4.55.09 Vehicle Registration Cancel

Policy

ATTENTION:
Please refer to COVID-19 Emergency Interim Policies which provides details for temporary exceptions to this policy.

A vehicle registration cancel service is processed when a client requests cancellation of their active vehicle registration. The request must be made in person when the client is in Alberta or in writing when the client is out of province (either mailed or faxed directly to the registry agent).

Cancellation Requirements

To cancel a vehicle registration, a client must:

A registry agent must:

  • Ensure lost or stolen licence plates are reported to law enforcement prior to completing the registration cancel service.
  • Enter the Licence Plate / Parking Placard Cancellation Declaration (REG3106) as a support document to the service.
  • Complete an additional plate processing service for plates being declared lost, stolen, destroyed or returned; see 4.55.10 Additional Plate Processing.
    • An additional plate processing service is not required for plates / placards being retained by the registered owner, or if the number of plates / placards returned was entered in the cancellation service.

Out of Province Cancellation Requirements

When the client is out of province, they may:

  • Mail or fax the completed Licence Plate/Parking Placard Cancellation Declaration (REG3106) form (pdf) or a written request containing the following elements directly to the registry agent office:
    • Date.
    • Name of registered owner(s).
    • Current address.
    • Identification type and number.
    • Licence plate number
      • If the licence plate is not returned with the request, the client must provide an explanation of what happened to the licence plate.
    • Signature.
      • For information on joint client signatures, see 2.00.01 Client Types.

The registry agent must:

Surrendered Licence Plates / Vehicle Registration Certificates

Licence Plates

  • The surrendered licence plate(s) must be stored in a secure area until a sufficient number have been accumulated for destruction; see 1.05.03 Records Retention and Disposal.
  • When licence plates are recorded as returned on MOVES, the plates cannot be re-activated.
  • Licence plates returned by a third party are not recorded on MOVES. They are sent directly for destruction.

Vehicle Registration Certificates

Surrendered Vehicle Registration Certificates must be destroyed immediately.

Refunds

Full Refund

  • A full refund refers only to the government fee, not the registry agent service fee.
    • If an Electric Vehicle (EV) Tax was paid when registering the vehicle, the full amount of the tax would also be refunded.
  • Full refunds are issued when a client cancels their vehicle registration prior to its effective date (renewed early).
  • To obtain a full refund, send a request on behalf of the client to Motor Vehicles, and include the following:

System Generated Refund

  • A refund is generated for any remaining credit owed to a client on the unexpired portion of a registration being cancelled, less the $10.00 administration fee and GST.
  • When the registration on an electric vehicle is cancelled, a refund is also generated for any remaining credit owed in relation to an electric vehicle tax that was paid at the time of registration.
  • A refund will be issued when the remaining amount is $5.00 or more.
  • A refund credit can be applied towards another MOVES service if the client requires another service to be processed. However, if the credit is related to EV Tax and there is an alert on the clients file stating they had received a rebate for EV Tax from Tax and Revenue Administration, the credit must not be applied to another service. A registry agent must process the relevant service in its own transaction envelope with no other services included. 
    • The only exception is when a vehicle transfer or exchange service is processed for the vehicle that a rebate was already issued for, where the registration is changing from an electric vehicle to a non-electric vehicle and MOVES automatically applies the credit amount to the government fee cost of the transfer/exchange. 
    • Any refunds generated by MOVES for an EV Tax where the client has already received a rebate for the same tax will not be mailed to the client.

Fees

For vehicle registration cancellation fees see the Registry Agent Product Catalogue (pdf).

Imaging

The signed Licence Plate/Parking Placard Cancellation Declaration form and all applicable supporting documents must be sent for imaging; see the appropriate sub-section in 1.15 Imaging.


Date Originally Issued: Nov 14, 1989
Date Last Revised: Feb 13, 2025