Do you need one?
WCB Alberta asks a business to register if any of these is true:
- you employ workers, full-time or part-time,
- you want personal coverage for yourself as an owner, director or partner,
- you need a clearance letter.
The third one is the reason most solo trades end up registering. A GC asks for a clearance letter, and WCB says plainly that to get a clearance for yourself or your company as a contractor, you need a WCB Alberta account.
And if you hire, the deadline is short: WCB wants to hear from you within 15 days of your first worker's start date, or a late registration penalty applies.
How to apply
Apply online through WCB's account registration at wcb.ab.ca/application. It asks for:
- your legal business name, and your trade name if you use one,
- your CRA business number if you have one (WCB uses it for statistics),
- what your business does, which decides your industry and your rate,
- your estimate of what you will pay workers this year,
- whether you want personal coverage, and how much.
WCB says a representative will contact you within five business days.
What it costs
Your premium is your workers' insurable earnings, plus any personal coverage, times your industry's rate per $100. The minimum annual premium on any account is $200.
A few 2026 industry rates per $100 of earnings, from WCB's rate table:
| Industry | 2026 rate |
|---|---|
| Electric Wiring | $1.83 |
| Floor Coverings | $2.19 |
| Painting/Decorating | $3.81 |
| Concrete Construction | $4.31 |
| Drywall/Plaster/Stucco | $4.69 |
| Construction Framing Contractor | $5.37 |
| Roofing | $5.51 |
Your own rate can move from the industry rate: WCB reviews your claims and your industry's over the following three to five years and may apply a discount or a surcharge.
For yourself as an owner, see WCB personal coverage: what it pays, and what it costs in your trade.
What you owe WCB once you are in
- An annual return by the last day of February: what you paid workers last year, and your estimate for this year. Late, and a penalty of 10% of the net premium applies, plus daily interest.
- Keep the estimate honest. WCB gives you a 50% margin. If your actual earnings come in above 150% of your estimate, a 10% penalty plus interest is charged on the premium above that line. Revise the estimate in myWCB before December 31 if the year is bigger than you thought.
- Pay on time. Overdue amounts carry monthly interest at prime plus 8%.
- Report injuries within 72 hours of being told about them.
- Personal coverage lapses if premiums go unpaid, and paying later does not restart it: you have to call WCB.
Once you have the account
Get your first clearance letter on yourself. That is what a GC will ask for, and it is free. The steps, including the screen that asks who the letter is for, are in how to get a WCB Alberta clearance letter.
WCB Alberta: 1-866-922-9221 in Alberta, 1-800-661-9608 from elsewhere in Canada.
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