Driver's Licence
Learn about Alberta’s driver’s licence program.
- Residency Requirements for Operator’s Licence
- Alberta's Graduated Driver Licensing Program
- Licence Classes:
- Renewing an Operator's Licence
- Replacing a Lost or Stolen Operator's Licence
- Exchanging a non-Alberta Operator's Licence
- Driver Testing
- Change of Address for Driver’s Licence
- Licence Suspension
Basic Qualifications
When you apply for your operator’s licence or identification card, your registry agent must verify your identity through a strict identity confirmation process:- Anyone under 18 years of age that is not married or self-supporting must provide consent from a parent or guardian (a parent or guardian must provide consent for a first time licence applications or ID card)
- Individuals who have a vision impairment or a medical condition that may adversely affect their driving ability must discuss the matter with Driver Records by calling the toll-free RITE direct line at 310-0000 followed by 780-427-8230 (in some cases, a medical or vision report may be required for licencing)
- Individuals must be legal residents of Alberta (Note: To obtain an Alberta driver’s licence or identification card you must provide proof that you are lawfully entitled to live in Canada and that you live in Alberta. And if you are new to the province, you must apply for your Alberta driver’s licence within 90 days of moving here.)
Residency Requirements for Operator’s Licence
On July 17, 2006, changes came into effect regarding residency requirements for Alberta driver’s licences and identification cards. In order to obtain an Alberta driver’s licence or identification card, you must provide proof (i.e. visa, permanent resident card etc.) that you are lawfully entitled to be in Canada and proof (3 party residential lease agreement, letter from Alberta based employer etc.) that you are an Alberta resident. A registry agent cannot issue your driver’s licence or identification card unless they are satisfied that you are a legal resident of Alberta.
Please note that it is a criminal offence to provide false information on a driver’s licence or identification card application.
Alberta can cancel a driver’s licence or identification card if it is determined that the application contained misrepresentation, false information or inaccuracies:
- If you are a new resident in Alberta, you must obtain an Alberta driver’s licence within 90 days of moving to the province, regardless of whether you travel outside Alberta during those 90 days
- If you are working in Alberta but have your residence outside the province, you may continue to use the valid licence from your home jurisdiction
- If you are visiting Alberta, you may use your valid licence from your home jurisdiction as long as you have a legitimate residence there and do not take up residency in Alberta
- If you are visiting Alberta from outside Canada and using an International Driving Permit (IDP), you may drive in Alberta for up to 12 months using the IDP in conjunction with your valid home jurisdiction licence
- If you are staying in Alberta as a full time student or you are working here as part of a co-op program of study, you may use your valid driver’s licence from your home jurisdiction
Alberta's Graduated Driver Licensing Program
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) has changed the way new drivers are licensed in Alberta. The GDL program ensures new drivers, regardless of age, get the support, skills and experience they need to handle the complex task of driving. For common questions regarding the GDL program, please see the common questions section. For detailed GDL program information, please visit the Traffic Safety in Alberta website (external site).
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Licence Classes
| Class 1 Licence Permits an operator to drive: |
The minimum learning or licencing age is 18. Please click here for the on-line handbook 'Professional Operator's Licence Information for Tractor-Trailers, Buses, Large Trucks, Ambulances and Taxis'. |
| Class 2 Licence Permits an operator to drive: |
Requirements: vision screening, written and road test, and medical report, airbrake certificate for vehicle with airbrakes. Vehicle for road test: a bus with a seating capacity exceeding 24 including the operator. Please click here for the on-line handbook 'Professional Operator's Licence Information for Tractor-Trailers, Buses, Large Trucks, Ambulances and Taxis'. |
No holder of a Class 3 operator's licence shall operate a motor vehicle:
Requirements: vision screening, written and road test, airbrake certificate if the vehicle is equipped with airbrakes. Vehicle for road test: Any single motor vehicle having three or more axles. |
The minimum learning or licencing age is 18. Requirements: vision screening, written test, medical report, road test required if operator does not hold a class 1, 2, or 3 licence. Vehicle for road test: any two axle motor vehicle, excluding a motorcycle. Please click here for the on-line handbook 'Professional Operator's Licence Information for Tractor-Trailers, Buses, Large Trucks, Ambulances and Taxis'. |
No holder of a Class 5 operator's licence shall operate a motor vehicle:
The minimum learning age is 14. Requirements: road test. Vehicle for road test: any two axle motor vehicle excluding a motorcycle. |
The minimum learning or licencing age is 16. Requirements: Written test and vision screening and a road test for applicants with a Class 7 or if no licence presented. Written test, vision screening and skill test for applicants with a Class 5 or better. Vehicle for road test: motorcycle without sidecar. Please click here for:
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The minimum learning or licencing age is 14. Requirements: written test and vision screening. The electronic knowledge test is available in 9 languages in addition to english. They are Arabic, Chinese (Traditional), Farsi, French, Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog (Philippines), and Vietnamese. Please click here (pdf) for more detailed information. Please click here for:
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Renewing an Operator's Licence
Plan to renew your operator's licence before the expiry date arrives. You may renew your licence up to one year before the licence expires. Courtesy reminder renewal forms for operator's licences are generally mailed to clients six to eight weeks before the expiry of their licence. If you have lost the renewal notice or have not received one in the mail, you do not need this form in order to renew you licence.
