Alberta allows online driver's licence and ID card renewals
Starting Tuesday, eligible Albertans will be able to renew their driver's licences and identification cards online using the province's eServices platform.
To be eligible to renew online, driver's licence and identification cardholders must be 18 to 75 years old, live in the province, have a driver's licence that is not suspended, and hold an ID that has not been expired for more than six months.
First-time licence applicants will be required to apply at a registry office. Additionally, if any changes to an ID card need to be made, like a new address, height, or sex, the renewal will need to happen in person at a registry.
Drivers requiring a medical examination will not be eligible to renew their licence this way.
Nate Glubish, minister of Service Alberta, announced the new online option for ID renewals on Monday, saying it helps cut red tape and make the process more efficient.
"This is a service that affects nearly every Albertan," Glubish said. "Now Albertans will have yet another choice with more convenience to renew their licences on their phone or computer, whatever time it is, wherever they are and have their new card arrive just days later."
To renew online, Albertans will need to register for a free account with MyAlberta eServices. Once logged into the online portal, Albertans will select which registry agent they wish to be the partner that will "fulfill" their online renewal request.
"I think Albertans are very used to logging into their online banking accounts," Glubish said. "This will be very similar to that and will be designed with the highest degrees of standards of the Alberta government's security and online protocols to protect the privacy of Albertans."
Glubish also said the province will now allow Albertans to keep their old expired photo ID to be used alongside a temporary driver's licence.
"Albertans will now remain in possession of photo ID through the renewal process," the minister said. "We know how one of the biggest inconveniences around renewing a licence is having to surrender the old cards to a registry agent at the time of renewal and having to rely on a temporary paper licence.
"I am happy to say that we are getting rid of this inconvenience for those who have an existing card that they are simply renewing," he added. "Instead, Albertans will now be asked to destroy their old photo ID cards as soon as their new one arrives in the mail."
The ID holder's photo, signature, and demographic data, including organ donor status, will automatically be reapplied to the new licence when renewing online. Photos and signatures will need to be updated in person at a registry office every nine years.
According to Glubish, law enforcement was consulted before the change and police services are "comfortable" with the new approach that is consistent with other provinces.
"It will remain an offence to be in possession of more than one driver's licence or ID card at a time," Glubish said.
"You can retain the old ID for the purposes of having a photo ID, but that ID itself will not be valid because it is expired," he added. "You will still need the temporary ID to demonstrate that you will have a valid ID."
A temporary driver's licence or ID renewal receipt can be downloaded and saved to a mobile device or printed when renewing online.
Albertans will still have the option to renew their ID in person at any registry office if they prefer, Glubish added.
When asked if the changes to ID renewals could result in the loss of registry agent jobs, Glubish said the online service is in "collaboration" with registries and not being offered in "competition" with them.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
3 Indian nationals accused of murdering Hardeep Singh Nijjar facing court in B.C.
Three Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are due to face court Tuesday over the killing that triggered a major diplomatic rift with India.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.