Moving from Alberta to British Columbia

1. 1

   Update your address and your Alberta programs

   Open this section ↓Close ↑

   Update your address with Canada Post (mail forwarding), CRA, Service Canada, Elections Canada, your bank, employer, and provincial agencies including your health card and driver's licence address.

   Full British Columbia change-of-address checklist →

   Alberta programs and benefits on the way out

   • “Benefits stop: the month after you leave Alberta to live permanently in another province or country” Alberta Seniors Benefit | Alberta.ca →

   ↑ Close this section
2. 2

   Health coverage: Alberta ends, British Columbia begins

   MSP (Health Insurance BC): The rest of the month you become a resident plus two more months. New and returning residents must complete the wait period; the only exemption is discharged Canadian Armed Forces members (and their spouses and children). Keep your previous provincial coverage active until MSP starts.Open this section ↓Close ↑

   Leaving Alberta

   • “If you are leaving Alberta permanently, you must cancel your Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) coverage.” Cancel your health card | Alberta.ca →
   • “When you move to another province or territory, you are covered by the AHCIP for the month you leave and for the next 2 months.” Cancel your health card | Alberta.ca →
   • “You should apply for coverage in your new province or territory as soon as possible as most health insurance plans require a 3-month residency waiting period.” Cancel your health card | Alberta.ca →

   Keep your old provincial health coverage active until your new coverage starts. Do not cancel it early.

   Arriving in British Columbia

   MSP (Health Insurance BC): The rest of the month you become a resident plus two more months. New and returning residents must complete the wait period; the only exemption is discharged Canadian Armed Forces members (and their spouses and children). Keep your previous provincial coverage active until MSP starts.

   Apply on arrival: Online, in person, or by mail.

   Official source → https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/health-drug-coverage/msp/bc-residents/eligibility-and-enrolment/how-to-enrol/coverage-wait-periodMoving to British Columbia: the full new-resident guide →↑ Close this section
3. 3

   Driver's licence: Alberta to British Columbia

   Exchange deadline in British Columbia: 90 days.Open this section ↓Close ↑

   Your Alberta licence

   • Alberta publishes no step for your Alberta licence when you leave. The province you move to takes it in when you exchange it. Update driving documents | Alberta.ca →

   Your British Columbia licence

   Exchange deadline in British Columbia: 90 days.

   Exchange your out-of-province licence within 90 days of becoming a BC resident at any ICBC driver licensing office.

   Testing is typically waived when exchanging a same-class Canadian licence.

   Official source → https://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/moving-bc/Pages/Moving-from-within-canada.aspx↑ Close this section
4. 4

   Your vehicle: cancel in Alberta, register in British Columbia

   You have 30 days to register and insure your vehicle in BC after becoming a resident.Open this section ↓Close ↑

   Cancel in Alberta

   • “To cancel your vehicle registration, go to a registry agent and fill out the Licence Plate / Parking Placard Cancellation form” Cancel a vehicle registration | Alberta.ca →
   • “A $10 (plus GST) cancellation fee will be deducted from the refund.” Cancel a vehicle registration | Alberta.ca →
   • “If you move to another province and exchange your licence plate, you can send a letter to a registry agent to cancel your registration and have the refund mailed to you.” Cancel a vehicle registration | Alberta.ca →

   Register in British Columbia: ICBC via an Autoplan broker

   Watch for: Because ICBC bundles registration and insurance, you cannot register the vehicle and then separately shop for insurance. Both are done in a single visit to an Autoplan broker.

   You have 30 days to register and insure your vehicle in BC after becoming a resident.

   Inspection: Designated Inspection Facility (DIF) inspection report. Confirm eligibility for the NWPTA exemption with your Autoplan broker before booking an inspection.

   ICBC is BC's public auto insurer. Registration and mandatory insurance are handled together at an Autoplan broker. You cannot separate these steps or use a private insurer for basic coverage.

   In BC, vehicle registration and mandatory insurance are handled together through ICBC. You must go to an Autoplan broker, not a government office.

   Official source: ICBC via an Autoplan broker → https://icbc.com/vehicle-registration/buy-vehicle/registering-a-vehicle-in-B-CBritish Columbia vehicle re-registration guide, with what to bring →

   Partner · Guidepost earns a commission

   Moving to a new place without a policy? Square One quotes tenant and home insurance online in British Columbia.

