Table of contents

Overview

If you are a driver who wishes to dispute your Notice of Administrative Penalty, you can apply for a review through SafeRoads Alberta.

Financial hardship and inconvenience are not grounds for cancellation of your Notice of Administrative Penalty.

An adjudicator cannot consider arguments such as:

  • you do not have the financial means to pay for the fines
  • you need your vehicle to get to and from work
  • you need your vehicle to take your kids to school or a family member to a medical appointment

The grounds to cancel a Notice of Administrative Penalty for an Immediate Roadside Sanction can be found in section 4 of the SafeRoads Alberta Regulation.

  • Representation

    If you choose to be represented by a lawyer or an agent, consent to representation is required. For ease of use, SafeRoads Alberta has a Consent to Representation form (PDF, 74 KB) you can complete and upload to the SafeRoads portal. This form will be deemed an original.

  • Using an interpreter

    An interpreter can attend your oral review if you need translation to and from the English language.

    You must indicate in the SafeRoads portal that an interpreter will attend your review and make arrangements for your interpreter to be available for the review as scheduled.

  • Using a translator

    You can use a translator of your choice to help you prepare your written review submission if you need translation to the English language.

Eligibility and costs

To apply for a review, you must apply within 7 days of receiving the Notice of Administrative Penalty.

Costs

  • You must pay a non-refundable application fee of $150.
  • If you choose to be represented by a lawyer or agent, you are responsible for any costs for the representative.
  • If you choose to use an interpreter, you are responsible for any costs for the interpreter.
  • If you use a translator, you are responsible for any costs for the translator.

How to apply

  • Step 1. Access the SafeRoads portal or go to a registry agent

    Read Immediate Roadside Sanctions review request before you start your application process.

    To apply for a review, access the SafeRoads portal or visit a participating Alberta registry agent.

    Not all browsers work the same, so there may be some variation in user experience depending on what browser and device is used. For the best experience, use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge to access the SafeRoads portal. If you are having trouble accessing the SafeRoads portal, clear your browser's cache.

    If you choose to apply for a review at a participating Alberta registry agent, bring your Notice of Administrative Penalty or Seizure Notice. Payments made at an Alberta registry agent may be subject to a service charge.

  • Step 2. Schedule your review

    You will choose the date you would like your application to be reviewed by an adjudicator and submit your request. You will receive confirmation of your review via your preferred contact method.

    Your review will be held within 21 days from the date you were issued your Notice of Administrative Penalty.

  • Step 3. Provide supporting documents

    You or your representative must submit all of your supporting documents through the SafeRoads portal at least 2 full calendar days before the scheduled review.

    Participating registry agents may provide this service for a service charge.

    Supporting documents may include:

    • your written submission
    • photographs
    • video or audio recordings or both
    • witness statements
    • technical materials
    • a driver abstract
      • provides information from a person’s driving record including current status of the driver’s licence, conviction information, demerits points and suspensions
      • may be submitted to support disputes related to occurrence level
      • can be ordered online or at an Alberta registry agent

    SafeRoads Alberta will only accept supporting documents submitted through the SafeRoads portal. No other forms of submission will be accepted or considered as part of the review.

    See Supporting document requirements (PDF, 170 KB) for more information.

    Additional documents may be uploaded by law enforcement up to 4 calendar days prior to your scheduled review. It is your responsibility to check back to ensure you have all of the information and to update your grounds or arguments for the review accordingly.

  • Step 4. After you apply

    Your review will take place within 21 days from the date you were issued your Notice of Administrative Penalty. Reviews are conducted orally (video-conferencing) or in writing, not in person.

    Oral review

    If you choose an oral review, the videoconference link to attend your review can be accessed in the review details page in the SafeRoads portal. You should connect a few minutes before the scheduled review time to ensure that you have no technological issues. Your review will take 30 minutes.

    You will not receive a verbal decision at the time of your oral review.

    Written review

    If you choose a written review, you or your representative will provide a written submission with your reasons for disputing the Notice of Administrative Penalty and supporting documents at least 2 full calendar days in advance of the date of your review to be considered.

    You or your representative do not attend the review.

At your review

The adjudicator will:

  • consider your arguments and representations
  • consider all supporting documents provided by you or your representative, as well as:

The adjudicator will then confirm or cancel the Notice of Administrative Penalty in writing within 30 days from the date you were issued your notice.

You will be notified by your preferred contact method when the adjudicator’s decision is available in the SafeRoads portal.

If you did not choose email or text as your preferred method of contact, a copy of the decision will be delivered by mail to the preferred mailing address as identified in the SafeRoads portal. SafeRoads Alberta has no control over Canada Post delivery dates, so you may receive the mailed copy of the decision after the 30 days.

SafeRoads Alberta decisions for impaired driving sanctions are subject to publication on the Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII) website.

Judicial review

You may seek judicial review of decisions rendered by SafeRoads Alberta by filing an application with the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta, in accordance with section 24(2) of the Provincial Administrative Penalties Act.

If you wish to serve a copy of your Originating Application on the Director by email, visit Service of commencement documents on the Crown for more information.

Changing or abandoning a review

  • Changing a scheduled review

    You can reschedule the date or time of your review to any available date within 21 days from the date you were issued your Notice of Administrative Penalty and change the review type through the SafeRoads portal:

    • an unlimited number of times within 7 days of receiving your Notice of Administrative Penalty
    • one additional time after the 7 days had lapsed up to one full business day before the scheduled review
      • this may include a change in the date and time, a change in the review method (oral or written), or both, but all changes must be completed in the same transaction

  • Abandoning a scheduled review

    There are 2 ways a request for a review can be abandoned:

    1. through the SafeRoads portal at any time up to the start of your scheduled review
    2. if it is an oral review, once the review has started by letting the adjudicator know that you wish to abandon

    By abandoning your request for review:

    • your Notice of Administrative Penalty remains in effect
    • you will not receive a refund of the application fee
    • the fine is due by the date listed in your notice details in the SafeRoads portal

    A review is deemed to be abandoned if you or your representative:

    • in the case of an oral review, do not attend and do not provide a written submission
    • in the case of a written review, do not provide any material

    If you have requested an oral review and have submitted all of your supporting documents, but do not attend your oral review, your review will be converted to a written review and a decision will be made by the adjudicator on the basis of your written submissions. The review is not deemed abandoned. You will not receive any refund of the fee paid for the oral review.

Request for late review

If you did not apply for a review within 7 days of the date of issuance of your Notice of Administrative Penalty or your review was deemed abandoned, you can submit a request for a late review up to 12 months after the date of the Notice of Administrative Penalty being issued.

To request a late review, you must:

You will be notified of the decision to accept or deny your request through the SafeRoads portal. If your preferred method of contact is phone, you will be telephoned.

See Late Review Request: Information Sheet for additional details.

Contact

Connect with SafeRoads Alberta:

Contact SafeRoads Alberta

Related

Impaired driving laws

Federal impaired driving information

Federal impaired driving laws

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