Can I use my Philippine Driving License sa States?

[laklak]

Gud day fellow tsikoteers!

I'll be going to the US in november and i was wondering if id be able to use drivers license there. I dont usually drive when I go there, kaso this time I think I would be doing a lot of unsupervised driving. My friend told me that an International Driver's license is available at P900 (this is yr 2004 figures).

Im quite hesitant in getting one kasi I've hear some people claim na valid ang local driver's license up to a month sa states.

[EL Chicane]

You can use your Pinoy Driver's License for about 6 months ata. I don't know if it varies from state to state. Nung nasa Cali ako dati on a business trip, dalawang beses pa nga akong nabigyan ng ticket ng California Highway Patrol: (1) overspeeding sa freeway; and (2) crashing on a police officer's patrol car (umuulan kasi nun). On both occasions, I was not penalized for using my Pinoy Driver's License when I showed it to them. I told them I was on business trip sa states. Make sure you bring your passport with you when you drive.

[airshaq20]

You can use your Pinoy Driver's License for about 6 months ata. I don't know if it varies from state to state. Nung nasa Cali ako dati on a business trip, dalawang beses pa nga akong nabigyan ng ticket ng California Highway Patrol: (1) overspeeding sa freeway; and (2) crashing on a police officer's patrol car (umuulan kasi nun). On both occasions, I was not penalized for using my Pinoy Driver's License when I showed it to them. I told them I was on business trip sa states. Make sure you bring your passport with you when you drive.

:bwahaha: : :bwahaha:
LOL, that is funny.

I just spoke to my pinoy co-worker that just came here a few months ago. He came here with an international driver's license and he said he was only allowed to drive and use his Phil DL for 60 days. He also mentioned that you cannot use your Phil DL here so you would need an international DL.

Also, most rental car companies (Avis, Hertz, Enterprise, etc) - they would require you to be at least 25 years old and above and should have a US, Canadian or international driver's license PLUS credit card to be able to rent. Unless someone is renting for you - you may be able to drive but thats up to the rental company to decide.

[cutedoc]

if you have a laptop thats wifi ready, bring it, it would help you a lot when your cruising the area, mapquest.com lang ok na, or you could search it sa yahoo, my friend told me that the lapatop is really dependable unless you have a navigator on your car then you wont need a laptop anymore

[scarab]

...yep, when i presented mine in a car rental and asked if it was ok hirit lang saken, "as long as i can read it, it's ok".

[Rediesel]

Phil DL is ok for 30 days at a time. w/c means 30 days per entry.

[109]

Phil DL is ok for 30 days at a time. w/c means 30 days per entry.

yun naman pala eh, wala na kong problema......kundi pamasahe :bwahaha:

[BoEinG_747]

yun naman pala eh, wala na kong problema......kundi pamasahe :bwahaha:

sir gawa ka bagong thread "air fare problem " naman


peace

[yebo]

YES, i drove there for 1-1/2 years (i was going in and out of the US every month since i work here in asia) with my phil DL, rented a car twice, had an accident once, no problem with my phil DL. you just need to present your passport since they will want to see it. in fact even when i already had my US DL i presented my phil DL when i was caught for speeding ehehehe! lusot, di ako binigyan ng ticket warning lang. hindi naman nila alam na may US DL na ko e. license is valid for 6 months after entry for some states, in other states only 60 days.

you do not need an intl driving license issued by phil motor assoc, it's just a piece of cardboard crap. highway patrol did not even look at it when i presented it when i had my accident, what he wanted to see was my phil DL and passport.

credit card? no need! i rented there twice, paid in cash. what is important to them is you pay the insurance premium (which is optional).

sorry airshaq if my post runs counter to yours, i'm just speaking from personal experience.