   ↑ Close this section
5. 5

   Federal updates and the December 31 rule

   CRA: update your mailing address via My Account at canada.ca or by calling 1-800-959-8281.Open this section ↓Close ↑

   • CRA: update your mailing address via My Account at canada.ca or by calling 1-800-959-8281. Direct deposit details stay the same.
   • Elections Canada: update your voter registration at elections.ca or at your nearest Elections Canada office.
   • Utilities, waste/recycling, transit passes, and school registration are set by your municipality: rules and providers vary by city. Check your city or municipal website for local services.

   Which province you were resident in for the year

   Your province or territory of residence is the province or territory where you lived or of which you were considered to be a factual resident on December 31 of the year.

   Your province or territory of residence - Canada.ca →

   If you need a replacement birth certificate, SIN confirmation letter, or passport, see the replace-documents guide for British Columbia-specific steps and agencies.

   British Columbia replace-documents guide →↑ Close this section
6. 6

   Your free AB to BC checklist

   Open this section ↓Close ↑

   British Columbia deadlines at a glance

   • □Driver's licence exchange: 90 days
   • □MSP (Health Insurance BC): apply on arrival
   • □Vehicle registration: 30 days
   • □Licence address update: BC requires you to notify ICBC of your new address within 10 days of moving. Update through ICBC online, by phone, or at an Autoplan broker.

   Leaving Alberta

   • □Health coverage: “If you are leaving Alberta permanently, you must cancel your Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) coverage.” Source →
   • □“When you move to another province or territory, you are covered by the AHCIP for the month you leave and for the next 2 months.” Source →
   • □“You should apply for coverage in your new province or territory as soon as possible as most health insurance plans require a 3-month residency waiting period.” Source →
   • □Driver's licence: Alberta publishes no step for your Alberta licence when you leave. The province you move to takes it in when you exchange it. Source →
   • □Vehicle: “To cancel your vehicle registration, go to a registry agent and fill out the Licence Plate / Parking Placard Cancellation form” Source →
   • □“A $10 (plus GST) cancellation fee will be deducted from the refund.” Source →
   • □“If you move to another province and exchange your licence plate, you can send a letter to a registry agent to cancel your registration and have the refund mailed to you.” Source →
   • □Programs and benefits: “Benefits stop: the month after you leave Alberta to live permanently in another province or country” Source →

   Arriving in British Columbia

   • □Update your address: British Columbia change-of-address checklist. Guide →
   • □Driver's licence: exchange within 90 days. Exchange your out-of-province licence within 90 days of becoming a BC resident at any ICBC driver licensing office. Source →
   • □Health card: apply for MSP (Health Insurance BC) on arrival. Online, in person, or by mail. Source →
   • □Coverage start: The rest of the month you become a resident plus two more months. New and returning residents must complete the wait period; the only exemption is discharged Canadian Armed Forces members (and their spouses and children). Keep your previous provincial coverage active until MSP starts. Source →
   • □Keep your old provincial health coverage active until your new coverage starts. Do not cancel it early.
   • □Vehicle: You have 30 days to register and insure your vehicle in BC after becoming a resident. Source →
   • □Inspection: Designated Inspection Facility (DIF) inspection report. Guide →
   • □ICBC is BC's public auto insurer. Registration and mandatory insurance are handled together at an Autoplan broker. You cannot separate these steps or use a private insurer for basic coverage.
   • □CRA: update your mailing address via My Account at canada.ca or by calling 1-800-959-8281. Direct deposit details stay the same.
   • □Elections Canada: update your voter registration at elections.ca or at your nearest Elections Canada office.
   • □Utilities, waste/recycling, transit passes, and school registration are set by your municipality: rules and providers vary by city. Check your city or municipal website for local services.
   • □Replace or obtain documents: British Columbia replace-documents guide. Guide →

   Download the AB to BC checklist as a PDF

   Printable, with every source beside its item. Free, no sign-in.

   Download this checklistPrint

   Free. General information only, not legal or regulatory advice.

   Keep it with the rest. This one files behind tab 3 of the Home File.

   ↑ Close this section
7. 7

   Common questions

   When does my Alberta health coverage end after I move to British Columbia?Open this section ↓Close ↑

   When does my Alberta health coverage end after I move to British Columbia?

