The sight of licence plates without stickers is becoming more commonplace now the province has stopped issuing renewal stickers.
The government announced last December Albertans will no longer require expiry stickers on their licence plate. This could save up to $1.2 million a year.
“Alberta’s government has been looking for ways to improve and modernize the delivery of registry services for Albertans. By moving to reflective licence plates, expiry stickers become redundant and outdated. This common-sense change cuts red tape, aligns Alberta with other Canadian provinces, and saves taxpayers money,” said Nate Glubish, Minister of Service Alberta.
Owner of Drumheller Registries Brandi Schneider says the stickers have become obsolete because of advances in technology where police are able to scan licence plates for information. People are noticing now that the change kicked in on January 1.
“There are naked plates out there,” she said. “Law enforcement is already scanning everyone’s plates all the time, and they want to be more in line with the times… and it is a taxpayer saving,” she said.
Part of the change will be the introduction of high-definition reflective plates that are more easily scanned. Schneider says the new plates will come out when the current stock of plates is exhausted, which they expect by fall. She adds there is no requirement for plates to be replaced.
“If you have old stickers on there you don’t have to peel them off,” she said.
Alberta drivers and vehicle owners will still be responsible for renewing their registration on time, and will still require a valid certificate of vehicle registration.
In 2016, the province stopped mailing reminders to drivers to renew. Now without the visible stickers, there is a possibility that renewing could slip past a driver.
Schneider says there are several ways for drivers to be notified when their plates are expiring including text notifications and emails, which they can sign up for. They also offer auto-renewals. She says for those who don’t have internet, they have small sticker like an oil change reminder for drivers if they wish.
Registries also offer a variety of services to renew, including mailing out new registration or where you can prepay and pick up the paperwork from the office.

Ongoing regulations in place by the Alberta government to curb the spread of COVID-19 were a topic of discussion during the regular Wheatland County council meeting on Tuesday, February 16.
Division 4 Councillor Tom Ikert recommended a letter be drafted to Alberta Premier Jason Kenney to request the ongoing restrictions be lifted due to adverse economic and mental health effects.
“We are not allowed, at this stage--even though we can go to a restaurant-I am not allowed to have people in my house,” Councillor Ikert said during the discussion.
The province entered the first stage of a phased reopening on Monday, February 8. Under the eased restrictions restaurants are reopened for dine-in services, and fitness activities are permitted to resume with a trainer. Each phase of reopening is based upon current hospital and ICU admissions; the province is scheduled to reevaluate the next phase of reopening on Monday, March 1.
One concern Councillor Ikert noted was the disparity of case numbers in urban municipalities compared to rural municipalities. Since the start of the pandemic, Wheatland County has had a total of 240 cases and no reported deaths; as of Sunday, February 21 there were six active cases in the county.
Councillor Glenn Koester (Division 6) stated he supported writing a letter requesting better explanation and timeline of reopening. However, he noted he did not support demanding the province reopen. His concern being for seniors in the community, the population most at risk by COVID-19.
“The province has the luxury of having professional doctors on staff, having professional mathematicians that can figure out the likelihood of other conditions. Wheatland County-we just have feelings,” Councillor Koester said.
Reeve Amber Link also voiced concerns over the continued restrictions, and premature reopening.
“I recognize the heartbreaking impacts of both COVID and the measures that have been put in place by other levels of government,” she said during the discussion. “I also recognize the complexity of the time we are living in.”
Councillor Ikert amended his original motion to draft a letter to Premier Kenny, Alberta municipalities, as well as provincial MPs and MLAs, to request further easing of restrictions due to the negative impacts these restrictions have had on the economy and mental health across the province.
The letter will be brought before council for consideration at the next council meeting on Tuesday, March 2.