The Philippines ๐ต๐ญ + driving
I'd never really looked into the requirements for driving in the Philippines.
I assumed an international driver's licenseโฆ.. would be enough.
You do NOT need an international driver's license.
Your current, valid US driver's license (Illinois, in my case) is enoughโฆ.but only for 90 days.
After 90 days, I'd need to get a Philippine license.
If I leave the Philippines during those 90 daysโฆthe clock restarts.
I guess I'll just go through the process and get a Philippine license.
It's good for five years.
Or just say you arrived last month ๐คท๐ฝโโ๏ธ I've been doing that for 6 years
An international permit doesn't authorize you to drive. It's mainly a certified translation. That said, it wouldn't be typical for police to check your passport stamp to see when you arrived. For my Philippine license โ in and out of LTO in 3 hours. No bribes. Just helpful staff. I was pleasantly surprised at how smoothly it went. This was in San Fernando, Pampanga.
Or spend 2 hours at LTO and get a local license with a local's help for about 3-4k pesos. It's good for a few years and works as a primary ID. No visa needed. Or no license at all. It's not like locals check, and the PNP doesn't really care. If you get pulled over, it gets taken care of quickly. Unfortunate, but that's how it is. Even if you pull out an IDP you'll end up paying more, and Oh yeah, a US driver's license is valid in the Philippines without an IDP lol
An international driving permit just translates your license into English. If your license is already in English, you don't need one. Having one doesn't change the rules on how long you can drive on a foreign license.
This is why you do your research...
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