Every year, all nurses in Nova Scotia are required to renew their licence. This process is to ensure only nurses qualified to practise nursing are able to do so. Our goal is to review, process and renew all licences in a timely and efficient way.
About Renewal
The licence renewal period opens on September 4, 2024, and will close on October 31, 2024. To be eligible to practise on November 1, 2024, you must renew your licence before the renewal period ends.
Please note: The annual renewal process does not apply to you if you are in the expedited process waiting for a licence. It also does not apply to you if you only hold a 4-month conditional licence.
Dates to Remember in 2024
Watch our licence renewal video here to learn more about important dates.
- September 4, 2024: The renewal period opens. First day to renew your licence.
- October 9, 2024: Deadline to be entered into the Early Bird Licence Renewal Contest for a chance to win the amount of your licensure fee.
- October 31, 2024: The renewal period and online renewal portal close. Applications received after the end of the business day on October 31 may not be processed until November 1.
- November 1, 2024: Renewal after this date is subject to a late fee. Working without an active licence may be considered professional misconduct and subject to a complaint.
Scroll down this page or click on the link below for information on the licence renewal period.
NSCN Registrant Portal
Your Accountability
As a self-regulated professional, it is your responsibility to renew your licence every year in order to legally practise as a nurse. We support you to be successful by providing resources, reminders and more. As you renew your licence, remember that:
- You will be notified by email when your licence has been renewed.
- You must verify that your licence has been renewed using Search for a Nurse.
- Working without a practising licence is illegal and may result in a professional conduct complaint.
NSCN offers a multitude of ways to engage with us for the support you require. In addition to in-person meetings, we also offer virtual appointments and are happy to provide you with the information you’re looking for via phone call, email or conference call.
To book an in-person or virtual appointment for additional support, please contact our Registration Services team at registration@nscn.ca.
Supports Available on our Website
We developed a comprehensive list of online resources to support you during the renewal period. The answers to your questions may already be available on our website. Stay tuned for our new renewal guide that provides all the information you need on how to renew your licence!
- Go to the NSCN Portal page here.
- Log in with your email and password. If you have forgotten your password, request a password reset by clicking ‘Forgot your password.’
If you forget the email associated with your NSCN profile, please contact registration@nscn.ca. Please do not create a new account.
- Go to the portal here.
- Click ‘Forgot your password.’
- Enter your USER NAME, which is the email address you use to communicate with NSCN.
- Enter the security code shown on the right and click ‘submit’.
- You will receive an email with a link to reset your password. Follow the instructions to activate your profile.
The Licence Renewal Application will be available on September 4th. You can follow the below instructions when the application opens:
- Login to the registrant portal here.
- Under the heading “Complete my Registration” click the “Renew” button beside the applicable designation you would like to renew:
- LPN Practising/Conditional
- RN Practising/Conditional
- NP Practising/Conditional
If you are licensed as both an LPN and RN, you will need to complete renewal applications for each designation.
If you are licensed as an NP, completing your NP renewal will renew both your RN and NP licences.
You can save your application and return to it later or withdraw it if you do not wish to proceed.
- Pay the applicable fee. Please note: your application will not be processed until payment has been received. To learn more about fees and payment, click here.
Effective immediately the payroll deduction process has concluded and NSCN will no longer accept lump sum payroll deduction payments from employers. Please contact your employer if you were previously enrolled in payroll deduction and have questions regarding deductions.
Why is the process ending?
As part of NSCN’s ongoing process reviews, we found that employer and NSCN systems are not compatible. There are however, other payment options that are more immediate and reliable that allow for convenient payment alternatives to employer payroll deduction.
There are a number of payment options that provide nurses with a more streamlined application renewal experience, including the ability to pay by pre-authorized debit, credit card, cheque or e-transfer. You will find more about payment options here.
If you are returning from leave and plan on renewing your licence, please contact our Registration team directly at registration@nscn.ca. More information about returning from leave can be found here.
If you are going on maternity or paternity leave, please review the information here.
If you are going to be off from work on an illness or injury leave of absence, please review the information here.
If you are planning to retire or resign during the 2023-2024 licensure period, visit our website here for more information.
If you plan to leave the province to work as a nurse elsewhere, please review the information here.