- Commercial Registrations
- Special Registrations
- Antique Vehicles
- Dealer Plates
- Ham Radio Operator Plates
- Special Registration Programs
- Prorate Program
- Quarterly Licensing Program
- Permanent Fleet Program
- Specialty Vehicles
- Modified/Homemade/Amalgamated Vehicles, Trailers & Motorcycles
- Converted Buses
Motor Vehicle Services
All motor vehicle services will require acceptable identification.
For information regarding the following services go to the Service Alberta website.
- First Time Registration
- Transferring Registration
- Renewing Registration
- Change of Address on Registration
- Lost or Stolen Licence Plate/Year Tab
- Canceling a Registration
- Veterans Licence Plates
- Personalized Licence Plates
- Disabled Placards/Licence Plates
- Intransit Permit
- Vehicle Seizures
- Vehicle Information Report
Commercial Registrations
For commercial registrations you may be asked to provide one or more of the following:
- Gross Vehicle Weight
- Safety Fitness Certificate (SFC)
- A Safety Fitness Certificate (SFC) is required for a:
- Commercial vehicle with a registered gross weight of 11,794 kg or more.
- A vehicle (bus) designed to carry 11 passengers or more (including the driver)
- A farm plated vehicle with a weight of 4501 kg or more and travels outside of Alberta.
- Commercial Inspection
- Tractor trailers, trucks and trailers with a combined weight of 11,794 kg must be inspected annually
- Vehicles originally designed to seat 11 or more persons (including the driver) must be inspected semi-annually. Included in this category are:
- Commercial Bus.
- Commercial School Bus.
- Commercial passenger van (e.g., 12 & 15 passenger van).
- Exemption Permit
- A client must obtain an Exemption Permit when their school bus does not meet all legislated school bus requirements in accordance with:
- Alberta Traffic Safety Act.
- Federal Vehicle Equipment Regulation.
- Canadian Standard Association.
- Operating Authority
- All commercial buses, including passenger vans, regardless of the seating capacity require an Operating Authority Certificate.
- Operating Authority Certificates are not required for the following:
- A commercial vehicle with a seating capacity of 15 or less (including the driver) and is operated as a taxi.
- Funeral service.
- School bus service.
- Transit bus service operated by or on behalf of a municipality.
- Airport passenger service.
- A commercial vehicle with a seating capacity of 10 or less (including the driver), that receives no compensation and the passengers are:
- Employees or contract workers of the registered owner.
- Members of the registered owner.
- Other persons satisfactory to the Board.
Special Registrations
Antique Vehicles
The antique plate class is used to register a vehicle (which includes motorcycles):
- At least 25 years old.
- Only operated as a collector’s item in exhibitions, club activities, parades and transportation to and from these activities.
- Driven to and from a garage for servicing.
- Never used for general transportation.
Dealer Plates
Dealer licence plates are issued to:
- Manufacturers of motor vehicles.
- Dealers of motor vehicles.
- Clients engaged in the business of servicing motor vehicles.
A dealer licence plate is affixed to a vehicle which is:
- Kept for sale by a manufacturer or dealer.
- Used by manufacturers, dealers or their employees/agents for:
- Testing.
- Servicing.
- Promotion of sales.
- Personal use.
- Not for hire.
- Not carrying freight other than goods that are the property of the vehicle owner or the employee/agent using the vehicle for personal use.
Ham Radio Operator Plates
Ham radio operator plates may be issued to clients that maintain a valid Amateur Radio Operator Certificate issued by Industry Canada.
Ham radio operator plates must bear the ham radio operator’s call letters as displayed on their Amateur Radio Operator Certificate issued by Industry Canada.
Special Registration Programs
Prorate Program
Alberta is a member of the International Registration Plan (IRP), a reciprocity registration agreement among Canadian and US jurisdictions. This program applies to Alberta carriers who travel in Alberta and at least one other province or state. Rather than obtaining and paying for plates and registration in each jurisdiction, prorate offers the advantage of proportionate licensing in Alberta.
As part of the IRP, the Alberta Transportation, Prorate Services’ office calculates registration fees for prorate approved commercial vehicles. The fees are calculated based on the percentage of total distance travelled within each jurisdiction. All prorated registrations expire on March 31 of each year.
For more information please call Prorate Services at 403-297-2920 or go to their website http://www.transportation.alberta.ca.
Quarterly Licensing Program
The Quarterly Licensing Program is used by clients:
- Who have an annual registration fee of $500 or more and want to split their registration into a quarterly rate.
or: - Whose vehicles are part of the Permanent Fleet Program.
Clients cannot register or renew their vehicle registrations for less than one full quarter.
Quarterly registration periods are:
- January 1 to March 31.
- April 1 to June 30.
- July 1 to September 30.
- October 1 to December 31.
Permanent Fleet Program
To qualify for the Permanent Fleet Program, clients must have 10 or more commercial vehicles registered at all times within a fleet. Qualifying clients:
- Have the option to register/renew their vehicles quarterly, semi-annually or annually.
- May group specific vehicles into separate fleets and have each fleet expire at different periods.
Permanent fleet clients are automatically set up on an annual basis with a registration expiry date of December 31 regardless of the client’s/company’s last name.
Clients have the option to change this expiry date to quarterly or semi-annually. Registration expiry dates available are as follows:
- March 31
- June 30
- September 30
- December 31
The following do not qualify for the Permanent Fleet Program:
- Prorated vehicles
- Trailers
- Dealers
Specialty Vehicles
Modified/Homemade/Amalgamated Vehicles, Trailers & Motorcycles
Modified, homemade and amalgamated vehicles, trailers and/or motorcycles are assembled from new and/or used parts.
The licence plate class issued for a modified, homemade and amalgamated vehicle, trailers and/or motorcycle is determined by the use of the vehicle.
In addition to the requirements noted for the applicable licence plate class, the following must also be presented by the client if the vehicle, trailer and/or motorcycle is assembled from used or new parts without a vehicle identification number:
- A processed Assigned Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Application form from the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC).
Depending on the vehicle, trailer and/or motorcycle an inspection may be required.
- Vehicles, trailers and/or motorcycles with unusual operating characteristics must be referred to Alberta Transportation Safety Branch for an inspection to ensure compliance with basic equipment requirements.
Converted Buses
A converted bus includes buses converted for:
- Personal use.
- Recreational use.
- Office use.
- Employee accommodations.
The licence plate class issued for a converted bus is determined by the use of the vehicle.