Moving from Alberta to Ontario

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 Ontario 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, Ontario begins

   OHIP: No waiting period: OHIP coverage is immediate (the 3-month wait was removed in 2020). You must be physically present in Ontario for at least 153 of the first 183 days of your coverage period.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 Ontario

   OHIP: No waiting period: OHIP coverage is immediate (the 3-month wait was removed in 2020). You must be physically present in Ontario for at least 153 of the first 183 days of your coverage period.

   Apply as soon as you arrive: ServiceOntario (in person or online).

   Official source → https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-ohip-and-get-health-cardMoving to Ontario: the full new-resident guide →↑ Close this section
3. 3

   Driver's licence: Alberta to Ontario

   Exchange deadline in Ontario: 60 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 Ontario licence

   Exchange deadline in Ontario: 60 days.

   You may drive on your existing out-of-province licence for up to 60 days after becoming an Ontario resident; after that you must exchange it for an Ontario licence.

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

   Official source → https://www.ontario.ca/page/exchange-out-province-drivers-licence↑ Close this section
4. 4

   Your vehicle: cancel in Alberta, register in Ontario

   You have 30 days from the date you became an Ontario resident to register your out-of-province vehicle. The 30 days comes from the Official MTO Driver's Handbook ("Vehicle insurance and registration"); the ServiceOntario service page does not state a day-count.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 Ontario: ServiceOntario

   Watch for: 13% Retail Sales Tax (RST) applies to private inter-provincial purchases. If you need to drive before getting the SSC and registration, you must purchase a 10-day Special Permit ($23.50) in person at ServiceOntario.

   You have 30 days from the date you became an Ontario resident to register your out-of-province vehicle. The 30 days comes from the Official MTO Driver's Handbook ("Vehicle insurance and registration"); the ServiceOntario service page does not state a day-count.

   Inspection: Safety Standards Certificate (SSC). Obtain the SSC from a licensed Ontario motor vehicle inspection station before registering.

   Official source: ServiceOntario → https://www.ontario.ca/page/register-out-province-vehicle-ontarioOntario 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 Ontario.

   ↑ 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 Ontario-specific steps and agencies.

   Ontario replace-documents guide →↑ Close this section
6. 6

   Your free AB to ON checklist

   Open this section ↓Close ↑

   Ontario deadlines at a glance

   • □Driver's licence exchange: 60 days
   • □OHIP: apply as soon as you arrive
   • □Vehicle registration: 30 days
   • □Licence address update: Ontario law requires you to update your driver's licence address within 6 days of moving. Update at ServiceOntario online or in person.

   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 Ontario

   • □Update your address: Ontario change-of-address checklist. Guide →
   • □Driver's licence: exchange within 60 days. You may drive on your existing out-of-province licence for up to 60 days after becoming an Ontario resident; after that you must exchange it for an Ontario licence. Source →
   • □Health card: apply for OHIP as soon as you arrive. ServiceOntario (in person or online). Source →
   • □Coverage start: No waiting period: OHIP coverage is immediate (the 3-month wait was removed in 2020). You must be physically present in Ontario for at least 153 of the first 183 days of your coverage period. Source →
   • □Keep your old provincial health coverage active until your new coverage starts. Do not cancel it early.
   • □Vehicle: You have 30 days from the date you became an Ontario resident to register your out-of-province vehicle. The 30 days comes from the Official MTO Driver's Handbook ("Vehicle insurance and registration"); the ServiceOntario service page does not state a day-count. Source →
   • □Inspection: Safety Standards Certificate (SSC). Guide →
   • □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: Ontario replace-documents guide. Guide →

   Download the AB to ON 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 Ontario?Open this section ↓Close ↑

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

   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 Ontario?

   60 days. You may drive on your existing out-of-province licence for up to 60 days after becoming an Ontario resident; after that you must exchange it for an Ontario licence.

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

   “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 Ontario: You have 30 days from the date you became an Ontario resident to register your out-of-province vehicle. The 30 days comes from the Official MTO Driver's Handbook ("Vehicle insurance and registration"); the ServiceOntario service page does not state a day-count.

   Is there a free checklist for moving from Alberta to Ontario?

   Yes. The checklist on this page lists what to cancel in Alberta and what to register in Ontario, 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 ON, 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 OHIP

   OHIP: apply as soon as you arrive

   OHIP enrolment →
4. DateOHIP coverage begins

   No waiting period: OHIP coverage is immediate (the 3-month wait was removed in 2020). You must be physically present in Ontario for at least 153 of the first 183 days of your coverage period.

   OHIP enrolment →
5. DateExchange your licence in Ontario

   Driver's licence exchange: 60 days

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

   Licence address update: Ontario law requires you to update your driver's licence address within 6 days of moving. Update at ServiceOntario online or in person.

   Ontario change of address →
7. DateRegister your vehicle in Ontario

   Vehicle registration: 30 days

   ServiceOntario: 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 Ontario, 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.