   Alberta publishes it this way. “If you are leaving Alberta permanently, you must cancel your Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) coverage.” “When you move to another province or territory, you are covered by the AHCIP for the month you leave and for the next 2 months.” “You should apply for coverage in your new province or territory as soon as possible as most health insurance plans require a 3-month residency waiting period.” Keep your old provincial health coverage active until your new coverage starts. Do not cancel it early.

   How long do I have to exchange my Alberta licence in British Columbia?

   90 days. Exchange your out-of-province licence within 90 days of becoming a BC resident at any ICBC driver licensing office.

   Do I have to hand back my Alberta plates when I register the car in British Columbia?

   “To cancel your vehicle registration, go to a registry agent and fill out the Licence Plate / Parking Placard Cancellation form” “A $10 (plus GST) cancellation fee will be deducted from the refund.” “If you move to another province and exchange your licence plate, you can send a letter to a registry agent to cancel your registration and have the refund mailed to you.” In British Columbia: You have 30 days to register and insure your vehicle in BC after becoming a resident.

   Is there a free checklist for moving from Alberta to British Columbia?

   Yes. The checklist on this page lists what to cancel in Alberta and what to register in British Columbia, each item with its official source, and you can download it as a free PDF. It helps you plan the move; it is not legal advice.

   ↑ Close this section

When you are ready

Move Pack: dated plan and documents$9.99

Dated and done for you. Enter your move date below and the plan builds free; pay once to make the documents on this device.

• Your dated plan: every deadline computed from your move date, each with its official source
• The cancel-and-register sheet: leaving column and arriving column, in order
• The itemized cost for your pair: verified figures only, with what is excluded said plainly
• The who-to-notify set: federal, the province you leave, the province you arrive in
• Your first-week sheet: what closes within seven days and what to start

Made in your browser · Nothing you type is sent to us · Every line with its official source

Move Pack: dated plan and documentsAB to BC, made in your browser

YOUR DATED PLAN

Nothing you type here is sent to Guidepost. It stays in this browser, on this device.

The day you arrive

Enter your move date and every window below becomes a date.

1. DateAlberta health coverage ends

   “When you move to another province or territory, you are covered by the AHCIP for the month you leave and for the next 2 months.”

   Cancel your health card | Alberta.ca →
2. DateAlberta benefits stop

   “Benefits stop: the month after you leave Alberta to live permanently in another province or country”

   Alberta Seniors Benefit | Alberta.ca →
3. DateApply for MSP (Health Insurance BC)

   MSP (Health Insurance BC): apply on arrival

   MSP (Health Insurance BC) enrolment →
4. DateMSP (Health Insurance BC) coverage begins

   The rest of the month you become a resident plus two more months. New and returning residents must complete the wait period; the only exemption is discharged Canadian Armed Forces members (and their spouses and children). Keep your previous provincial coverage active until MSP starts.

   MSP (Health Insurance BC) enrolment →
5. DateExchange your licence in British Columbia

   Driver's licence exchange: 90 days

   British Columbia driver's licence exchange →
6. DateLicence address update in British Columbia

   Licence address update: BC requires you to notify ICBC of your new address within 10 days of moving. Update through ICBC online, by phone, or at an Autoplan broker.

   British Columbia change of address →
7. DateRegister your vehicle in British Columbia

   Vehicle registration: 30 days

   ICBC via an Autoplan broker: vehicle registration →

Move Pack: dated plan and documents$9.99

Dated and done for you: the plan above as five printable documents for Alberta to British Columbia, made on this device. What it unlocks:

• Your dated plan: every deadline computed from your move date, each with its official source
• The cancel-and-register sheet: leaving column and arriving column, in order
• The itemized cost for your pair: verified figures only, with what is excluded said plainly
• The who-to-notify set: federal, the province you leave, the province you arrive in
• Your first-week sheet: what closes within seven days and what to start

One payment, no subscription, nothing to cancel. Unlocked on this device; to unlock another device later, ask for your link on the recovery page with the email you pay with. Refund policy.

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See a sample (PDF): the five documents for a sample move from Ontario to Alberta

Informational guide only. Guidepost is not a law firm. This guide explains the typical process and is not legal advice. Requirements can change. Verify current rules with the relevant government authority or a qualified professional before you act.