--- title: "Health card renewal and replacement in Northwest Territories" url: "https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card/northwest-territories" description: "Apply for or renew your health card in Northwest Territories: handled by Health Services Administration Office. There is no fee to apply for NWT health care." 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 Northwest Territories Northwest Territories · Health Compiled by Mahmoud Halat, checked 13 October 2026. Not a government website. The official page always has the final word. ## Short answer Permanent residents of the Northwest Territories apply for a health care card with the NWT Application for Health Care, sent through eServices, by email or by mail to the Health Services Administration Office in Inuvik. Include proof of your legal status in Canada and two documents showing your NWT address. There is no fee, and the card takes about six weeks to arrive. Who handles it: [Health Services Administration Office (Department of Health and Social Services)](https://canadaservicemap.ca/bodies/the-government-of-northwest-territories). Handles it in Northwest Territories. ## Official links - [Apply for health care coverage](https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/applying-health-care), checked 12 October 2026 - [Renew a health care card](https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/nwt-health-care-plan/health-care-card-renewal), checked 12 October 2026 ## Who can apply - You qualify if you are lawfully in Canada, make your home in the NWT and are physically there at least 153 days each calendar year. Source: [hss.gov.nt.ca](https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/applying-health-care), checked 13 October 2026. - You must be 19 or older to apply. The office may accept you from age 16 if you live on your own and permanently in the NWT. Source: [hss.gov.nt.ca](https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/nwt-health-care-plan/general-information-residents), checked 13 October 2026. - If you move from elsewhere in Canada, coverage starts on the first day of the third month after the month you arrive. Your old province covers you during the wait. Source: [hss.gov.nt.ca](https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/nwt-health-care-plan/general-information-residents), checked 13 October 2026. ## Steps 1. Send the NWT Application for Health Care online through eServices, by email to healthcarecard@gov.nt.ca, or by mail to the Health Services Administration Office in Inuvik. Paper forms are at hospitals, health centres and clinics. Source: [hss.gov.nt.ca](https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/applying-health-care), checked 13 October 2026. ## What you need - Include a copy of proof of your legal right to be in Canada, such as a Canadian birth certificate, passport, citizenship certificate, status card, permanent resident card or permit. Source: [hss.gov.nt.ca](https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/applying-health-care), checked 13 October 2026. - Also include two valid documents that show your name and current NWT home address. The names must match the application. Source: [hss.gov.nt.ca](https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/applying-health-care), checked 13 October 2026. ## Cost - There is no fee to apply for NWT health care. Source: [hss.gov.nt.ca](https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/applying-health-care), checked 13 October 2026. ## How long it takes - With processing and mailing, it takes about six weeks for the card to reach you after you apply. Source: [hss.gov.nt.ca](https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/nwt-health-care-plan/general-information-residents), checked 13 October 2026. ## In every province and territory The same service across Canada: who handles it and the official link. Northwest Territories 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](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card/alberta) | 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 (this page) | 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 long does it take to get an NWT health care card? About six weeks from when you apply, counting processing and mail. If it does not arrive and you have not heard from the Health Services Administration Office, contact them at 1-800-661-0830. Source: [hss.gov.nt.ca](https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/nwt-health-care-plan/general-information-residents), checked 13 October 2026. ### Can I renew my NWT health care card online? Yes. You can renew through eServices, or email or mail the NWT Health Care Card Renewal Form. You can renew up to four months before the card expires. Source: [hss.gov.nt.ca](https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/nwt-health-care-plan/health-care-card-renewal), checked 13 October 2026. ### How do I replace a lost NWT health care card? Contact the Health Services Administration Office right away. You do not need a form. Once they confirm who you are, they mail you a new card. Source: [hss.gov.nt.ca](https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/applying-health-care), checked 13 October 2026. ### What if my NWT health care card expired more than a year ago? You cannot use the renewal form. You will be asked to send a new Application for Health Care with proof that you live in the NWT. Source: [hss.gov.nt.ca](https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/nwt-health-care-plan/general-information-residents), checked 13 October 2026. ### How long is an NWT health care card valid? Three years. It expires on your birthday, and the date is printed in the bottom right corner of the card. Source: [hss.gov.nt.ca](https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/nwt-health-care-plan/general-information-residents), 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 Northwest Territories](https://canadaservicemap.ca/provinces/northwest-territories) - [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 Northwest Territories", checked 13 October 2026, https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/health-card/northwest-territories