Youth & Recreational Activities

You can get a Learner’s License (Class 7 License) at 14 if you pass the written test and have your parents’ consent. You can take the test at most registries in Alberta. With a Class 7 License, you:

• must be accompanied by a Class 5 License holder who is 18 years or older and seated next to you in the car;
• are not allowed to drive between midnight and 5 AM;
• cannot have more passengers than the number of functioning seat belts in the vehicle;
• will have your license suspended at 8 demerit points; and
• are not allowed to have any alcohol, cannabis or illegal drugs in your blood when driving.

Once you are 16, you can get your Probationary License (Class 5 Graduated Driver’s License (GDL)) only if:

• you have had a Learner’s License (Class 7 License) for at least one year;
• you pass both a vision screening and the basic Alberta road test;
• your parents’ consent, if you are under 18.

While you have a GDL you:

• cannot have more passengers than the number of functioning seat belts in the vehicle;
• will have your license suspended at 8 demerit points;
• are not allowed to have any alcohol, cannabis or illegal drugs in your blood when driving;
• cannot upgrade to a commercial driver’s license (Class 1, 2, 3 or 4);
• cannot be the accompanying driver to a learner.

You must hold a GDL for at least two years before you can become a fully licensed driver (Class 5 License). You must also have no license suspensions during the last 12 months of the probationary stage and pass an advanced road test.

For more information, see the Government of Alberta’s webpages on getting a driver’s license.

Last Reviewed: November 2019

It depends if you are on public land or private land. Private land means land that you own or for which you have received permission to access. Public land is land owned by the government, such as parks and trails.

On public land, you must be at least 14 years of age to operate an off-highway vehicle independently. If you are younger than 14, you must be either accompanied by an adult or closely supervised by an adult. You must be riding a properly registered and insured off-highway vehicle. You must wear a helmet.

On private land, there is no minimum age requirement. You do not need a driver’s license, registration or insurance to operate on private land. Remember though that entering someone else’s land without their permission makes you a trespasser under Alberta’s Petty Trespass Act. The police can fine you for trespassing.

The minimum age to register an off-highway vehicle is 18 years. You can register an off-highway vehicle if you are younger than 18 if your parent or guardian also signs the registration or you can prove you are married or in an adult interdependent relationship.

For more information, see Alberta Transportation’s Rules & Regulations Applying to Small Vehicles.

Last Reviewed: November 2019

A moped is a type of motorcycle that has a maximum speed of 70km/h or less, has an engine size of 50 cc or less, and has a maximum seat height of 650mm.

You must be at least 14 years old and have a Learner’s License (Class 7 License) to operate a moped.

Other laws that apply to mopeds include:

• Your moped must be registered and insured.
• You must wear an approved motorcycle helmet when operating a moped.
• You must ride as far to the right side of a roadway as practicable unless you are making a left-hand turn.
• If you are under 16, you cannot carry any passengers on a moped.

For more information, see Alberta Transportation’s Rules & Regulations Applying to Small Vehicles.

Last Reviewed: November 2019

You must be at least 16 years old and have a motorcycle license (Class 6 License) to operate a motorcycle in Alberta. To get a Class 6 License, you must have had your Learner’s License (Class 7 License) for at least one year, and you must pass a written and road test.

You must wear an approved motorcycle helmet when operating a motorcycle. Your motorcycle must be registered and insured. You can only carry as many passengers as the motorcycle is designed for.

If you are learning to drive a motorcycle, there are special rules:

• You must be at least 16 years old.
• You must have at least a Learner’s License (Class 7 License).
• You must have someone who is over 18 and who has a full Class 6 License either on the motorcycle with you or following you on their own motorcycle or in a vehicle.
• You cannot ride your motorcycle at night (meaning from one hour after sunset or midnight, whichever is earlier, to one hour before sunrise or 5 AM, whichever is earlier).
• You are not allowed to have any alcohol, cannabis or illegal drugs in your blood when driving.
• Your will have your license suspended at 8 demerit points.

For more information, see:

• Government of Alberta’s Class 6 License requirements
• Alberta Transportation’s Rules & Regulations Applying to Small Vehicles

Last Reviewed: November 2019

You must be at least 16 years old and have a Pleasure Craft Operator Card. For more information, see Transport Canada’s website.

Last Reviewed: November 2010

Anyone operating a motor boat in Canada must have proof of competency – something that shows you have a basic understanding of how to safely operate the boat and that you know what to do in an emergency. It is required for all motor types (including electric trolling motors) and even when the motor is not in use (such as when sailing).

Proof of competency is usually a Pleasure Craft Operator Card. To get a Pleasure Craft Operator Card, you can take a boating safety course and test, either online or in-person.

If you are under 16 years of age, you must have a Pleasure Craft Operator Card but there are other restrictions:

• If you are under 12, you can operate a motor of up to 10 horsepower with no direct supervision.
• If you are 12-15, you can operate a motor of up to 40 horsepower with no direct supervision.
• If you are under 16, regardless of supervision, you cannot operate a personal watercraft (such as a sea-doo).

All motor boats must have a Pleasure Craft License (unless its motor is less than 10 horsepower).

For more information, including a list of accredited providers of boat safety courses, see Transport Canada’s website.

Last Reviewed: November 2019

If you are 16 or older, you need a license to fish in Alberta. You can purchase a license online at AlbertaRELM.

If you are younger than 16 years of age or older than 65, then you do not need a license, but you still must follow the regulations. There are also certain days across the province when anyone can fish without a license.

If you are Indigenous (Métis, First Nations or Inuit), you have specific hunting and fishing rights in Alberta. See the Government of Alberta’s website for more information. 

Last Reviewed: November 2019

You must be at least 12 years old to hunt in Alberta and you must have a license. You must also complete a first time hunter training course and exam, either online or in-person.

If you are under 16, you must have written permission from a parent or guardian to purchase hunting licenses.

If you are 11 years old, you can apply for draws if you have completed the Alberta Conservation and Hunter Education course. However, you must be 12 years old any time before or during the open season for that draw. You cannot hunt until you are 12 years old.

If you are under 18, you can hunt with a firearm if you are accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other adult who has written permission from your parent or guardian.

Hunting licenses depend on the type of animal you are hunting. If you are 12 to 17, you can buy a Resident Youth Wildlife Certificate, which includes a Game Bird License. Once you have this certificate, you can purchase other youth hunting licenses.

For more information, see My Wild Alberta’s website on Hunting Regulations for Youth.

If you are Indigenous (Métis, First Nations or Inuit), you have specific hunting and fishing rights in Alberta. See the Government of Alberta’s website for more information. 

Last Reviewed: November 2019

Gambling is the act of risking money, property or something else of value on an activity with an unknown outcome.

Certain kinds of gambling are legal, because there are laws to manage it. Legal gambling includes lottery tickets, raffle tickets or scratch-and-win tickets, Sport Select tickets, casinos, racetracks, video lottery terminals (VLTs) and even bingo.

In Alberta, in order to take part in legal gambling, you must be at least 18 years old. This includes purchasing lottery tickets.

Certain kinds of gambling are illegal. Illegal gambling is gambling that happens outside of government regulations. For example, placing a bet with a bookie on a professional sporting event. This gambling is illegal at any age.

Last Reviewed: November 2019