Licensing Overview

The Nova Scotia Real Estate Commission is responsible for licensing of all real estate persons and brokerages in the province of Nova Scotia.

To become licensed, you must complete the Salesperson Licensing Course administered by the Nova Scotia Association of REALTORS®, which involves completing an online course within a six-month time frame. After course completion, you must write and pass the Commission’s salesperson examination.

See our First-Time Applicant section for more information.

You must have three years experience as a real estate salesperson before you are eligible to become a broker. Qualified candidates must complete the mandatory broker course and write the broker exam and reach the pass mark of 70%.

After the applicant passes the Broker exam, they can then apply apply to the Commission for a brokers licence.

For more information on applying for a broker or managing associate broker licence, see our Broker Licensing section.

To open a brokerage in Nova Scotia you must:

• Provide proof of registration with Registry of Joint Stock Companies
• Provide proof of Franchise Agreement (if applicable)
• Provide a colour photograph of the brokerage's For Sale sign
• Provide a letter from a financial institution confirming an interest bearing trust account for the brokerage is set up.
• Complete the Application for a Brokerage Licence form and Schedule A
• Provide payment: cheque, money order, Visa or MasterCard
• Employ a licensed broker to manage the brokerage
• Maintain a service address in the Province of Nova Scotia and maintain the brokerage records in Nova Scotia.

See our Brokerage Licensing section for more information.

To obtain an Approved Sales Corporation licence, complete the following steps:

Step 1: Have your business name approved by the Commission

Your business name is your first name (or a nickname registered with the Commission) and your last name exactly as it appears on your licence, followed by the word “Limited”. To seek approval, send your business name to the Licensing Officer with “Approved Sales Corporation Name” in the subject line.

Step 2: Have your business name approved by the Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies

Contact the Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies to ensure your approved name is available. If your name is already taken, you may add an additional word or words to obtain the unique name, but you must obtain the Registrar's approval first.

Step 3: Register your business name with the Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies

To register your approved sales corporation, you must file an application for incorporation with the Registry of Joint Stock Companies. Both the Registry of Joint Stock Companies and the Commission strongly advise you obtain legal counsel to assist you in preparing the application.

Step 4: Apply for an Approved Sales Corporation Licence

For information on the Application process, see our licensing section

The naming convention for approved sales corporations is either:

(1) First Name + Last Name + Limited, or
(2) Nickname + Last Name + Limited.

This convention must be followed for your application to be processed. If more than one individual will own the sales corporation, the licensees name used in the corporation name is that of the responsible licence holder only; not both.

If you are licensed in another Canadian jurisidiction, see Transferring from another province.

If you are licensed in an international jurisidiction, see Transferring from another country.

To download our licensing forms, go to our Licensing Forms and Fee Schedule page.

A full list of the current licensing fees are located here

Exams are held once a month at the Best Western Plus Hotel in Dartmouth.

Renewal applications with applicable payment must be submitted to the Commission no later than June 15th.

A brokerage licence will not be renewed unless any late filing or other fees have been received and accepted by the Commission prior to the licensing date.

Brokerages who fail to submit their application for the licensing of the brokerage and the industry members in its employ, postmarked prior to June 15th each licensing year, will be charged an administrative fee.

Unless suspended or cancelled earlier, every licence expires at midnight on June 30th following the date of issuance.

If you are leaving your brokerage to work for another brokerage; leaving the real estate industry to pursue a different career; or taking a leave of absence; you must notify the Commission within 48 hours of terminating your employment. To notify the Commission, complete the Notice of Termination form and submit it to the Commission with your real estate licence.

See our Terminating your Licence section for more information.

If your licence is inactive for less than 30 days, complete the Notice of Reinstatement form and submit it to the Commission with payment.

If your licence is inactive over 30 days, complete the Salesperson and Associate Broker Licence Application and Schedule B and submit to the Commission with a copy of your driver's licence and birth certificate and payment. Recovery Fund fees must be included.

If your licence is inactive for over 90 days, you must also provide the Commission with a current (within six months) criminal record check for employment purposes.

Licensees who leave the industry must complete any missed continuing education requirements prior to applying for a licence reinstatement.

If your licence has been inactive for more than two years, you must complete the licensing course and pass the exam before you can apply for a licence.

See our Reinstating your Licence for more information.