3.10.22 Ukraine Driver's Licence

Policy

Clients originating from Ukraine (UA), who are lawfully entitled to be or to remain in Canada and have now established residency in Alberta may exchange their valid UA Class B or BE driver’s licence for an Alberta Class 5 driver’s licence.

Clients who have held a UA Class CE licence within the last 10 years and have a valid work permit with the remark “CUAET/AVUCU” may be eligible to obtain an Alberta Class 1 if they meet the licensing requirements below.

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

Expired Licenses

When a client is surrendering an expired UA driver's licence (even when the licence has not been expired more than three years), an official document from the Ukraine consulate must be provided. The document must:

  • Include details on the content of the driver’s licence.
  • Be dated within the last 90 days.

Expired Less than Three Years

A knowledge or road test is not required provided the UA driver's licence has not been expired for more than three years.

Expired More than Three Years

When a UA driver's licence has been expired for more than three years, the client must complete a vision screening, knowledge and road test; see 3.00.01 Driver Licence Classifications.

Condition/Restriction Codes

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

Note:
Alberta does not recognize UA air brake certificates/endorsements. UA Class CE driver’s seeking an Alberta Class 1 driver’s licence must present an Alberta Notice of Air Brake Program Completion form (DPLS0005) and successfully complete an airbrake knowledge test as part of their eligibility requirements. 

Medicals

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

  • Client’s who have recently held a UA Class CE licence and are now seeking to obtain an Alberta Class 1 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 2.05.02 Acceptable Identification/Enrolment.
  • Be 18 years of age or older.
  • Meet all licence class requirements for the class of driver's licence being applied for; see 3.00.01 Driver Licence Classifications.
  • Pass a vision screening and disclose all medical conditions/physical disabilities that may affect their ability to safely operate a motor vehicle; see 3.05.05 Medicals/Visions.
  • Provide proof of date first licenced or length of time licenced to determine if they should be placed in the GDL Program; see 3.20.02 Graduated Driver Licence (GDL) Program and 3.05.04 Date First Licenced (DFL).
  • Surrender their UA driver's licence and International Driver’s Permit (IDP), if applicable.
    • When a client has lost their UA driver’s licence, an official document from the Ukraine consulate (not dated more than 90 days) detailing the content of the driver’s licence may be accepted in place of the lost driver’s licence. 
    • If the driver’s licence or supporting documentation is not in English, an official written English translation must be provided.

In addition to the above requirements, clients who have held a UA Class CE licence and have a valid work permit containing the remark “CUAET/AVUCU” may be eligible to obtain an Alberta Class 1 licence if they meet the following requirements. The client must:

  • Present a valid work permit with the remark “CUAET/AVUCU”.
  • Provide proof of length of time licenced in Class CE to determine which Class 1 Learning Pathway training they are required to complete or if the training requirement is waived; see 3.20.06 Class 1 Learning Pathway.
    • Prior to issuing an Alberta Class 1 driver’s licence, see Table 1 – Class 1 Equivalencies for Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT) below.
  • Pass a Class 1 knowledge test.
  • Pass an Air Brake knowledge test.
    • Client must provide their Notice of Air Brake Program Completion form (DPLS0005) to be eligible to take the Air Brake Knowledge Test.
  • Pass a Class 1 road test.

Table 1 – Class 1 Equivalencies for Class 1 Learning Pathway

Jurisdiction Class of Licence Length of time Licenced in Class Class 1 Knowledge and Road Test? Class 1 Learning Pathway?
UA CE < Two years of Class CE driving experience within the last 10 years Yes Yes
Two to Five years of Class CE driving experience within the last 10 years Yes Yes (The Experience and Equivalency Program)
> Five years of Class CE driving experience within the last 10 years Yes No
  • If a client held a UA Class CE driver’s licence for less than two years within the last 10 years, the client must complete a Class 1 knowledge and road test and the full Class 1 Learning Pathway.
  • If a client held a UA Class CE driver’s licence for two to five years within the last 10 years, the client must complete the Class 1 Learning Pathway, but is eligible to apply to the Experience and Equivalency MELT Program (EEP); see 3.20.06 Class 1 Learning Pathway.
  • If a client held a UA Class CE driver’s licence for more than five years within the last 10 years, the client is not required to complete the Class 1 Learning Pathway.   
    • The client must still complete the Class 1 knowledge and road test, vision-screening, driver’s medical and air brake training.
    • A registry agent must enter the MANLOOP1 milestone in the MLSTN field. The Alberta driver’s licence will print with no designation.
      • Enter the MLSTN field requirements in the following format: MANLOOP1/CREDIT/today’s date.

A registry agent must:

  • Send a copy of the UA licence (front and back) and support documents, if applicable, to Motor Vehicles immediately after completing the service.
  • Forward the surrendered UA licence, International Driver’s Permit (IDP), and copies of supporting documents, if applicable, to the Special Investigations Unit for authentication on a weekly basis.
  • Record details on the MOVES application form when a client's driver's licence has been lost, stolen or destroyed.

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 UA 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 1.15 Imaging.


Date Originally Issued: Apr 18, 2023
Date Last Revised: Apr 08, 2025