A WCB Alberta clearance letter is a letter from the Workers' Compensation Board of Alberta confirming that a contractor's account is in good standing, which clears you of liability if that contractor later defaults on its premium payments. If you hire a contractor without one and the contractor has not paid its premiums, you may be liable for them. Clearance letters are free and can be requested online.
What a WCB Alberta clearance letter confirms
WCB Alberta says a clearance letter identifies who is covered, the industry their coverage is in, and whether they are in good standing. In practice, it tells you whether the contractor has an active WCB account and is current on premiums.
WCB Alberta uses the term principal for the person or company that hires the contractor or subcontractor and pays for the work. If you are a general contractor, property manager, condo board or business owner bringing in trades in Alberta, you are usually the principal.
The letter covers premiums only. It does not confirm liability insurance, trade certification or safety performance, so it belongs in a larger contractor file.
If you hire contractors: principal liability
WCB Alberta is direct about the risk: if you pay a contractor or subcontractor while they have an outstanding balance on their WCB account, you can become responsible for those outstanding premiums. A clearance letter is what protects you. WCB Alberta also notes that a clearance letter authorizes you to release final payment on a contract.
Two details matter. First, a clearance letter must be addressed to a specific individual or company, because it clears that party from liability, and it can only be addressed to one principal at a time. A letter addressed to someone else does not clear you. Second, WCB Alberta states that a clearance letter is valid for any work done up to the date of the letter. Work after that date is not covered by it.
That is why WCB Alberta recommends getting a clearance letter at three points:
- Before the work starts.
- During the contract.
- Before issuing final payment.
If a contractor does not have its own WCB Alberta account, the situation is different. WCB Alberta warns that you may become responsible for that contractor's coverage unless an exemption applies, and that you may be open to a lawsuit if a contractor has declined coverage. Check with WCB Alberta for your situation before work begins.
How to get or check a clearance online
WCB Alberta offers three ways to request a clearance letter:
- The myWCB mobile app for employers.
- A myWCB online account, which also lets you save lists of contractors.
- An online clearance request without a myWCB account.
Letters can be emailed, faxed or printed right away. There is no charge. If you track many contractors, registered myWCB users can set up Automatic Clearance Notification, a report emailed each business day that identifies changes in your contractors' status.
If you are a contractor, your customers may request a letter themselves or ask you to provide one. Either way, the letter only shows good standing if your premiums are paid and your account information is complete. WCB Alberta notes that a clearance can be denied for unpaid premiums, a closed account, or missing information needed to verify coverage.
How it compares with Ontario's WSIB clearance
| Item | WCB Alberta | WSIB (Ontario) |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Clearance letter | Clearance certificate |
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Period covered | Work done up to the date of the letter | Up to 90 days from issue, most expire on set quarterly dates |
| Liability protection | Clears the named principal if the contractor defaults on premiums | WSIB waives its right to hold the principal liable for the validity period |
The key difference is direction. An Ontario clearance looks forward and has an end date, as covered in how long a WSIB clearance is valid. An Alberta letter looks back to its own date, so you need a fresh one before final payment. For the Ontario basics, see what is a WSIB clearance certificate, and for British Columbia, see the WorkSafeBC clearance letter.
Keeping it current
Build the three checkpoints into your process: a clearance at onboarding, another during longer jobs, and a final one attached to the last payment approval. Keep each letter with the contract it relates to, and add the step to your contractor compliance checklist. Vendorpass tracks clearance dates per vendor, uses each province's own name for the clearance, and sends reminders before they lapse.