How long can you drive in the Philippines on a foreign licence?
Ninety days, counted from the day you arrive. The Philippine embassy in Bern, part of the Department of Foreign Affairs, states that a foreign licence can be used for 90 days from the date of arrival, and that anyone staying and driving longer must get a Philippine licence from the LTO. The UK government and the Australian government give the same 90-day limit, and Australia adds that digital licences may not be accepted.
Your passport's arrival stamp shows when the 90 days began, so keep the passport with the licence when you drive.
Is the IDP needed?
The UN treaty records show the Philippines acceded to the 1949 Geneva Convention on 15 September 1952, and the 1968 Vienna Convention record shows it signed on 8 November 1968 and became a party on 27 December 1973. That means both IDP formats are recognised. None of the government sources above says an English-language licence also needs an IDP; the IDP's value is as a translation, so bring one if your licence is in another language or script, or if your rental contract asks for it. Our IDP guide explains which format your country issues.
Which situation are you in?
The licence rule, the Metro Manila traffic scheme and the toll system each apply at a different point of a trip. This table combines them.
| Your trip | Licence | Metro Manila weekdays | Expressways (NLEX, SLEX, Skyway, NAIAX) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 90 days, English-language licence | Home licence and passport | Avoid driving on the car's coding day | RFID tag with balance required |
| Up to 90 days, non-English licence | Home licence, IDP and passport | Same | Same |
| Staying past day 90 | LTO licence before day 90 ends | Same | Same |
| Provinces only, no expressway | Home licence (plus IDP if needed) | Not affected | Not affected |
Worked example: a long stay that crosses day 90
You arrive on 10 October and plan to drive until 20 January. Counting 10 October as day one, day 90 falls on 7 January. You can rent on your home licence for the first part of the trip, but from 8 January you would need a Philippine licence to keep driving. The realistic choices are to apply for an LTO licence in December, or to switch to ride-hailing and taxis for the last two weeks; our guide to Grab and taxis in Manila covers the second option.
What is number coding in Metro Manila?
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) runs a number coding scheme that restricts vehicles on certain weekdays according to their plate number. A rental car carries ordinary plates, so ask how the scheme applies to it. The scheme is suspended on some holidays: in 2026, the Philippine Information Agency reported that it was lifted from noon on 1 April (Holy Wednesday) to 3 April (Good Friday), and it was also suspended over the 2025–2026 holiday season from 23 to 25 December and from 29 December to 2 January.
We could not open the MMDA's own pages to confirm the current coding hours, day-by-digit schedule, exempt roads or fine, so we do not list them here. Before you drive in Metro Manila:
Paying expressway tolls in a rental car
Expressway tolls are collected without cash. The Toll Regulatory Board lists the implementing rules of Department of Transportation Order No. 2020-012, which requires cashless or contactless transactions for all vehicles on toll expressways. In practice that means an RFID sticker on the windscreen.
Two RFID systems exist. Easytrip handles NLEX, SCTEX, the NLEX Connector, CAVITEX, C5 Link and CALAX, and says that under its "One RFID, All Tollways" programme the same tag can be used on SLEX, TPLEX, STAR, Skyway, NAIAX and MCX. The other system is Autosweep, whose website we could not open. The Easytrip FAQ says the tag is free and suggests loading at least the toll for your first trip; it gives a 24-hour hotline, 1-35000.
If something goes wrong on the road
The US State Department advises contacting the local police after an accident and staying in your car until they arrive before engaging with the other driver. It warns that drivers involved in an accident may be detained by police even if not at fault, and that road rage incidents are common. The UK government adds that accidents are frequent and advises avoiding night driving and bad weather where possible.
Keep your licence, passport, rental agreement and insurance papers in the car, call the rental company's emergency number as soon as you are safe, and photograph the scene. For fines that reach you through the rental company after the trip, see our guide to rental car fines after you get home.
Flying into Manila and not ready to drive straight away? Our guide to getting from NAIA to Makati and central Manila covers the options that don't need a car.