Married Women Report Issues Renewing Alberta Driver’s Licences
Some Alberta drivers are facing unexpected difficulties when renewing their driver’s licences under the province’s new three-in-one identification card system, particularly when their legal documents show different names.
Expired Passport and Name Mismatch Create Problems
Orme went to a registry office with her old driver’s licence, health care card, birth certificate and expired passport, expecting to complete her renewal. However, registry staff told her the documents were not sufficient.
Because her birth certificate shows a former married name, she was asked to provide the original marriage certificate from her first marriage. Orme said she no longer has that document.
Her expired passport could not be used as an alternative.
She was instead given an application to obtain a replacement marriage certificate. According to Orme, the replacement costs $45 and could take approximately 45 days to arrive.
The delay could create a serious problem because Orme drives for work and her current licence expires on her birthday, August 30.
She also pointed out that she is already facing additional expenses before even paying the regular driver’s licence renewal fee.
Alberta’s New Three-in-One Identification Card
Since July 2, Albertans renewing a driver’s licence also have their health care number and citizenship marker included on the document.
The Alberta government says citizenship can be verified using documents such as:
- A birth certificate
- A valid passport
- A citizenship certificate
- A NEXUS card
However, some married women are experiencing complications because their identification documents do not always carry the same surname.
A birth certificate may contain a maiden or previous name, while a driver’s licence may show a current married name.
Another Alberta Driver Faces the Same Issue
Wendy Oszust encountered a similar situation when attempting to renew her licence.
Her birth certificate and driver’s licence show different names, meaning she needed either a valid passport or her marriage certificate to complete the process.
Oszust’s passport has expired, and after more than 40 years of marriage, she said she no longer knows where her original marriage document is.
She has now applied for a replacement marriage certificate through a registry office and paid the required fee. She must wait for the document to arrive by mail before moving forward with the renewal.
Alberta Government Urges Drivers to Prepare Early
In response to concerns about the new requirements, the province is asking Albertans to remain patient with registry agents and ensure they bring the necessary documentation when renewing their identification.
The Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction ministry says reminders are being sent approximately 60 days and 30 days before cards expire. The goal is to give residents enough time to determine which documents they require and obtain replacements if necessary.
The province also says people who have lost documents such as an Alberta marriage certificate can order replacements through a registry.
Drivers Raise Concerns About Added Costs
For affected drivers, however, obtaining replacement documents can involve more than inconvenience.
Orme said the process could cost her wages in addition to the expense of ordering a certificate that she expects to use only to verify her identity.
The affected drivers are encouraging other Albertans to review their identification documents well before their licences expire, especially if their birth certificate, passport and driver’s licence contain different names.
Alberta’s new three-in-one identification system is intended to combine important identification information into a single document, but name differences across older records are creating difficulties for some drivers.
Residents approaching a renewal should check their documents early and confirm that they have acceptable proof of citizenship and any certificates needed to explain a legal name change.