Renewals must be done in person at any registry agent office. Only residents of Alberta are eligible to renew. Anyone 75 years or older is required to submit a medical report. Medical reports are also required for holders of Class 1, 2 and 4 licences and for all licences with a condition code "C". It is not legal to drive with an expired licence. Any licence that has been expired for more than 3 years will be subject to passing another written and road test before reinstatement. If the photograph on your licence is four or more years old, a new one will have to be taken.
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Replacing a Lost or Stolen Operator's Licence
If your licence has been lost, stolen, or destroyed, you may apply for a replacement by visiting a registry agent in person. You will be required to prove your identity through a strict identity confirmation process. You will receive an interim licence, valid for 30 days. Your new card will arrive in the mail within two weeks of your application date. For other useful information, please visit the Identity Theft section of this website.
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Exchanging a Non-Alberta Operator's Licence
A valid licence from another Canadian jurisdiction can be exchanged for an equivalent class (Classes 1 through 7). Testing is not normally required, but medical and vision requirements must be met. A medical and proof of vision screening is required for Class 1, 2 and 4 and may be required for all other classes if applicant has a medical condition that may affect their ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. Applicants must also meet the acceptable identification requiements.
A valid licence from the United States can be exchanged for a Class 5, 6, or 7 when the applicant is presenting a valid licence of equivalent class. All other classes requested would require testing and must provide applicable medical and vision screening. All applicants must present immigration and residency documentation and acceptable identification.
A valid licence from a country that has a reciprocal agreement with Alberta, includes Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain (excluding Northern Ireland), can be exchanged for a Class 5 when the applicant is presenting a valid licence of equivalent class. A Class 6 operator's licence shall be issued to valid Swiss Class A, A1 licence and a Japanese International driver's licence which permits the holder to operate a motorcycle. All other classes requested would require testing and must provide applicable medical and vision screening. All applicants must present immigration and residency documentation and acceptable identification.
Anyone coming from outside Canada and not from one of the reciprocal countries are required to meet the identification requirements, residency requirements and immigration qualifications. If they are exchanging a class 5 equivalent licence, they must undergo complete testing and must provide applicable medical and vision screening as required. All licences not in English must have a translation by an approved translator. All exchanged licences will be forwarded to the government for verification. Please see the Graduated Driver Licencing (GDL) Exemption Program user guide below for specific information on exchanging your out-of-country licence and obtaining GDL credit. The user guide outlines procedures for the most common countries submitted for exchange.
Note: Japanese licence exchanges must be completed at an approved (pdf) registry agent. Parental consent for applicants under 18 is required.
For further information regarding Non-Reciprocal licencing, please see the following information sheets:
- Fact Sheet: Reciprocal / Non-Reciprocal Licensing for Out of Country Drivers (pdf)
- Q & A: Reciprocal Licensing for Out of Country Drivers (pdf)
- User Guide: Graduated Driver Licencing (GDL) Exemption Program (pdf)
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Driver Testing
Road tests are conducted by licensed driver examiners, with scheduling arranged by the registry agents.
Road test fees are determined jointly by the registry agent and driver examiner, and can vary by location. The government receives a fixed amount of $5 per test, with the agent and examiner portions added to this.
It is recommended that you compare the services offered at various registries including scheduling, fees, cancellation and refund policies, and methods of payment.
For information regarding requirements for a road test, contact a registry agent. Agents will provide a road test information sheet that outlines a number of considerations including client eligibility, vehicle requirements, required documents, fees and cancellation/no-show policies.
For a listing of registry agents and the class(es) of road tests they provide, click here (pdf). The registry agent locations for road tests are based on the availability of driver examiners and are subject to change. Service charges and wait times for road tests vary by location so you are encouraged to compare locations before booking a road test.
For information on the advanced road test and approved locations please click here (pdf).
Registry agent contact information can be found here, or look in the SuperPages directory for these services under License and Registry Services.
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Change of Address for Driver's Licence
If you change your address, you are required by law to update the address information on your driver’s licence within 14 days. To do this, you may visit any registry agent.
To update your driver’s licence, you will be required to provide acceptable identification (in addition to the driver’s licence). There is a fee for the change of address service and for printing the new card; however, it may be possible for you to renew your licence at the same time, in which case you will pay only a renewal fee. For a list of fees, see the Registry Agent Product Catalogue.
The registry agent will retain your old licence and provide you with a temporary interim licence to use until your new licence arrives in the mail (7 to 10 business days). This interim licence will not have a photograph, so it is recommended that you carry some other form of photo ID (e.g., passport) if you anticipate requiring photo ID during these few days.
If you have not physically moved but your address has been changed by Canada Post or some other authority (for example, if Canada Post changes your postal code), provide the letter issued by Canada Post outlining this change and your change of address and new driver’s licence will be provided free of charge.
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Licence Suspensions
Persons convicted of violations under the Criminal Code of Canada, the Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Act, or the Traffic Safety Act, involving the operation or control of a motor vehicle may be suspended or disqualified from driving in accordance with limits stated in the Traffic Safety Act.
It is unlawful to be in possession of an operator's licence while it is suspended or disqualified. It is a serious offence to drive while unauthorized, punishable by law. See Vehicle Seizures. Only individuals who are in possession of a full, non-GDL drivers licence can apply for a restricted drivers licence due to a demerit suspension.
For further details, call the Driver Fitness and Monitoring Branch, toll-free from anywhere in the province, at 310-0000 followed by 780-427-8230 (Edmonton).
