--- title: "Health card renewal and replacement in Alberta" url: "https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card/alberta" description: "Apply for or renew your health card in Alberta: handled by Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan. Compare all 13 provinces and territories. From official sources." site: "Canada Service Map" author: "Mahmoud Halat" publisher: "Space & Story" lastReviewed: "2026-10-13" licence: "Built entirely from public data: open data and official government pages. Each record keeps the licence of its source, listed at https://canadaservicemap.ca/data." --- # Health card renewal and replacement in Alberta Alberta · Health Compiled by Mahmoud Halat, checked 13 October 2026. Not a government website. The official page always has the final word. ## Short answer To get an Alberta personal health card, register with the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP). Fill in the application form and take it, with original documents proving your identity, Alberta residency and right to be in Canada, to a registry agent. There is no charge. Processing can take up to 5 days, and the card is mailed to you. Who handles it: [Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (Government of Alberta)](https://canadaservicemap.ca/bodies/the-government-of-alberta). Handles it in Alberta. Apply free at a participating registry agent or by mail to the AHCIP office. ## Official links - [Apply for AHCIP coverage](https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-apply), checked 12 October 2026 - [About AHCIP](https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip), checked 12 October 2026 ## Who can apply - You qualify if you can legally live in Canada, make your permanent home in Alberta and plan to be in the province at least 183 days in any 12-month period. Source: [alberta.ca](https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-eligibility), checked 13 October 2026. ## Steps 1. Fill in and save the Application form for AHCIP Coverage. Registry agents also have paper copies of the form. Source: [alberta.ca](https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-how-to-apply), checked 13 October 2026. 2. To renew, visit a registry agent on or before the expiry date on your health card with documents proving identity, residency and legal status. Coverage is cancelled if you miss the date. Source: [alberta.ca](https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-eligibility), checked 13 October 2026. ## What you need - You must provide documents that prove three things, your Alberta residency, your identity and your legal right to be in Canada. A utility bill or lease, a passport and a permanent resident card are examples. Source: [alberta.ca](https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-how-to-apply), checked 13 October 2026. ## How long it takes - Processing can take up to 5 days, and the AHCIP office then mails a paper card to your home address. Source: [alberta.ca](https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-how-to-apply), checked 13 October 2026. - If you move from another province or territory, coverage starts on the first day of the third month after you set up residence in Alberta. Source: [alberta.ca](https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-moving-to-alberta), checked 13 October 2026. ## Where to go - Take the completed form and your original documents to a registry agent office. The service is free. Source: [alberta.ca](https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-how-to-apply), checked 13 October 2026. ## Good to know - Besides the paper card, which can be laminated, you can choose to get a mobile health card. Source: [alberta.ca](https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-apply), checked 13 October 2026. - Apply within 3 months of settling in Alberta. If you apply later, your coverage start date is set when you register. Source: [alberta.ca](https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-moving-to-alberta), checked 13 October 2026. ## In every province and territory The same service across Canada: who handles it and the official link. Alberta is marked. | Province or territory | Who handles it | Official link | Good to know | |---|---|---|---| | [British Columbia](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card/british-columbia) | Health Insurance BC (Medical Services Plan) | [Apply for MSP](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/health-drug-coverage/msp/bc-residents/eligibility-and-enrolment/apply-for-msp), checked 12 October 2026 | Enrol in MSP first; adults then get the photo BC Services Card at an ICBC driver licensing office. | | Alberta (this page) | Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (Government of Alberta) | [Apply for AHCIP coverage](https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-apply), checked 12 October 2026 | Apply free at a participating registry agent or by mail to the AHCIP office. | | [Saskatchewan](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card/saskatchewan) | eHealth Saskatchewan | [Apply for a health card](https://www.ehealthsask.ca/residents/health-cards/apply-for-a-health-card), checked 12 October 2026 | | | [Manitoba](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card/manitoba) | Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care | [Register for a health card](https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/mhsip/registration.html), checked 12 October 2026 | | | [Ontario](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card/ontario) | ServiceOntario (Ministry of Health, OHIP) | [Apply for