[airshaq20]

YES, i drove there for 1-1/2 years (i was going in and out of the US every month since i work here in asia) with my phil DL, rented a car twice, had an accident once, no problem with my phil DL. you just need to present your passport since they will want to see it. in fact even when i already had my US DL i presented my phil DL when i was caught for speeding ehehehe! lusot, di ako binigyan ng ticket warning lang. hindi naman nila alam na may US DL na ko e. license is valid for 6 months after entry for some states, in other states only 60 days.

you do not need an intl driving license issued by phil motor assoc, it's just a piece of cardboard crap. highway patrol did not even look at it when i presented it when i had my accident, what he wanted to see was my phil DL and passport.

credit card? no need! i rented there twice, paid in cash. what is important to them is you pay the insurance premium (which is optional).

sorry airshaq if my post runs counter to yours, i'm just speaking from personal experience.

That's OK yebo, no need to apologize. I guess it varies from state to state. But anyway, insurance is optional ONLY if you already have insurance coverage (I actually rent once in a while when I have to drive far and dont want to put miles in my cars), otherwise, they would ask you to buy insurance.

Insurance is required before you can drive a car anywhere in the US - and they will definitely require you to have one especially if you'll gonna show a Phil DL.

Regarding your accident, you were lucky that they did not checked you from their computer. I guess the cop assumed that you dont have a US DL - otherwise, they would have to check your record with your US DL.

In addition, there have been a lot of changes since the beginning of 2004 and in some states in 2005. Every year, the law changes - so if you haven't been here lately, then, those laws may have already changed.

Edit:
They will need a debit card with a visa logo (they will put a hold/charge for at least $250 if its a visa debit card) or credit card to rent. But you may pay cash when you return the car. (sorry, should have clarified that one).

[EL Chicane]

you do not need an intl driving license issued by phil motor assoc, it's just a piece of cardboard crap. highway patrol did not even look at it when i presented it when i had my accident, what he wanted to see was my phil DL and passport.

Yeah, I agree. Ako nga Non-Pro pa yung Pinoy license ko, hindi naman pinansin. Tinitingnan lang ata nila kung expired na o hindi pa. Hindi rin hiningi yung passport ko. Pero dalhin mo na rin just in case.

Lumaki yung fine ko dahil hindi daw ako huminto nung pinapahinto niya ako. Nung una kasi, inovertake ko siya sa freeway. Tapos ini-ilawan niya ako sa likod. Akala ko pinapatabi niya ako sa slow lane. Nung nasa slow lane nako, tutok ulit siya sabay flash ng red-and-blue lights sa ibabaw nung patrol car niya. Dedma lang ako. After mga 5 minutes, winang-wang nako, kaya napilitan na akong mag-pull over.

Nung nakita nung CHP yung Pinoy license ko, ang sabi: "Don't you have speed limits in the Philippines?" .... tapos sabi pa niya "Don't you know when a police officer is trying to pull you over?"

As usual pinoy reaction, kamot ng ulo. Ayun, dedo. Nagbayad ako ng $120 sa munisipyo nila. Langya.

[bluntman]

Just remember, the horn has a different meaning over here. :D

[Josh0027]

Here in Ohio, you can use it for 6 months.

Just remember, the horn has a different meaning over here. :D

My friends told me not to use the horn much. Ano ba ibig sabihin nito dito?

[66bunny]

Here in Ohio, you can use it for 6 months.



My friends told me not to use the horn much. Ano ba ibig sabihin nito dito?

Unless your in an emergency, don't use it. Other than that, it's an insult to them. Dito lamang naman sa pinas mahilig mag-honk.

It's mannerism more than driving necessity. Puna ko lang.

[pparado]

I rented a car in Fort Lauderdale, presented them with my Philippine Driver's License and a Visa Debit Card, and paid all the insurance charges.

The 1st night I had the car, I left it overnight in a parking area where spaces had names of people who were allowed there during the day. I asked permission from the guard on duty there, kung OK lang makiparada ng O/N. Ok naman daw...

Kinabukasan, may tiket sa windshield ko. (e kasi daw, pasado alas-9 na at yung mga kailangan mag-park dun ay dumating na)

The following night, at around 5:30pm, an SUV slammed into my rt side while crossing an intersection. I was already halfway through the intersection. Halos pumasok na nga yung nguso sa kabila e. Napakabilis ng takbo nung SUV na bumangga sa akin, that the car was thrown to the sidewalk on the other side of the road.

