Overview

In Alberta:

  • under the Off-highway Vehicle Regulation of the Traffic Safety Act, all off-highway vehicle riders and passengers are required to wear helmets, with the exception of bona fide members of the Sikh religion
  • under the Vehicle Equipment Regulation of the Traffic Safety Act, the windshield and the windows to the left and right of the driver must not have any attached tinting material

If you have a medical or physical condition, you can apply for an exemption from these requirements.

You must apply to Alberta Transportation to receive an exemption certificate for off-highway vehicle helmet or window tinting requirements. This exemption certificate must be shown to police or the courts when asked.

Eligibility

Alberta Transportation will only issue an exemption if you have a substantiated medical condition for:

  • not wearing a helmet
  • requiring window tinting film on your front driver side and/or passenger side windows

How to apply for an exemption

Step 1. Send an email to request an exemption

Send a copy of your doctor’s note, which clearly indicates the medical reasons for your exemption request, by email to driver.fitness@gov.ab.ca.

The subject line of the email must either indicate “Off-highway Vehicle Helmet Exemption Request” or “Clear UV Window Tinting Exemption Request”.

Step 2. Your request is reviewed

Your doctor’s note will be forwarded to Alberta Transportation’s Medical Review Committee, which consists of 3 Alberta doctors, for review and recommendation. It can take several weeks for a decision to be made.

Step 3. Complete a formal application

If the Medical Review Committee supports your exemption request, you will be asked to complete a formal exemption application. There is a $55 application fee.

Once your formal application has been accepted by Alberta Transportation, it takes about 2 weeks to issue the exemption.

Additional steps for window tinting exemption

If you are approved for a window tinting exemption, you can install clear ultraviolet (UV) window tinting film with a combined visible light transmittance of 50% or more.

Tinting that allows less light than this through your windows and windshield reduces your ability to see the road and other road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, especially in darkness or inclement weather.

The business installing your window tinting will also need to apply to Alberta Transportation for an exemption. The business will be required to provide the name of the window tinting film and its manufacturer, as well as certify that the combined visible light transmittance when installed on your vehicle will be 50% or more.

If your vehicle already has tinted side windows, you can contact the business which installed your tinting film to find out the combined visible light transmittance of your current window glass and tinting film. If the combined visible light transmittance is less than 50%, you must replace it with a clear UV tinting film.

For more information about the window tinting film requirements, contact vehicle.safety@gov.ab.ca.

Contact

To connect with Vehicle Safety:

Hours: 8:15 am to 12:00 pm, and 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-8901
Fax: 780-988-7628
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: vehicle.safety@gov.ab.ca

Address:
Main Floor, Twin Atria Building
4999 98 Avenue NW
Edmonton, Alberta  T6B 2X3