If a driving school instructor is unlicensed or not accredited by the LTO, both the instructor and the driving school can face heavy penalties, and your training may become invalid. This can delay or block your driver’s license application, waste your money, and even expose you to unsafe training.
This situation is more common than many expect, which is why the LTO actively inspects driving schools and follows a “one-strike policy” for serious violations. Here’s what really happens, why it matters for your LTO application, and what steps you should take to protect yourself.
What Does it Mean
An unlicensed driving school instructor is someone who teaches driving lessons without the required accreditation from the Land Transportation Office (LTO). This means they are not officially recognized, not evaluated by the LTO, and not allowed to conduct TDC or PDC training. When an instructor is unlicensed, any certificate they issue is considered invalid and cannot be used for an LTO driver’s license application. It also means the student is being trained by someone who has not passed safety checks, background screening, and professional standards required by law.
In essence, being an unlicensed driving school instructor, employing one, or learning from one, is illegal and comes with specific consequences.
Consequences for Students
If you find out that your instructor is unlicensed, then here are some of the consequences you can expect:
- Your Training Becomes Invalid
- Your TDC (Theoretical Driving Course) or PDC (Practical Driving Course) certificate may be rejected by the LTO.
- You won’t be able to use it for your license application.
- This means wasted time, money, and effort.
- Fine for Improper Supervision
- A student with a student permit must be supervised by a licensed and accredited instructor.
- If not, the student is considered to be driving without proper supervision.
- Fine: ₱200.00
- Higher Safety Risks
- Unaccredited instructors did not undergo LTO checks, background screening, or training requirements.
- This puts the student and other road users in danger.
Consequences for the Unlicensed Instructor
For the instructor himself, he can face the following:
- Illegality: Teaching without LTO accreditation violates LTO policy and RA 4136.
- Possible Penalties
- Fines for violations similar to “driving without a license” (₱3,000) or “allowing an unlicensed person to drive” (₱750).
- Permanent disqualification from applying for an instructor license.
- Possible criminal charges for falsifying documents or lying in applications (perjury).
Other specific LTO penalties (under Section 25) he can face include:
- Fraud/misrepresentation
- ₱5,000 to ₱10,000 + 6 months–1 year suspension, or full revocation
- Irregular use of accreditation
- ₱5,000–₱10,000 + 1–3 months suspension, or revocation
- Failure to comply with LTO requirements
- ₱10,000–₱20,000 + suspension or revocation
Consequences for the Driving School
The driving school may be charged with:
- Administrative Penalties
- Fines for violating LTO accreditation rules
- Suspension or full cancellation of accreditation
- Possible closure of operations
- Violation of LTO Policy
- Employing unlicensed instructors is a direct breach of LTO standards.
- Reputational Damage
- Loss of students, complaints from trainees, and long-term impact on business.
- Inspections and Monitoring
- The LTO closely inspects schools and may immediately suspend accreditation for serious violations.
What Students Should Do
To avoid facing these problems, student must:
- Always Verify Accreditation
- Check the status of the driving school and its instructors directly with the LTO.
- Accredited instructors and schools appear in official LTO lists.
- Ask for the Instructor’s LTO ID and certificate
- Every instructor must display:
- Company ID
- LTO Instructor Accreditation Certificate
- Every instructor must display:
- Report Suspicious Schools: You may report cases to the nearest LTO office.
- Keep Your Receipts and Documents: In case of disputes, these help with refund requests or filing complaints.
Remember: Choosing a driving school is not just about convenience or price because it can affect your LTO driver’s license application, your safety, and your learning experience. Make sure to always double-check the school’s legitimacy so your time, money, and effort don’t go to waste.