Online Clearances

Who is performing the work?

On this page you will identify who is performing the work or services (sometimes known as a subcontractor). A single valid WCB-Alberta account number (typically your own) must be entered.

 

Adding your account to the letter

There are two ways to add your account to a clearance letter.

1. Enter the complete WCB account number:
   This option lets you quickly identify the account performing the work or services without having to search for it. You must enter the complete account number.
2. Click on the "Forgot my WCB account number" link to search for a legal or trade name:
   If you have forgotten your WCB account number, this option lets you search for the account. Enter the beginning of the name you are searching for and click the "Search" button.
   
   The intelligent search allows you to enter account numbers or company legal and trade names. Account numbers entered must be complete. Legal and trade names do not have to be complete.
   
   After entering search criteria in the "Account Number or Company Name" field, click on the "Search" button. If there is an exact match, it will be automatically selected and will display in the "Selected Account" section. Results which are not an exact match will display in the "Search Results" section. Additional searches can be performed if required.
   
   Clicking on the "Clear" button will blank out any search criteria previously entered and also clear the entire "Search Results" section. This button will not have any effect on the account added to the "Selected Account" section.

 

Search Results

This section displays the accounts which have names that begin with the search criteria you entered.

Clicking on the "Details" link for any account will bring up a window showing additional information for the chosen account.

Clicking on the "Select" link will add this account to your clearance request. It will be moved to the "Selected Account" section.

 

Selected Account

This section shows the account that is seeking clearance from liability.

Clicking on the "Details" link will bring up a window showing additional information for the chosen account.

Clicking on the "Remove" link will delete the chosen account from your "Selected Account" section. 

You can only choose one account in this section if you started the clearance as the party who is performing work or services.  

Once you have identified the account that you want to appear on the letter, click the "Next" button to continue.

 Clicking on the "Start Again" button will return you to the beginning of the process (the initial Start page). Any information entered for the current letter will be discarded.

 

 Who is requesting the letter from you?

On this page you will be indicating who is requesting the letter for the work or services. This party is sometimes known as the principal. Only one account may be entered here. There are two methods of identifying this account:

1. Enter the complete WCB account number:
   This option lets you quickly identify the account holder paying for the work or services without having to search for it. You must enter the complete account number.
2. Enter a legal or trade name:
   This option lets you search for an account by legal or trade name. Enter the beginning of the name you are searching for and click the "Search" button.
   
   After entering search criteria in the "Account Number or Company Name" field, click on the "Search" button. If there is an exact match, it will be automatically selected and will display in the "Selected Account" section. Any matching results will show in the "Search Results" section. Additional searches can be performed if required.
   
   Clicking on the "Clear" button will blank out any search criteria previously entered and also clear the entire "Search Results" section. This button will not have any effect on the account added to the "Selected Account" section.

 

Search Results

This section displays the accounts which have names that begin with the search criteria you entered.

Clicking on the "Details" link for any account will bring up a window showing additional information for the chosen account.

Clicking on the "Select" link will add this account to your clearance request. It will be moved to the "Selected Account" section.

If, after searching, you still cannot find the account paying for the work or services, a manual entry option will be made available. Click on the checkbox beside "I cannot find the company" and additional fields will appear. You must manually enter all the company's information. Fill in the required fields (Company Name, Address, City, Province, Postal/Zip code).

 

Selected Account

This section shows the account to appear on the clearance letter.

Clicking on the "Details" link will bring up a window showing additional information for the chosen account.

Clicking on the "Remove" link will delete the chosen account from the "Selected Account" section.

You can only choose one account in this section.

Once you have identified the company paying for the work or services, click the "Next" button to proceed.

 

Clicking on the "Previous" button will return you to the previous step in the process. Any account chosen on the current page will still be retained when you return to it.

Clicking on the "Start Again" button will return you to the beginning of the process (the initial Start page). Any information entered for the current letter will be discarded.

