Acceptable Identification/Residency

A client must provide acceptable and sufficient identification (ID) when applying for a motor vehicle service.

Temporary documents and/or photocopies of documents are not acceptable. All documents must be originals and may be subject to verification with the issuing entity. All documents must be valid; expired documents are not acceptable.

There are two types of identification: primary photo identification and support documents. Primary photo identification is issued by municipal, provincial, or federal agencies and contains a photo, legal name, and date of birth. Support documents must contain at least two data elements such as name, date of birth, signature, address or legal presence.

Some examples of primary photo identification are (this is not an all-inclusive list):

Alberta driver’s licence/ID Card.
Photo driver’s licence (from another jurisdiction).
Photo identification card issued by another Motor Vehicle jurisdiction or government issued photo identification.
Citizenship, Immigration, Naturalization, or Permanent Resident Card.
Canadian Armed Forces Identification Card.
Passport.
Municipal, Provincial or Federal Police Force Identification.

Some examples of acceptable original support documents (certified documents are acceptable) are (this is not an all inclusive list):

Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate or Civil Marriage Statement.
Municipal, Territorial, Provincial, Federal Government Employee Card.
Chequing or saving account statements.
Cancelled cheque with imprinted name and address.
Utility, telephone, gas or cable TV bill in client’s name.
Property tax bill or receipt, land title or mortgage documents.
Income tax receipts.
Insurance documents (life, auto, residential, etc.).
Bankcard or credit card. (Bankcard must have name printed on the front)
Citizenship card.
Refugee travel document.
Student authorization.

Some examples of unacceptable support documents are:

Interim/temporary driver’s licence.
Business cards.
Cheque cashing cards.
Library card.
Video club membership cards.
Financial responsibility card (insurance).

Acceptable Residency

A resident of Alberta is a person who:

Is lawfully entitled to be or to remain in Canada.

and
Makes his or her home in, and is ordinarily present in Alberta.

Neither temporary documents nor photocopies of documents will be accepted; all documents must be originals.

Legal Presence Documents

The following primary documents (proof of legal presence) may be considered in determining if a client is lawfully entitled to be or to remain in Canada:

Valid Canadian passport.
Provincial/Territorial Government issued birth certificate.
Canadian Indian Status Card (Federal government issued).
Record of Landing.
Permanent Resident Card.
Canadian Citizenship Certificate.
Student Authorization (Federal government issued).
Employment Authorization (Federal government issued).
Visitor Record (Federal government issued).
- Issued to missionaries authorized to drive.
- Out of country spouses of Canadian citizens and Alberta residents (proof of marriage required).

Alberta Residency Documents

Some examples of original support Alberta residency documents (this is not an all- inclusive list) are:

Utility, telephone, gas or cable TV bill in client’s name.
Current bank and/or credit card statements.
Mortgage documents or residential lease containing a client’s physical address.
Income tax return.
Written confirmation of employment (including contact name and telephone number).
Written confirmation from an educational institution in Alberta indicating dependents are attending school.
Alberta Social benefits documents.
Land Title documents.

NOT ACCEPTABLE

Cell phone mail
Health Care Card
Blue Cross/ Hospital Cards

Driver's Licence

A person must apply for a driver's licence within 90 days of the date the person moved to Alberta to take up residence, regardless of whether the person travels outside Alberta during the 90 day period.

Non-Resident Student

A non-resident student is a person who:

Is ordinarily a resident of another province, state or country and has moved to Alberta to attend an educational institution on a full-time basis.
or
Is working in Alberta as part of a co-op program of study or internship program.

A non-resident student is exempt from the requirements to obtain an Alberta driver's licence when they:

Hold a valid driver's licence from their home jurisdiction.
A student may use their driver's licence to operate the same type or class of motor vehicle as authorized by their home jurisdiction.

Members of the Armed Forces

Members of the armed forces are not required to obtain an Alberta driver's licence when they have a valid driver's licence issued by their home state or country and are driving their privately owned vehicles. This policy applies to:

Members of Her Majesty's forces.
and
Members of armed forces of a country other than Canada who are in Canada under the Status of Forces Agreement (NATO).

Vehicle Registrations

A person must register their vehicle within 90 days of the date the person moved to Alberta to take up residence, regardless of whether the person travels outside Alberta during the 90 day period.

Non-Residents – Employment in Alberta

Clients who are non-residents of Alberta and are currently employed in Alberta are not required to register non-commercial vehicles when:

Their motor vehicle has valid registration and plates from their home jurisdiction.
The client has a valid financial responsibility card (insurance) relating to the motor vehicle.

183 Day Non-Resident Exemption

Clients who are non-residents of Alberta must register their vehicle when the vehicle is located in Alberta for a cumulative period of 183 days or more in a calendar year.