Demerit Reduction Course Alberta: How to Remove Up to 3 Points
A demerit reduction course Alberta approves can remove up to 3 demerit points from your record once every 2 years.
A demerit reduction course Alberta approves takes up to 3 demerit points off your driving record. Alberta allows this once every 2 years, and only for a course finished before the conviction date that would push you over the line. This guide uses the rules published on alberta.ca. It explains how points add up, when a licence is suspended, how long points stay, and the exact steps to take the course.
How do demerit points work in Alberta?
Demerit points are recorded against your driving record when you are convicted of a driving offence. They apply to fully licensed drivers and to Graduated Driver's Licence (GDL) drivers.
The points go on your record on the conviction date, not the day you got the ticket. Alberta says the conviction date is the day you pay the ticket, or the day you appear in court and are found guilty. If you fail to appear and are convicted in your absence, that day counts instead.
How many demerit points before a suspension in Alberta?
The limit depends on your licence. Alberta counts the points on your record within a 2 year period.
| Licence | Cautionary notice by mail | Suspension |
|---|---|---|
| Fully licensed | 8 to 14 points | 15 or more points |
| GDL | 4 to 7 points | 8 or more points |
How long a suspension lasts
A first suspension lasts one month. A second suspension within a year lasts 3 months. A third or later suspension within 2 years lasts 6 months. The same lengths apply to fully licensed and GDL drivers.
After a suspension ends
The record does not go back to zero. A fully licensed driver is reinstated with 7 demerit points. A GDL driver is reinstated with 3. Those points stay on the record for 2 years from the reinstatement date.
If you are still a GDL driver, one ticket matters more, and the course matters sooner.
How long do demerit points stay on your record in Alberta?
Demerit points stay on your driving record and driver's abstract for 2 years from the date of conviction. After 2 years they drop off on their own.
So there are two ways to lower your total. Wait for points to age off, or take a demerit reduction course Alberta approves and have up to 3 removed sooner.
How to reduce demerit points in Alberta
Alberta calls the course route a merit credit. In plain words, you finish an approved course and up to 3 demerit points come off your record. Alberta accepts a Defensive Driving Course from a licensed driver training school, or a Professional Driver Improvement Course. You can use the credit once every 2 years.
Four rules to know before you book:
- Timing. The course must be completed before the conviction date of the offence that would cause your suspension. Finished after that date, it does not stop the suspension.
- Not automatic. Points do not come off by themselves. You must hand the Notice of Driver Education Course Completion form to an Alberta registry agent. A registry agent service fee may apply.
- Form validity. The completion form is valid for 2 years from the date you finish the course.
- Pending or active suspension. Alberta says the credit should not be applied until after your licence is reinstated, because it gives no benefit during the suspension.
How to remove demerit points in Alberta, step by step
- Check your total. Get a driver's abstract so you know exactly where you stand.
- Book an approved course. Ours runs in class in Edmonton. Book it on our booking page or by phone.
- Finish the course before the conviction date. Remember that paying a ticket sets that date.
- Get your completion form. Keep it safe. A duplicate certificate from us costs $50 plus GST.
- Take the form to a registry agent. Ask them to apply the Notice of Driver Education Course Completion to your record. Up to 3 points are removed.
- Mark the date. A demerit reduction course Alberta accepts can be used once every 2 years.
That is how to remove demerit points in Alberta without waiting 2 years for them to expire.
Where to check your demerit points
A driver's abstract is a printed summary of your driving record. It shows your merit and demerit points, convictions and suspensions. You can ask for a 3, 5 or 10 year period.
Two ways to get one:
- In person. Visit any Alberta registry agent and fill in the Request for Personal Driving and Motor Vehicle Information form. Bring accepted photo ID and sign the form in front of the clerk.
- Online. Sign in with a verified Alberta.ca Account through the motor vehicles eServices site. If your account is new, Alberta says to allow 10 business days for the activation code to arrive by mail.
Check your abstract before you book, and again after the registry agent files your form, to confirm the points are gone.
What City Driving School offers
City Driving School is an Alberta Transportation approved driving school, teaching in Edmonton since 2009. Our Defensive Driving Course is the approved course, taught in a classroom without a car.
- Defensive Driving Course, in class, $150 plus 5% GST. An Alberta defensive driving course covers the basic rules of the road, such as stopping, turning and safe driving, as well as driver attitudes.
- Defensive Driving On Demand, $200 plus 5% GST. The same course, offered on demand seven days a week.
Our instructors are certified by Alberta Transportation, and men and women teach the course. To fix the habit behind the ticket, a 2 hour Brush-Up lesson from $120 plus GST puts you back in the car.
Have your licence number ready when you book, because the booking form asks for it. If you want to know whether the course changes your premium, ask your insurer.
Book the course before the next ticket counts
Take the course before your conviction date, file the form, and up to 3 points come off your record. Call (780) 965-1151 or (780) 469-1152 between 7:30 am and 8:00 pm any day, and tell us your conviction date. Or Book a lesson online in five steps and pay by PayPal or at the office.