Moving from British Columbia to Alberta

1. 1

   Update your address and your British Columbia 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 Alberta change-of-address checklist →

   British Columbia programs and benefits on the way out

   • “BC PharmaCare coverage, including through Plan NP (National Pharmacare), is not available to B.C. residents once they move permanently from B.C. PharmaCare coverage cannot be claimed during a period of temporary MSP coverage in another province after your move.” Leaving BC Permanently - Province of British Columbia →

   ↑ Close this section
2. 2

   Health coverage: British Columbia ends, Alberta begins

   AHCIP (Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan): Coverage begins on the first day of the third month following the date you established residency in Alberta. During the gap you can continue using your health card from your previous province or territory when accessing health services.Open this section ↓Close ↑

   Leaving British Columbia

   • “If you plan to move permanently outside British Columbia, you must notify Health Insurance BC (HIBC) as soon as possible of the date of your departure and your new address.” Leaving BC Permanently - Province of British Columbia →
   • “If you are moving within Canada, MSP coverage will be provided for the rest of the month in which you leave the province plus two consecutive months. Coverage may be extended for up to three extra months while you are in transit. You should apply immediately to the health plan of your new province or territory when you arrive.” Leaving BC Permanently - Province of British Columbia →

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

   Arriving in Alberta

   AHCIP (Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan): Coverage begins on the first day of the third month following the date you established residency in Alberta. During the gap you can continue using your health card from your previous province or territory when accessing health services.

   Apply within 3 months of arriving: Online or at a registry agent.

   Official source → https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-moving-to-albertaMoving to Alberta: the full new-resident guide →↑ Close this section
3. 3

   Driver's licence: British Columbia to Alberta

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

   Your British Columbia licence

   • “When you apply for a driver’s licence in your new province or territory you will need to surrender your B.C. driver’s licence.” Leaving BC Permanently - Province of British Columbia →
   • “When you make a permanent move from B.C., your B.C. driver’s licence will remain valid for 90 days, enabling you a transitionary period to obtain a driver’s licence in your new jurisdiction.” Moving to, from or within B.C. →

   Your Alberta licence

   Exchange deadline in Alberta: 90 days.

   Exchange your out-of-province licence within 90 days of establishing Alberta residency at any Alberta registry agent.

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

   Official source → https://www.alberta.ca/exchange-non-alberta-licences↑ Close this section
4. 4

   Your vehicle: cancel in British Columbia, register in Alberta

   You have 90 days from becoming an Alberta resident to register your out-of-province vehicle.Open this section ↓Close ↑

   Cancel in British Columbia

   • “Our most important tip for cancelling your policy is to bring your licence plates to your broker - they are linked directly to your insurance.” Cancel your insurance →
   • “The sooner you cancel your licence plates and insurance, the more you may get back if you're eligible for a refund. A cancellation fee may apply.” Cancel your insurance →
   • “Before you leave B.C., go to an Autoplan broker to update your insurance.” Moving to, from or within B.C. →

   Register in Alberta: Authorized private registry agents

   Watch for: The OOPVI report is void if not presented to a registry agent within 14 days of the inspection date. A vehicle that fails must be re-inspected and re-presented within 10 days of the failure.

   You have 90 days from becoming an Alberta resident to register your out-of-province vehicle.

   Inspection: Out of Province Vehicle Inspection (OOPVI). Purchase the "Request for Vehicle Inspection" form from a registry agent before booking the inspection. Once issued, the OOPVI report must be presented for registration within 14 days, or it is void. A failed inspection must be re-presented within 10 days of the failure.

   Alberta handles vehicle registration through private authorized registry agents; there is no government office. Find an authorized agent through alberta.ca.

   Official source: Authorized private registry agents → https://www.alberta.ca/register-vehicleAlberta 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 Alberta.

   ↑ 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 Alberta-specific steps and agencies.

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

   Your free BC to AB checklist

   Open this section ↓Close ↑

   Alberta deadlines at a glance

   • □Driver's licence exchange: 90 days
   • □AHCIP (Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan): apply within 3 months of arriving
   • □Vehicle registration: 90 days
   • □Licence address update: Alberta requires you to update your driver's licence address within 14 days of moving. Visit any authorized private registry agent: there is no provincial government office for this.

