Licensing From Another Province
Licensees in Nova Scotia who would like information about becoming licensed in another province or in the United States should contact the regulatory body for real estate in that province or state for information on licensing requirements and processes.
If you are already licensed to trade in real estate in another Canadian province or were licensed in another Canadian province within the last 12 months and want to apply for a licence to trade in real estate in Nova Scotia, follow the steps outlined below.
Step 1: Obtain a licensing history and criminal record check
- Have the regulatory body of the jurisdiction you are currently licensed in or have been licensed in within the past 12 months send an original licensing and discipline history to the Commission. View the Acceptable Licensing Histories Policy.
- Apply for a criminal record check. The criminal record check must be current (no older than six months). View the Criminal Records Policy and the Criminal Record Check Providers Policy.
Note: if you send the licensing history yourself, it must arrive in the original sealed envelope from the originating regulatory agency. Every application and the contents therein are treated as strictly confidential.
Step 2: Review and complete the Salesperson/Associate Broker Licence Application or Managing Associate Broker/Broker Licence application and obtain clear copies of required documents
- Complete the licence application and Schedule A for your class of licence. To apply for a broker-level licence, you must already hold a broker-level licence.
- Obtain a clear copy of your birth certificate/ Canadian passport/ permanent resident card/ citizenship card or certificate/ valid work visa
- Obtain a clear copy of one piece of government issued photo identification (provincial driver’s licence/ provincial photo identification card/ passport)
- Complete an Out of Province Certification form
- Have your licence application signed by your new broker
In circumstances where an applicant is not able to provide certain required documents for reasons beyond the applicant’s control, see the Accepting Alternative Information to Required Documentation Policy.
Step 3: Home study courses
Applicants must complete two home study courses before they are licensed:
- Mandatory Forms Update; and
- Moving to Designated Agency or Moving to Common Law Agency*
*Licensees with designated brokerages take the designated agency course and licensees with common law brokerages take the common law course.
To enroll in the Mandatory Forms Update, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To enroll in the applicable agency course, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Step 4: Submit your completed licence application to the Commission
- Submit your licence application, criminal record check, Out of Province Certification Form, and copies of all required documents from Step 2 to the Commission.
- Submit payment in cash, cheque, money order, debit, Visa, MasterCard or AMEX. Licensing fees are not prorated.
Licence applications can be notarized in the Commission office. Applications can be submitted in person, by mail, fax or email:
Nova Scotia Real Estate Commission
601-1595 Bedford Hwy.
Bedford NS B4A 3Y4
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Fax: 902-468-1016
Step 5: Review of application and issue of licence
- Your licence history and criminal record check will be reviewed for suitability.
- Your licence application and required documents will be reviewed for completion.
- Once your application is approved and your payment is processed, you will be granted a temporary licence to obtain errors and omissions insurance.
- Once proof of errors and omissions insurance is obtained, you will be granted a real estate licence.
If you have been denied a licence by the Registrar for unsuitability, you can apply to the Licensing Committee for a review of the Registrar’s decision. There is a $100 fee for this review, which will be refunded to the applicant if the review concludes in the applicant’s favor. View the Communicating Licensure Decisions Policy and Reviews of Licensure Decisions Policy.
