features;
- Have a well-maintained database of student records; and
- Have attendance sheets available.
Required Reports
Within five (5) days after the end of each month, the driving school should submit these reports to the RAC:
- List of graduates for the month and their dates of attendance;
- Summary of transactions for the month (for TDC and PDC);
- List of scholarship recipients for the month;
- Semestral report on drug tests recorded; and
- All other reports that may be required by the RAC.
NOTE: In addition, the school must submit a consolidated report to the Central Office Driving Institutions Accreditation Committee (CODIAC) every 15th of the succeeding month.
How to Apply for LTO Accreditation
Now that you have a better idea of the requirements involved in setting up a driving school, here’s a step-by-step guide to applying for its LTO accreditation:
- Go to the RAC of the LTO Regional Office with jurisdiction over the location of the driving school.
- Go to the RAC Secretariat and obtain an application form for the accreditation of driving schools.
- Submit the filled-up application form and documentary requirements to the designated officer at the RAC Secretariat for checking and verification.
- Once your documents have been checked and verified, you will receive a Payment Order Slip (POS).
- Go to the Cashier for the payment of your application fee. Wait for your Official Receipt (OR) to be issued.
- Go to the RAC and submit a copy of the application fee OR.
- Wait for the RAC Secretariat to complete the evaluation of your application.
- Within five (5) working days, the CODIAC and Inspection Team will conduct and inspection of the driving school’s facilities, equipment, motor vehicles, and other materials.
- If approved, the CODIAC Secretariat will prepare a Certificate of Accreditation. He/She will then recommend the approval to the Assistant Secretary. (NOTE: If your application is not approved, the CODIAC Vice Chairperson will immediately notify the applicant through the RAC, stating the grounds for disapproval.)
- Within 15 days, the Assistant Secretary will approve or disapprove the applications for accreditation as endorsed by the CODIAC.
- Wait for the Payment Order Slip (POS) to be issued.
- Once the POS is issued, go to the Cashier and pay the accreditation fee and other related fees. Wait for the OR to be issued.
- Submit a copy of the OR to the RAC Secretariat.
- As soon as the CODIAC Secretariat receives the approved Certificate of Accreditation, the driving school’s details will be registered to the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS).
- Wait for the approved Certificate of Accreditation to be released after the RAC provides is to the accredited driving school.
As you can see, applying for LTO accreditation involves multiple stages. The total processing time from submission of the application to the release of the Certificate of Accreditation is around 40 days. Once issued, this certificate shall be valid for one (1) year.
Download Application Form
Other than getting an application form at the LTO Regional Office, you can save time by downloading it from the LTO official website. You will need fill-up the form with the name of the driving school, its address, name of the owner, contact number, and other details.
Final Thoughts
If you are keen on establishing a new driving school, we hope that the above guide has been helpful. Keep in mind that getting an LTO accreditation is mandatory; operating without it is not legal and involves hefty fines.
Aside from enrolling in private driving schools, aspiring drivers can go the an LTO Drivers Education Center (DEC) instead. Here, they offer TDC classes free of charge! Check out this article for a list of LTO DECs nationwide.