The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has set a maximum fee of P300 for the medical examination required for student permit and driver’s license applications.
Outgoing LTO head Jose Art Tugade said that the new policy is a response to the complaints of ordinary citizens who want to apply for or renew their driver’s licenses. He also said that the P300 fee is the maximum amount that clinics can charge, but they can also offer lower fees if they want.
“Hindi po natin maisasantabi ang maraming reklamo kaugnay ng sobrang mahal ng pagkuha ng medical certificate na ang iba ay nagbabayad ng P500 hanggang P700. Mabigat na ang halaga na ito para sa ating mga ordinaryong mamamayan (We cannot ignore the many complaints about the excessive price of getting a medical certificate, which some pay P500 to P700. This amount is heavy for our ordinary citizens),” said Tugade.
The new policy covers all LTO-accredited medical clinics and health facilities where accredited doctors conduct medical, physical, optical, and other tests for student driver’s permits, new non-professional driver’s licenses, and new conductor’s license applications, as well as renewal and upgrading of licenses from non-professional to professional.
The LTO warned that clinics and health facilities that do not follow the policy will face consequences such as suspension of accreditation, fines, and permanent disqualification. For the first offense, sanctions include a suspension of accreditation for 90 days and a fine of P10,000. The second offense will be met with a suspension of accreditation for 180 days and a fine of P15,000. And for the third offense will be a revocation of accreditation and perpetual disqualification as an accredited medical clinic or health facility.
Also read: LTO no longer requires periodic medical exam for drivers with five and ten-year licenses
According to Memorandum Circular 2018-2157 signed on Nov. 27, 2018, the LTO may regulate and monitor the medical exam fees but did not specify the maximum amount that medical clinics and health facilities should follow.
The new policy will be effective 15 days after it is published in a national newspaper or after it is filed at the Office of the National Registry in the University of the Philippines Law Center.
