New to Alberta? Getting Your Licence in Edmonton

Just moved to Edmonton? Your licence from home will not cover you forever. The path to an Alberta licence depends on where your licence is from and how long you have driven.

Some newcomers simply trade their licence at a registry. Others need a knowledge test and a road test first. Every rule below comes from Alberta government pages, listed at the end.

You have 90 days

If you now live in Alberta permanently, you must exchange your licence within 90 days of becoming a resident. This applies even if you travel outside Alberta during those 90 days.

To exchange, you go to an Alberta registry agent. You must:

• surrender your licence from home, which will not be returned to you
• surrender any other licences you hold, including expired ones
• show proof that you live in Alberta
• show proof of your legal status in Canada

Visitors are different. A visitor can drive in Alberta on a valid licence from home for up to one year. If that licence is not in English, Alberta strongly recommends that you also carry an International Driver's Permit from your home country.

Path 1: A licence from another Canadian province or territory

If you hold a Class 3, 4, 5 or 6 licence from another province or territory, you get an Alberta licence of the same class. You do not need a knowledge test or a road test.

There is one catch. If you have held your Class 5 for less than 2 years, you may be placed in Alberta's Graduated Driver Licensing program, called GDL. If that happens, you can shorten your GDL probation by up to 6 months with a Class 5 driver training program from a licensed school, as long as you meet the other rules.

Path 2: A licence from a country with an agreement

Alberta has exchange agreements for Class 5 licences with a list of countries and regions. Examples include the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, France, Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand. The full list is on alberta.ca. Drivers from the United States can exchange a Class 5, 6 or 7 licence without extra testing, and drivers from Ukraine a class B or BE licence.

If your licence is from one of these places, you can get your Alberta licence without a knowledge test or a road test. To be issued a full Class 5, you must show proof of 2 or more years of driving experience.

Path 3: A licence from a country without an agreement

If your country is not on the list, this path applies. India, for example, is not on it at the time of writing. You need to pass both a knowledge test and a road test. Here are the steps:

1. Go to a registry office and take the Class 7 knowledge test.
2. Surrender all your valid and expired licences.
3. Show proof that you live in Alberta and proof of your legal status in Canada.
4. When you pass, you get a Class 7 learner's licence. The registry agent checks whether you can apply for the GDL Exemption Program and gives you the form.
5. Your licence, form and documents go to the Service Alberta Special Investigations Unit for review.
6. Visit a registry office again after 10 business days. The registry agent tells you if your application was accepted and, if you are eligible, books your road test.
7. Pass the Class 5 road test.

While your file is under review, you may drive with your Class 7. You must be supervised by a driver who is 18 or older and holds a full Class 5 licence or higher. If you are not eligible for the exemption, you keep following the Class 7 rules until you qualify for a Class 5.

After you pass the road test, the licences you surrendered decide what you get. With proof of 2 or more years of driving, you get a full Class 5. With less than 24 months, you get a Class 5 GDL. You can then shorten that probation by up to 6 months with an approved driver training course, if you meet the other rules.

The knowledge test in your language

The Class 7 knowledge test has 30 multiple choice questions, and you need 25 correct to pass. You can take it once a day, and you pay a fee each time. The questions come from Alberta's Driver's Guide.

The test is offered in 25 languages, including English, French, Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Tagalog, Arabic, Spanish, Ukrainian and Vietnamese. An audio version with headphones is also available.

Tips for the GDL Exemption Program

The GDL Exemption Program lets you use your driving history from outside Canada. If you are accepted, you can skip part or all of the usual waiting time as a learner or GDL driver, based on your years of experience. A few points from Alberta's instructions:

• Read the GDL Exemption User Guide first. Drivers from some countries must give extra proof of their driving history.
• Submit only original documents, not copies.
• Documents must be in English, or come with a translation from an Approved Document Translator.
• If you have an International Driver's Permit, you must surrender it with your licence.
• Your licence and documents will not be returned, and you will not get copies.

Getting ready for an Alberta road test

Alberta's road rules may differ from the ones you learned at home. The Class 5 road test takes about 45 minutes. More than 75 points is a fail, and some mistakes fail you right away. Three to review closely:

• Full stops. You must stop completely at a stop sign and before turning right on a red light.
• Uncontrolled intersections. You must slow down, look well and be ready to yield to drivers on your right.
• Speed. Going over the limit is an automatic fail. On Edmonton streets with no speed limit sign, the limit is 40 km/h.

How Edge can help

Edge Driving School has a course made for drivers who already hold a full Class 5, the For Class 5 Non GDL course. It includes 15 hours of theory and 6 hours of driving. That matches Alberta's minimum for drivers who already hold a full Class 5: at least 15 hours of classroom and 6 hours of driving. When you finish, the school gives you a Notice of Driver Education Course Completion. You may be able to use it for a discount on your car insurance.

• South Edmonton and Beaumont: $385 with in person theory, $435 with online theory
• North Edmonton and West Edmonton: $435 in person, $485 online
• Sherwood Park: $485 in person, $535 online

If you are placed in GDL, our Basic course has 15 hours of theory and 10 hours of driving, from $495 with in person theory in South Edmonton and Beaumont. We can also rent you a car for your road test. All prices are plus GST.

Our instructors speak English, Punjabi and Hindi. Every lesson includes free pickup anywhere in Edmonton, Sherwood Park or Beaumont.

See all Edge courses and prices

Do I need a road test if my licence is from another province?

No. A registry agent exchanges it for the same Alberta class, with no knowledge test or road test.

Can I take the knowledge test in Punjabi or Hindi?

Yes. Punjabi and Hindi are both among the 25 languages offered for the Class 7 knowledge test.

Can I drive while my GDL exemption is being reviewed?

Yes, with your Class 7 licence. A driver who is 18 or older with a full Class 5 licence or higher must be with you.

Ready to put this into practice?

Book your driving lesson with Edge Driving School Edmonton. Certified instructors, free pickup, flexible scheduling, Class 7 and Class 5 courses.