Alberta's Seatbelt Fine Is Going Up 30% This Friday
If you're still in the habit of "just driving around the block" without buckling up, it's about to get a lot more expensive.
Starting this Friday, March 13, the fine for failing to comply with Alberta's occupant restraint laws increases from $162 to $211 a jump of nearly 30 per cent. The change comes from Order in Council 035/2026, which the Government of Alberta filed earlier this year amending the Schedule to the Procedures Regulation (AR 63/2017). The seatbelt fine increase is part of a broader set of traffic penalty hikes that also include updated speeding fines, all taking effect on the same date.
The fine applies to everyone in the vehicle
Under Alberta's Traffic Safety Act, every occupant in a moving vehicle is required to wear a properly fastened seatbelt. Drivers are also responsible for ensuring all passengers under the age of 16 are restrained meaning if your kid isn't buckled, the ticket lands on you. Children under six years of age or under 18 kilograms must be secured in an approved child safety seat.
Alberta RCMP issued 2,338 seatbelt and occupant restraint tickets across the province in 2025 alone.
The numbers behind the law
The fine increase comes against a backdrop of worsening road safety in Alberta. According to the province's own collision statistics, in 2023, 62 people who died and 154 who sustained major injuries in Alberta crashes were not properly restrained. Unbelted occupants were more than six times more likely to suffer a major injury in a collision compared to those wearing a seatbelt a major injury rate of 5.7 per cent versus 0.9 per cent for restrained occupants.
Meanwhile, nationally, Transport Canada's 2023 data shows that nearly one in three drivers killed on Canadian roads that year was not wearing a seatbelt up from the year before.
"Buckling up, and ensuring other occupants are safely restrained, should be your first priority when entering your vehicle," said RCMP Sgt. Darrin Turnbull. "Breaking occupant restraint laws may not only cost a ticket but your life. While airbags offer protection in collisions, they are designed to supplement the safety features provided by seatbelts."
What this means for you
The $211 fine takes effect March 13 and applies to any moving vehicle on Alberta roads. There are limited exceptions Alberta.ca notes that seatbelts are not required for those with a letter from a qualified medical practitioner certifying they cannot use a restraint due to medical reasons or physical characteristics. A small number of vehicle types and situations are also exempt.
For everyone else: Reminder to buckle up before you move.
Important Exemptions
According to Alberta.ca, seat belts are not legally required (though still recommended) in the following cases:
Vehicles not originally equipped with seat belts by the manufacturer.
Vehicles driven at 40 km/h or less while making deliveries.
Participants in an authorized municipal parade.
Individuals with a valid medical exemption letter from a qualified practitioner.
Source: Government of Alberta Order in Council 035/2026; Alberta.ca Occupant Restraint Laws; Alberta Collision Statistics Summary 2023 (Transportation and Economic Corridors); Alberta RCMP; Transport Canada Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics 2023
