Policy

Clients originating from the United States who are lawfully entitled to be or to remain in Canada and have now established residency in Alberta may exchange their valid US driver's licence for an Alberta Class 5, 6 or 7 driver's licence.

Note:
United States Department of State driver's licences, issued on behalf of the Office of Foreign Missions (OFM), must not be exchanged for an Alberta driver's licence.

Expired Licenses

When a client is surrendering an expired US driver's licence, an official written confirmation letter from the US licensing authority detailing the content of the driver's licence must be submitted (even when the licence has not been expired for more than 3 years).

Expired Less than 3 Years
A knowledge or road test is not required provided the US driver's licence has not been expired for more than 3 years.

Expired More than 3 Years
When a US driver's licence has been expired for more than 3 years, the client must complete a vision screening, knowledge and road test; see Driver Licence Classifications – Section 3.00.01.

Condition/Restriction Codes

When the US driver's licence has a condition/restriction code, an equivalent Alberta condition/restriction code must be placed on the Alberta driver's licence; see Condition Codes/Endorsements – Section 3.00.02.

Note:
Alberta does not recognize US air brake certificates/endorsements.

Medicals

The following clients must submit a medical report before exchanging their US driver's licence:

• Clients with a medical condition or physical disability that may affect their ability to drive.
• Clients who are 75 years of age or older.

Licensing Requirements

A client must:

• Provide acceptable identification; see Acceptable Identification/Enrolment - Section 2.05.02.
• Be 18 years of age or older.
  • When the client is less than 18 years of age, consent for a minor or proof of self-sufficiency or marriage, as is applicable, is required; see Minor - Consent/Self Sufficiency - Section 2.00.02.
• Meet all licence class requirements for the class of driver's licence being applied for; see Driver Licence Classifications – Section 3.00.01.
• Pass a vision screening and disclose all medical conditions/physical disabilities that may affect their ability to safely operate a motor vehicle; see Medicals/Visions – Section 3.05.05.
• Provide proof of date first licenced or length of time licenced to determine if they should be placed in the GDL Program; see Graduated Driver Licence (GDL) Program – Section 3.20.02 and Date First Licenced (DFL) – Section 3.05.04.
• Surrender their US driver's licence and International Driver’s Permit (IDP), if applicable.
  • When a client has lost their US driver’s licence, an official written confirmation (not dated more than 90 days) from the licensing authority detailing the content of the driver’s licence may be accepted in place of the lost driver’s licence. 

To issue an Alberta driver's licence, see 3.15.02 Out of Province Operator First.

A registry agent must:

• Send a copy of the US licence (front and back) and support documents, if applicable, to Motor Vehicles immediately after completing the service.
• Forward the surrendered US licence and International Driver’s Permit (IDP), if applicable, to the Special Investigations Unit for authentication.
• Record details on the MOVES application form when a client's driver's licence has been lost, stolen or destroyed.
  • An official written confirmation letter from the US licensing authority detailing the content of the driver's licence must be submitted in lieu of the lost, stolen or destroyed driver's licence.

Note:
A US driver's abstract must not be accepted in lieu of the official written confirmation letter.

Additional Requirements

In addition to the requirements mentioned above, a client may have to provide one or more of the following documents:

• A completed knowledge and/or road test permit when special restrictions are indicated on their US driver's licence such as area, speed or hours of operation.

Imaging

All supporting documents including confirmation letters must be sent for imaging; see the appropriate sub-section in Imaging – Section 1.15.

Date Originally Issued: Nov 14, 1989
Date Last Revised: Feb 22, 2022