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Motorcycle license

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Uskam
  10/16/2015 06:16 EST

Hello,

I plan to move to Manila next month.
I want to drive a motorcycle there but i don't have the license yet.

Is it possible to get it as foreigner with a work visa ?

Thank you.

catabisis
  10/16/2015 06:50 EST

In Mindanao I showed them my U.S. license and had a Filipino one an hour later. I drove around touring the Philippines on a 175 Kawasaki Barako. Two pieces of advice for my 2 cents. Before you drive around that city be sure to wear a medical mask. Otherwise, you will have soot all over your face. It happened to me after I spent 4 hours trying to get out of the city from the port to Batangas. The other advice is to buy a motorcycle over 400cc. If you do not, be sure to never, ever, EVER go on a toll road with anything smaller. I had one Filipino show anger at me in the two years I have been here. It was when a cop confronted me at the toll booth when I accidentally ended up on the toll road with my 175cc. I mean, that guy was smoking pissed. He was going to take my license and make me pick them up in Quezon City police station. After apologizing a few times and explaining that my GPS took me there, I told him that I am a guest in his country and I don't intentionally break the laws here. That must have been enough. He gave me back my license. It is good advice to buy a GPS too. You'll enjoy your ride around town much more. I suggest a Garmin. You don't need a fancy one. Just the basic one is fine. They are easy to learn to use. Good luck

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chance2014
  10/16/2015 07:19 EST

Yes. If you have a uk or us license you can go to the local lto and show your lisence and get a filipino lisence there and then takes a few hiurs but easy enough. The big problem is riding a bike through Manila. I would go by jeepney a few times first and see how crazy the driving is here. If you dont have a foreign license you will have to take a test i think. But its a very simple test. The driving standards here are really bad i mean really bad. You will be taking your life in your hands every day while riding. I do ride here by the way had bikes for many many years

Uskam
  10/16/2015 08:24 EST

Thanks.

It might be obvius but is there a difference between a motorcycle license and a license for car in Philippines ?

Or a car license allow me to drive any motorcycle i want ?

poochewer
  10/16/2015 12:26 EST

Anyone from any country can legally drive or ride with their own countrys licence for a period of 90 days.
Also the filipino licences cover a certain number of wheels. For instance, your average standard car lic from usa will alow you to drive any vehicle at all, under 4 tonne up to 4 wheels.

CAteacher
  10/16/2015 14:53 EST

Use a cab for a while before riding a motorcycle. You'll get a better view of what's happening and how they drive in traffic than if you go by jeep.. The rules and practices are quite different.

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poochewer
  10/16/2015 16:25 EST

My wife always comments that I seem to be so totally relaxed whilst driving in the philippines, yet when im driving in australia I am always tense and cussing and cursing.
Its because I beleive that the filipino driving rules are way more sensible in some ways. For instance, People dont look at you like you are criminal just because you want to change lanes.

BOBV
  10/22/2015 19:49 EST

Hi for the record in most of mindinao (excluding Davao) not many has a license, insurance, registration, i was hit twice they stop told me such then ran....wife recieved license just by walking in to lto when ask about her driving skills she told them only road a bike...no problem she got it no test no anything
for us expat's the laws have to be followed to a T...be guided accordingly

poochewer
  10/22/2015 21:45 EST

Thats perfectly normal. There is no test. You walk in with your foreign licence and they give u a filipino one.

catabisis
  10/23/2015 02:36 EST

I don't think the rules have to be followed for us either. I showed them my passport and paid for my license without a test. But, yeah, you are likely correct that those folks in Mindanao do not bother with license.

Beadwindow2020
  6/10/2019 07:44 EST

Who is..."them?"

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