Driver's License Renewed in just less than 2 hours

You can even do that during your lunch break!

I have never been a delinquent citizen. For the past years, I have always been on time in all kinds of payment and renewals of whatever is needed to be renewed.

Imagine my surprise when just this week, I found out while having lunch with friends that I had forgotten to renew my driver's license which expired last March of this year.

I was flabbergasted. Although I really don't drive regularly I mean not everyday, I think I drove our car just this June.
Imagine if I was apprehended at that time. That would be driving with an expired license. That's so irresponsible of me.

Anyway, as soon as I found out I checked with a friend because I heard LTO has office in SM North Edsa.
Good thing they still have it there when I checked their facebook account. It's in front of Our Home besides Crave Burger.

I went there at around a quarter before 12 noon. They do have lunch breaks.
First step is you have the Drug Test and Medical first.
And you can do it there because that's just beside the LTO.
So after filling out the forms and paying it, we were asked to return at 1PM for the next step. Well that's good because we really need to eat lunch first. We tried Crave Burger just besides their office.

After lunch, we went next door for the next step.

They are very efficient there. They have what they call 4 easy steps to get the Drug Test and Medical Test.
First you fill out the forms which is many. I mean like 8 long forms. Submit and pay for it. Mine is P400.
Second you wait for the biometrics and picture-taking which includes specimen collection which we did after lunch.
Third you do the medical.
Lastly, you wait for the result.
It took me about an hour of wait.

After that, you go to the next door which is the LTO office.
Another very efficient office. They are really fast in here.
Another 4 easy steps.
First you fill out another form and then you submit the Drug and Medical results including your expired license or soon-to-be expired license.
(Please take note that they only accept renewal of license less than 2 years. If more than 2 years, you have to go to their Main office. You also go to the Main for change of status.
Second your name will be called for the picture taking and signing.
Third you pay at the Cashier. Mine is P595 (Breakdown is License Fee: P350, Penalty for Late Registration: P75, Revisions of Record: P100 (I had my address changed)
Computer Fee: P57.65. Total is P592.63.
Lastly you wait for the receipt and your driver's license.
It took me 15 minutes to do it.

Job well done to LTO SM North.
I hope all government agencies are like them.
I wouldn't mind paying extra for a service as efficient as that.