Yes. To drive for Uber, Lyft or any other ride for hire app in Alberta, a regular Class 5 licence is not enough. You need a Class 4 licence, or a Class 1 or 2.

The rule comes from provincial law, not from the apps. Alberta's licensing regulation bars Class 5 drivers from carrying passengers for hire, and the government's ride for hire page repeats it.

Cities add their own layer. Calgary requires a city licence for ride share drivers, while Edmonton's bylaw sets its own conditions. Here is how it fits together, based on the regulation, the Alberta government and the two cities' own pages.

In short

  • Drivers for transportation network companies (TNCs) such as Uber and Lyft need a Class 1, 2 or 4 licence. A Class 5 is not enough.1
  • A Class 5 holder may not drive a vehicle transporting passengers for hire.2
  • You also need a police information check and insurance that covers driving for a TNC.1
  • Calgary requires a Transportation Network Driver's Licence (TNDL) from the city.3
  • Edmonton's bylaw requires a provincial Class 1, 2 or 4 licence for TNC drivers.4
Contents
  1. What the law says
  2. What "for hire" means
  3. Provincial TNC rules
  4. Calgary
  5. Edmonton
  6. How to get Class 4
  7. Common questions
  8. Sources

What the law says

Alberta's Operator Licensing and Vehicle Control Regulation (AR 320/2002) sets out what each licence class may drive. Section 25 says the holder of a Class 5 licence shall not drive a motor vehicle that is transporting passengers for hire.2

Section 24 lets a Class 4 holder drive anything a Class 5 holder may drive, plus a bus seating up to 24 passengers (excluding the driver), an ambulance or a taxi.2 The Commercial Driver's Guide sums it up: a Class 4 licence is required for a driver operating a vehicle for hire as defined in AR 320/2002.5

What "for hire" means

The regulation defines "for hire" as the vehicle owner or operator, or the operator's employer, being paid for the service the vehicle is used to provide.2 Driving for a ride hailing app, where riders pay for the trip, fits that definition.

There is a narrow exception. For the Class 5 rule, a private passenger vehicle is not "for hire" when the driver carries passengers on an incidental or occasional basis and is paid only in one or more of these forms:2

  • a per kilometre payment no higher than the tax-exempt allowance employers may pay employees under section 7306 of the federal Income Tax Regulations
  • a straight reimbursement of out-of-pocket costs for the trip, such as gas, parking, gate passes and tolls
  • compensation under an agreement to drive only family members, members of your household or people you are the legal guardian of

Splitting gas money with a coworker on a carpool falls under the exception. Regular paid trips through an app do not.

Provincial TNC rules

The Alberta government's ride for hire page lists what a TNC driver needs: a Class 1, 2 or 4 driver's licence, a police information check (with a vulnerable sector screen on the initial application) and proof of insurance that covers driving for a TNC.1 It adds plainly that a Class 5 licence is not enough.1

Each TNC vehicle must have commercial vehicle registration and plates, using the 1-55 (Ride-for-Hire Services) plate class.1 TNCs themselves must carry a motor vehicle liability policy or transportation network automobile insurance that meets the regulation's minimum coverage.1

Some municipalities also have bylaws for ride for hire services, and taxi companies are regulated by municipalities.1 The Commercial Driver's Guide gives the same advice for taxis and limousines: requirements for permits differ by municipality, so check with yours.5

Calgary

In Calgary, a ride share driver needs a city Transportation Network Driver's Licence (TNDL). The city's requirements include:3

  • a valid Alberta driver's licence, Class 1, 2 or 4, in good standing with no more than nine demerit points
  • a police information check with a vulnerable sector check for new applications, dated within 60 days
  • a Government of Alberta Motor Vehicle Record of Inspection or an Enhanced Livery Vehicle Inspection Standards record, dated within 30 days of application
  • proof of proper commercial insurance, if applicable
  • passing the Livery Driver Training Program with at least 80 per cent

The city lists the online training at $85 and the first licence at $185.3

Edmonton

Edmonton's Vehicle for Hire Bylaw 17400 says no one may drive a transportation network vehicle unless they hold a valid provincial Class 1, 2 or 4 operator's licence.4 The vehicle needs a provincial Class 1-55 registration certificate, and the driver must be able to show valid insurance that meets the bylaw's requirements.4

Unlike taxi and other vehicle for hire drivers, TNC drivers in Edmonton are exempt from the bylaw's city driver's licence and city vehicle licence requirement.4 If you drive a taxi in Edmonton, you need the city driver's licence on top of your Class 4.4

How to get Class 4

You must be at least 18 and hold a full Class 5 licence. At a registry agent you pass a vision screening and the knowledge test, and you provide a completed Driver's Medical Report.6 Since February 1, 2023, no road test is required for Class 4.5 The government's ride for hire page still mentions a road test, so confirm with your registry agent if in doubt.1

The steps are in our guide to getting an Alberta Class 4 licence, and the test itself is covered in the Class 4 knowledge test.

Our Class 4 trainer has practice questions by topic, including a full topic on taxis, ambulances and ride for hire. They are our own questions, written from the Alberta Commercial Driver's Guide 2025, not the real test questions. Start a free practice test.

Common questions

Can I drive for Uber in Alberta with a Class 5 licence?

No. TNC drivers need a Class 1, 2 or 4 licence.1

Do Lyft and other apps have the same rule?

Yes. The provincial rule applies to all transportation network companies, not one brand.1

Is getting paid for gas when I carpool "for hire"?

Not if the driving is incidental or occasional and you are only reimbursed for out-of-pocket costs such as gas, parking and tolls.2

Do I need a city licence to drive for Uber in Calgary?

Yes, a Transportation Network Driver's Licence from the City of Calgary.3

Do I need a city licence to drive for Uber in Edmonton?

Not under Bylaw 17400, which exempts TNC vehicles from the city driver's licence, but you still need a provincial Class 1, 2 or 4 licence.4

Sources

The regulation is the consolidation current as of October 1, 2026. Edmonton's bylaw is the consolidation of April 1, 2025. City fees and requirements can change.

  1. Government of Alberta: Ride-for-hire services (alberta.ca)
  2. Alberta King's Printer: Operator Licensing and Vehicle Control Regulation, AR 320/2002 (kings-printer.alberta.ca)
  3. City of Calgary: Becoming a Transportation Network Company driver (calgary.ca)
  4. City of Edmonton: Bylaw 17400, Vehicle for Hire Bylaw (webdocs.edmonton.ca)
  5. Government of Alberta: Commercial Driver's Guide (Spring 2025) (open.alberta.ca)
  6. Government of Alberta: Obtaining a commercial licence (alberta.ca)