I came out of the car after the airbag subsided and after taking off the seatbelt. (yanig ang mundo ko!) Yung katabi ko sa front seat, nawalan ng ulirat, at siempre,kinabahan ako, dahil may kaunting dugo sya sa noo. Buti na lang at nung subukan kong gisingin ay ok naman. (pareho kaming bugbog siempre)

Nabigyan ako ng tiket, after the hospital procedures. Kasi daw, di ako dapat tumawid ng intersection...(kasalanan ko pa pala?)

Mga bossing na nasa US....(i.e.Karding, Doc Diesel, Airshaq20 and other tsikoteers out der) OK lang ba ni di ko binayaran yung mga penalties na yun?

[empy]

pparado, dumaan ka pala dito sa neyborhood ko di ka naman nagpakita

regarding your parking ticket, the person to whom the car is registered (the rental company) will receive the ticket in the mail. since they have your debit card number, they will probably bill you automatically for the amount of the fine. or maybe they will just pay it. this happened to me last time i was in Cali (damn i forgot all about street cleaning!)...i told Enterprise i got a ticket, paid them the amount of the fine, and they gave me a release form saying they will pay and i am absolved of all responsibility.

the moving violation is more serious. bakit ba daw ikaw ang may kasalanan? did you go through a red light or stop sign? kasi, i know that if you don't pay the fine for a moving violation a warrant for your arrest will eventually be issued, if you hold a US DL. since you don't have a US DL, and are not in the country any longer, i don't know what they'll do. but you might have problems reentering the country and/or if you get another traffic stop while you're here. again, just to be clear, this is just what i'm thinking and is not a fact.

the other thing is, pano yung naaksidente mo? since according to your account they found you legally at fault, you (or your car's insurance) are responsible for the other person's repair bill and injuries...binayaran ba ng insurance ng rental company?

[pparado]

M54powered,

(iwan mo phone mo para tawagan kita next time na mapunta ulit ako dyan.)

Enterprise ko din ni-rent yung kotse e! Actually, after my friend and I spent a night in a motel rt after the crash, bumalik ako sa rent a car office. (sabi kasi sa akin, with thei nsurance that I paid, I can walk back there with just the steering wheel, and pay nothing) I actually went there with just the keys! (hahahahahha) AND...they offered me a car for the remainder of the time I rented the 1st one!

Bilib ako dun!

Well, there was a stop sign nga sa intersection. Nag-full stop naman ako e. Tapos, yun ngang pasahero ko ang nagsabing: "oh" sabay ...BLANG! ayun na!

When my debit card was charged later on, wala namang ibang charges apart from the car rental.

Funny: yung nakabangga sa akin, ay rental din ng Enterprise! Ibang branch nga lang. Yung driver nung SUV, lumabas na naka-stretcher. Ako, groggy, andd bugbog ang right leg ko. I bet the insurance was also paid for.

[airshaq20]

I agree with M54. Also, if you will be moving here as an immigrant, you will be filing a form and one of the questions there says:

"Have you ever, in or outside the US, been arrested, cited, charged, fined or imprisoned for breaking or violating any law or city ordinance?"

Although, its "just" a traffic violation - if you ignored your accident and you were sued, you will have problems re-entering the US (or even getting any kind of visa here. You may lie when you fill the form, but if you get caught, its gonna be your last trip here.

To Pparado, El Chicane and Yebo: big coincidence naman at you all had traffic violation tickets and/or accidents - did you guys paid your tickets/fines?

[Bravoexo]

Di na ba depende sa VISA?? Dati, kapag non resident VISA, you can use the Phil driver's license but if you have a resident or working VISA (non tourist or B1/B2) eh 10 days lang....

[conzky]

Per my experience, PDL is not honored in the state of VA. i figured in a fender bender when i was driving there. Initially, i presented my PDL, the traffic officer ask for my IDP instead, it's good i acquired one before going to the US. Although most US states honor the PDL, its safer to have a IDP.