Policy

All clients less than 18 years of age who are not married or self-sufficient must have their parent/guardian accompany them to the registry agent office to sign the application form or have a completed Consent for a Minor (REG3138) (pdf) form that has been signed (validated) by a registry agent when applying for the following services:

• Identification Card (ID).
• Driver’s licence (including a learner's licence).
  • Consent must be provided for a first application and for all operator reclassifications.
• Vehicle Registration.
  • Consent of the parent/guardian is required each time a minor registers a vehicle, or when the minor is making changes to the licence plate or vehicle on the registration. (Not required for vehicle renewals with no changes or duplicate registration certificates.)

Note:
Consent is not required when a minor is completing a knowledge test, however, a learner/driver’s licence must not be issued until consent is provided by the parent/guardian. It is recommended that a minor obtain consent from their parent/guardian prior to completing any knowledge testing.

Consent can only be provided by:

• Parent or step-parent.
• Guardian -  a person or institution that holds full responsibility for the care and well-being of the minor.
• Legal Guardian - a person or institution appointed by the court that holds full legal responsibility for the care and well-being of a minor, or an adult that lacks sufficient capacity to manage their own affairs.   
  • Social Worker for a permanent ward of the court.
  • Social Worker and a Foster Parent for temporary ward of the court.

Parent / Guardian Consent

Proof of parentage/guardianship is not required, however a registry agent may request proof if fraudulent activity is suspected. Some examples of acceptable proof of parentage/guardianship include:

• Birth certificate.
• Christening document.
• Guardianship order.
• Court document.

If the parent/guardian is in Alberta, the parent/guardian must accompany the minor to a registry agent office to sign:

• The Consent for a Minor (REG3138) (pdf) form for a knowledge test.
  or
• The parental consent section on the application for a driver’s licence, ID Card or vehicle registration.

Consent for a Minor (REG3138) Form

The Consent for a Minor (REG3138) (pdf) form allows a minor to obtain services in the event that the parent/guardian is unable to attend a registry agent office at the same time the minor will be obtaining a service, for example:

• Parent/guardian attends a registry agent office with minor who completes a knowledge test, but does not pass and is unable to have a driver’s licence service completed the same day.
• Minor does not have all required documents to complete the service requested, and parent/guardian is unable to attend a registry agent office with the minor a second time.

Once the Consent for a Minor (REG3138) has been completed and validated by a registry agent, the form does not expire.

Parent/Guardian Out of Alberta / In Another Location Within Alberta

When the parent/guardian is not in Alberta, the minor must:

• Arrange for the delivery of a completed Consent for a Minor (REG 3138) (pdf) form to a registry agent.
  • Either original mailed, emailed or faxed Consent for a Minor (REG 3138) (pdf) form are acceptable.
• Arrange for the delivery of a photocopy of the parent/guardian identification; see 2.05.02 Acceptable Identification/Enrolment.
  • One piece of identification must contain the parent/guardian photo, legal name and date of birth (e.g., Alberta operator's licence, passport, etc.).

When the parent/guardian is in Alberta, but unable to attend the same registry agent office with the minor, the parent may attend a different registry office to complete their portion of the Consent for a Minor (REG3138) form, and have it faxed or emailed directly to the registry agent office the minor will be attending. Best practice is for the registry agent who witnessed the parent/guardian signature to sign the Consent for a Minor (REG3138) form prior to sending it to the other registry office.

Married / Self Sufficient

Married or self-sufficient minors do not need to provide parent/guardian consent.

Minors must provide documentation confirming they are married or self-sufficient. Some examples of acceptable documents are as follows:

Married

• Marriage certificate or Civil Marriage Statement.

Self-supporting (documents must be in client's name and may be original or electronic)

• Residential lease / rental agreement, mortgage documents or a copy of a land title.
• Utility, gas or cable TV bill.
• Written confirmation of employment on company letterhead indicating full time employment (including contact name and telephone number).

Withdrawal of Consent

Parents/guardians have the right to withdraw their consent in writing at any time until the minor reaches the age of 18 years. If they withdraw consent for a driver’s licence or vehicle registration, the driver's licence privileges/vehicle registration will be suspended or cancelled. Identification cards will be cancelled. A parent/guardian can withdraw consent for a minor’s driver’s licence and/or vehicle registration and/or ID card when:

• Proof can be provided that the minor is not married or self-supporting.
  or
• The same parent/guardian who gave consent withdraws their consent for any reason.

A request to revoke consent for a driver’s licence is sent to Alberta Transportaion, Driver Fitness and Monitoring. A request to revoke consent for a vehicle registration or ID card is sent to Service Alberta, Motor Vehicles.  

Imaging 

All supporting documents must be sent for imaging; see the appropriate sub-section in 1.15 Imaging.