   Leaving British Columbia

   • □Health coverage: “If you plan to move permanently outside British Columbia, you must notify Health Insurance BC (HIBC) as soon as possible of the date of your departure and your new address.” Source →
   • □“If you are moving within Canada, MSP coverage will be provided for the rest of the month in which you leave the province plus two consecutive months. Coverage may be extended for up to three extra months while you are in transit. You should apply immediately to the health plan of your new province or territory when you arrive.” Source →
   • □Driver's licence: “When you apply for a driver’s licence in your new province or territory you will need to surrender your B.C. driver’s licence.” Source →
   • □“When you make a permanent move from B.C., your B.C. driver’s licence will remain valid for 90 days, enabling you a transitionary period to obtain a driver’s licence in your new jurisdiction.” Source →
   • □Vehicle: “Our most important tip for cancelling your policy is to bring your licence plates to your broker - they are linked directly to your insurance.” Source →
   • □“The sooner you cancel your licence plates and insurance, the more you may get back if you're eligible for a refund. A cancellation fee may apply.” Source →
   • □“Before you leave B.C., go to an Autoplan broker to update your insurance.” Source →
   • □Programs and benefits: “BC PharmaCare coverage, including through Plan NP (National Pharmacare), is not available to B.C. residents once they move permanently from B.C. PharmaCare coverage cannot be claimed during a period of temporary MSP coverage in another province after your move.” Source →

   Arriving in Alberta

   • □Update your address: Alberta change-of-address checklist. Guide →
   • □Driver's licence: exchange within 90 days. Exchange your out-of-province licence within 90 days of establishing Alberta residency at any Alberta registry agent. Source →
   • □Health card: apply for AHCIP (Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan) within 3 months of arriving. Online or at a registry agent. Source →
   • □Coverage start: Coverage begins on the first day of the third month following the date you established residency in Alberta. During the gap you can continue using your health card from your previous province or territory when accessing health services. Source →
   • □Keep your old provincial health coverage active until your new coverage starts. Do not cancel it early.
   • □Vehicle: You have 90 days from becoming an Alberta resident to register your out-of-province vehicle. Source →
   • □Inspection: Out of Province Vehicle Inspection (OOPVI). 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: Alberta replace-documents guide. Guide →

   Download the BC to AB 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 British Columbia health coverage end after I move to Alberta?Open this section ↓Close ↑

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

   British Columbia publishes it this way. “If you plan to move permanently outside British Columbia, you must notify Health Insurance BC (HIBC) as soon as possible of the date of your departure and your new address.” “If you are moving within Canada, MSP coverage will be provided for the rest of the month in which you leave the province plus two consecutive months. Coverage may be extended for up to three extra months while you are in transit. You should apply immediately to the health plan of your new province or territory when you arrive.” 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 British Columbia licence in Alberta?

   90 days. Exchange your out-of-province licence within 90 days of establishing Alberta residency at any Alberta registry agent.

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

   “Our most important tip for cancelling your policy is to bring your licence plates to your broker - they are linked directly to your insurance.” “The sooner you cancel your licence plates and insurance, the more you may get back if you're eligible for a refund. A cancellation fee may apply.” “Before you leave B.C., go to an Autoplan broker to update your insurance.” In Alberta: You have 90 days from becoming an Alberta resident to register your out-of-province vehicle.

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

   Yes. The checklist on this page lists what to cancel in British Columbia and what to register in Alberta, 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

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Move Pack: dated plan and documentsBC to AB, made in your browser

YOUR DATED PLAN

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The day you arrive

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

1. DateBritish Columbia health coverage ends

   “If you are moving within Canada, MSP coverage will be provided for the rest of the month in which you leave the province plus two consecutive months. Coverage may be extended for up to three extra months while you are in transit. You should apply immediately to the health plan of your new province or territory when you arrive.”

   Leaving BC Permanently - Province of British Columbia →
2. DateBritish Columbia licence stops being valid

   “When you make a permanent move from B.C., your B.C. driver’s licence will remain valid for 90 days, enabling you a transitionary period to obtain a driver’s licence in your new jurisdiction.”

   Moving to, from or within B.C. →
3. DateApply for AHCIP (Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan)

   AHCIP (Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan): apply within 3 months of arriving

   AHCIP (Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan) enrolment →
4. DateAHCIP (Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan) coverage begins

   Coverage begins on the first day of the third month following the date you established residency in Alberta. During the gap you can continue using your health card from your previous province or territory when accessing health services.

   AHCIP (Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan) enrolment →
5. DateExchange your licence in Alberta

   Driver's licence exchange: 90 days

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

   Licence address update: Alberta requires you to update your driver's licence address within 14 days of moving. Visit any authorized private registry agent: there is no provincial government office for this.

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

   Vehicle registration: 90 days

   Authorized private registry agents: vehicle registration →

Move Pack: dated plan and documents$9.99

Dated and done for you: the plan above as five printable documents for British Columbia to Alberta, 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

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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.