Philippines on an Indian Licence 2026: 90 Days, Keep Right
India
Philippines
Yes. A valid Indian licence can be used in the Philippines for 90 days from arrival, with an IDP advised. The adjustments: India keeps left, the Philippines right, and Manila is dense.
For Indian travellers the Philippines is an approachable place to self-drive — your own licence works for the length of a normal holiday. The friction is not the paperwork. It is one change of side and one very busy capital.
The verdict on your Indian licence
You can drive in the Philippines on your valid Indian licence for 90 days from the date you arrive. A licence that is not in English needs an official English translation; Indian licences carry English, so this rarely applies. An International Driving Permit is still worth carrying, since rental desks like to see one: India issues it under the 1949 Geneva Convention, and it must be obtained in India before you travel. Staying longer than 90 days and still driving means getting a Philippine licence from the Land Transportation Office.
The side switch is the main thing
India drives on the left; the Philippines drives on the right. This is the change most likely to catch you out, and the risky window is your first day — pulling out of a hotel car park, turning across traffic, or a reflex look the wrong way at a junction. Take your first hour on quiet roads rather than central Manila, and stay deliberate at every turn until the new side stops feeling wrong.
Manila traffic is the real test
City and municipal streets are limited to 30 km/h (20 on crowded streets, 40 on through streets and boulevards), and those numbers are honest — jeepneys, tricycles and motorbikes filter through every gap, and seasonal flooding can close roads at short notice. Drive defensively and don’t assume right of way. On open country roads the car limit is 80 km/h; expressways carry their own posted limits.
Before you collect the car
For a private car the alcohol limit is 0.05 (India’s is 0.03); for motorcycles, trucks, buses and public utility vehicles it is zero. Stay dry behind the wheel. Download offline maps before you set off; signal is patchy outside the cities. The emergency number is 911.
Check the full rules on our Philippines driving guide, and confirm your paperwork with the Driving Permit Checker.
Sources
- Philippine Embassy in Bern (DFA), driving in the Philippines (90 days from arrival, English translation): bernepe.dfa.gov.ph
- Republic Act 4136, Land Transportation and Traffic Code, sec. 35 (speed limits): lawphil.net
- Republic Act 10586, Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act (0.05 BAC; zero for motorcycles, trucks, buses, public vehicles): officialgazette.gov.ph
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Philippine foreign-service posts state that a foreign driver's licence can be used for 90 days from the date of arrival; a licence not in English must be accompanied by an official English translation. Indian licences carry English, and an International Driving Permit, which India issues under the 1949 Geneva Convention, is a sensible extra for rental desks. To drive beyond 90 days you need a Philippine licence from the Land Transportation Office.
No. India drives on the left and the Philippines on the right, so you switch sides. This is the biggest adjustment, especially at junctions and when turning across traffic on your first day.
The Land Transportation and Traffic Code sets 30 km/h on city and municipal streets with light traffic, 40 on through streets and boulevards, and 20 on crowded streets. With jeepneys, tricycles and motorbikes sharing every lane in Manila, those numbers are close to the real traffic speed.