OHIP](https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-ohip-and-get-health-card), checked 12 October 2026 | First-time applicants 16 and over must apply in person at a ServiceOntario centre. | | [Quebec](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card/quebec) | Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) | [About health insurance](https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/health-system-and-services/insurance-schemes/health-insurance-prescription-drug-insurance), checked 12 October 2026 | RAMQ mails a renewal notice about 3 months before your card expires. | | [New Brunswick](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card/new-brunswick) | New Brunswick Medicare (Department of Health), through Service New Brunswick | [Apply for Medicare coverage](https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/health/DrugPlans/content/medicare/ApplyingforaCard.html), checked 12 October 2026 | Renewals and changes cannot be done online; call 1-888-762-8600 or visit a Service New Brunswick centre. | | [Nova Scotia](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card/nova-scotia) | MSI Resident Services (Department of Health and Wellness) | [Apply for a Health Card](https://www.novascotia.ca/apply-health-card), checked 12 October 2026 | There is no in-person counter; apply online, by mail or fax, or use the MSI drop box. | | [Prince Edward Island](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card/prince-edward-island) | PEI Medicare (Health PEI) | [Renew a PEI health card](https://services.princeedwardisland.ca/en/service/renew-pei-health-cards), checked 12 October 2026 | | | [Newfoundland and Labrador](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card/newfoundland-and-labrador) | Medical Care Plan (MCP), Department of Health and Community Services | [Apply, renew or replace](https://www.gov.nl.ca/hcs/mcp/), checked 12 October 2026 | New applications use a paper form; some Canadian citizens can renew online through MyGovNL. | | [Yukon](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card/yukon) | Yukon Health Care Insurance Plan (Government of Yukon) | None on record | Cards are replaced automatically when they expire; keep your address up to date. | | [Northwest Territories](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card/northwest-territories) | Health Services Administration Office (Department of Health and Social Services) | [Apply for health care coverage](https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/applying-health-care), checked 12 October 2026 | | | [Nunavut](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card/nunavut) | Health Insurance Programs Office (Nunavut Department of Health) | [Apply or replace a card](https://www.gov.nu.ca/en/health/applying-health-care), checked 12 October 2026 | No fee; email or mail the form to the Health Insurance Programs Office in Rankin Inlet. | ## Questions people ask ### How much does an Alberta health card cost? Nothing. Registry agents help you apply for AHCIP coverage free of charge. Source: [alberta.ca](https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-how-to-apply), checked 13 October 2026. ### How long does it take to get an Alberta health card? Processing can take up to 5 days after you apply at a registry agent. The paper card is then mailed to the address you give, so make sure it is current. Source: [alberta.ca](https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-how-to-apply), checked 13 October 2026. ### What documents do I need for Alberta health care? Bring originals that prove your Alberta residency, your identity and your legal right to be in Canada. Without them your application cannot be processed, and you may be asked for more. Source: [alberta.ca](https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-how-to-apply), checked 13 October 2026. ### When does Alberta health coverage start after moving from another province? On the first day of the third month after you settle in Alberta. Alberta's own example is that a person who moves in on July 12 is covered from October 1. Keep using your old province's card until then. Source: [alberta.ca](https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-moving-to-alberta), checked 13 October 2026. ### What happens if my Alberta health card expires? Your coverage is tied to the expiry date on the card. If you do not renew at a registry agent on or before that date, your AHCIP coverage is cancelled. Source: [alberta.ca](https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-eligibility), checked 13 October 2026. ## More - [Apply for or renew your health card in every province and territory](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card) - [Public services in Alberta](https://canadaservicemap.ca/provinces/alberta) - [Go to an emergency room](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/emergency-room) - [See a doctor without an appointment](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/walk-in-clinic) - [Canadian Dental Care Plan](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/dental-care) - [Get help in a mental health crisis (call or text 988)](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/mental-health-crisis) - [First Nations and Inuit health benefits (NIHB)](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/first-nations-health-benefits) - [Check product, food and vehicle recalls](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/product-recalls) ## Cite this page Canada Service Map, "Health card renewal and replacement in Alberta", checked 13 October 2026, https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card/alberta