LTO bans driving school high charges

It is no longer permissible for licensed driving schools to charge applicants for driver’s licenses excessively expensive tuition rates.

This is what Land Transportation Office Chief Jay Art Tugade had to say about the Land Transportation Office’s Memorandum Circular No. JMT-2023-2390, also known as “Omnibus Guidelines on the Accreditation, Supervision, and Control of Driving Institutions, and the Standardization of Driver and Conductor’s Education” (LTO).

During a forum for the media, Tugade stated that the measure will be put into effect on April 15 of this year, and that beginning then, motorcycle drivers will only be required to pay the driving school P2,500, while drivers of light vehicles and other types of cars will be limited to paying a maximum of P4,000.

Tugade also declared that it is open once more, adding that anyone who wish to run driving schools may now obtain accreditation from the LTO.

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There are over 1,400 driving schools around the country that have earned accreditation from the LTO.

According to Tugade, any driving school operator who does not follow the LTO’s rules for this can be penalized P50,000 for the first offense, the second offense would result in a fine of P100,000 and a suspension for 6 months, and the third offense will result in the loss of accreditation.

Tugade made another appeal to the public, this time urging them to inform the LTO officers or lodge a complaint with the LTO online by using the phrase “Isumbong mo kay Chief” to discuss the irregularities that have been observed in the office’s operations and the fact that it does not provide good service to the people.

Tugade also cautioned prospective drivers license holders from engaging in business with fixers.

He stated that the LTO is also focused on driving school operators who conduct non-appearance or applicants who do not pass the driving exam, and that the LTO will instead provide immediate certification to those who obtain a driving school certificate. He said that this is part of the LTO’s effort to combat these issues.