  

Send or View Clearance Letter

On this page you will be identifying where and how to send the clearance letter. You also have the ability to view the letter on your computer in a PDF format (requires Adobe Reader 6.0 or higher). The top of the page displays a summary of the information from the previous two steps. This includes:

On the left side: The company paying for the work or services along with two optional entry fields.  You can enter information into the "Attention To" and "Subject Line" fields if you require it. This information will appear in the address section of the clearance letter.

On the right side: Your account number and legal name. This information will appear in the body of the clearance letter.

Mailing address information, which appears on the clearance letter, is automatically retrieved, where available, from WCB-Alberta systems (unless it was manually entered in a previous step - Jump to: "Steps to Edit the Address section").

 

Delivery options for a Clearance Letter

Send Clearance To:

This section gives you three different options for sending a clearance letter.

Email: This is the most common and efficient method to send a clearance letter. It is the default selection and requires a valid email address.

Fax: This method allows you to send a clearance letter via fax to the given fax number. This option can only be used for destinations within Alberta. Fax numbers must have 10 digits and must not have any extensions.

Mail: This is the slowest method of sending a clearance letter. A physical copy of the letter is generated and sent through Canada Post via regular mail service. This method may take up to 10 days to deliver the clearance letter (Jump to: "Steps to send a Clearance Letter - via Canada Post").

 

Send Copy To:

This section allows you to optionally send a copy of the clearance letter to another destination.

The two methods available are Email and Fax (as described in the previous section).  By default the "Do Not Send a Copy" option is selected.

 

Steps to send a Clearance Letter - Electronically

1. (optional) Enter the appropriate information in the "Attention to" and "Subject line" fields.
2. In the "Send Clearance to" section, choose a delivery method by clicking on either the "Email" or "Fax" radio buttons.
3. Enter either a valid email or fax number (depending upon which option you chose).
4. (optional) In the "Send Copy to" section, choose a delivery method by clicking on either the "Email" or "Fax" radio buttons. Fill in the appropriate information for your choice.
5. Click the "Send Letter" button.

 

Steps to send a Clearance Letter - via Canada Post

If it is necessary to have the clearance letter physically printed by WCB-Alberta and mailed via Canada Post, the following steps are required. This method cannot be combined with either of the electronic methods noted above.
Please consider the environment by distributing clearance letters electronically. If you have access to a printer, you can print clearance letters at your convenience.

1. Click on the "Mail via Canada Post" link on the bottom left of the page.
2. Click on the "Mail" radio button.
3. Select the recipient(s) you wish to mail the clearance letter to by selecting the checkbox beside "Send via Canada Post to."
4. (optional) Click on "Show Address" to view the mailing address. You can then click on the "Edit Address" link if you wish to modify the address where the clearance letter will be sent. A new window will pop up allowing you to update the address as required.
   This updated address will only be used for this one clearance letter and only if it is the mailing address being displayed for Canada Post mailing purposes. No permanent address changes for WCB-Alberta accounts can be made on this page.
5. Click the "Send Letter" button.

Steps to Edit the Address Section

If changes are required to the mailing address at the top of the letter, regardless of the selected delivery method (Email, Fax, Mail), follow these steps:

1. Click on the "Mail via Canada Post" link on the bottom left.
2. Click on the "Show Address" line.
3. Click on the "Edit Address" link.
4. Make the required changes.
5. Click on the "Save" button.

Addresses displayed in the body of a clearance letter cannot be changed.

 

Steps to View a Clearance Letter (PDF)

You can view the clearance letter before, or instead of, sending it.

1. Choose at minimum one delivery method (described above).
2. Click on the "View Letter (PDF)" button.
   Depending upon how your internet browser and computer are set up, you will see either a PDF version of the clearance letter in a new window or tab, OR a dialogue box may appear asking you to save the PDF file. You can choose to view, print or save a copy on your own computer. For more information on PDF files, click here.
3. Click on the "Exit" button if you do not need to send the letter OR click on the "Send Letter" button to now send the letter as previously described.

 

Clicking on the "Previous" button will return you to the previous step in the process. Any destination information chosen on the current page will still be retained when you return to it.

Clicking on the "Start Again" button will return you to the beginning of the process (the initial Start page). Any information entered for the current letter will be discarded.