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.
All nurses practising as of November 1, 2022, should have a current 2022-2023 licence. Working without a current licence is illegal. Check Search a Nurse for up-to-date licensing status of all nurses in Nova Scotia.
If you have a question, email us at registration@nscn.ca. We will respond as quickly as possible.
Scroll down this page or click on the link below for information on the licence renewal period.
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.
In the past, nurses have come to the NSCN office for several reasons including:
- Making a payment
- Using a NSCN computer to submit their application
- Submitting a paper renewal form
- Asking license renewal questions
- Questions about a possible complaint
NSCN offers a multitude of ways you can 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.
In Person Appointments
To book an in-person appointment for support from an NSCN staff member, please learn more here.
Virtual Appointments
Virtual appointments for additional support are available via telephone, email or conference call. More information on virtual appointments.
To submit a renewal application, please contact registration@nscn.ca.
To reset your password, visit the login page to the portal here. Select ‘Forgot my password’, input your email address, and follow the instructions that have been sent to your inbox.
You will need your email address to reset your password. If you are unsure what email address is on file, please contact registration@nscn.caour name.
To find your registration number, visit our Search for a Nurse directory.
Registrants, employers, educators and other stakeholders will be able to search for a registrant record by entering a name in the applicable fields and clicking ‘search’.
Once you locate your name after clicking ‘search’, you will see your registration number below your name under the ‘registrant’ column. For more information on registration and licensure details, click the ‘details’ arrow on the right.
If you are going on maternity or paternity leave, please review the information here. We recommend that you continue to check the website to determine if there have been any changes to the application processes or timeframes.
If you are going to be off from work on an illness or injury leave of absence, please review the information here. We recommend that you continue to check the website to determine if there have been any changes to the application processes or timeframes.
If you are planning to retire or resign during the 2023 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.