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Short-term Rentals Registration Regulations

made under

Section 6 of the

Short-term Rentals Registration Act

S.N.S. 2019, c. 9

O.I.C. 2024-303 (effective September 30, 2024), N.S. Reg. 158/2024

amended to O.I.C. 2025-358 (effective December 1, 2025), N.S. Reg. 269/2025

Table of Contents

Please note: this table of contents is provided for convenience of reference and does not form part of the regulations.

Click here to go to the text of the regulations .

Citation

Definitions

Secondary or backyard suite

Registry and Registrar

Host and platform operator registration requirement

Registration application for whole home primary residence short-term rental host

Registration application for commercial short-term rental host

Registration application for traditional tourist accommodation host

Registration application for platform operator

Denial, cancellation, revocation or suspension of registration

Annual registration tax for whole home primary residence short-term rental hosts

Annual registration tax for commercial short-term rental hosts

Annual registration tax for traditional tourist accommodation hosts

Annual registration tax for platform operators

Registration renewal

Disclosure of collected information

Offence and penalty

Administrative penalty

Service of notice of administrative penalty

Amount of administrative penalty

Cancellation of administrative penalty

Appeal of administrative penalty

Payment of administrative penalty

Failure to pay administrative penalty

Administrative penalty does not relieve person from duty to comply

Schedule A—Tiers for Commercial Short-term Rentals

Citation

1 These regulations may be cited as the Short-term Rentals Registration Regulations .

Definitions

(1) In these regulations,

“Act” means the Short-term Rentals Registration Act ;

“applicant” means a person applying for registration as a host or platform operator

under the Act and these regulations;

“backyard suite” means a self-contained accessory dwelling unit that is located on

the same lot as the main dwelling;

“bed and breakfast establishment” means a short-term rental premises within the

host’s primary residence consisting of individual bedrooms within a dwelling unit

that are rented to separate parties or groups, any spaces for the provision of meals

and other connected services and facilities;

“commercial short-term rental host” means a person who offers short-term rentals

of 1 of the following that is not their primary residence:

(

i) a dwelling unit that they own or that is a condominium unit as

defined in the Condominium Act ,

(ii) a room or rooms as separate accommodation in a dwelling unit that

they own or that is a condominium unit as defined in the

Condominium Act ;

“commercial use” means a property that is assessed as a commercial property

under the Assessment Act ;

“Department” means the Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing;

“dwelling” means a building or part of a building that is occupied or capable of

being occupied as a home or residence by 1 or more persons and which contains 1

or more dwelling units, but does not include a traditional tourist accommodation;

“dwelling unit” means living quarters that meet all of the following criteria:

(

i) they are accessible from a private entrance located outside the

building or in a common area within the building,

(ii) they are occupied or, if unoccupied, are reasonably fit for occupancy,

(iii) they contain their own dedicated kitchen facilities,

(iv) they have toilet facilities that are not shared with other dwelling

units;

“former Act” means

Chapter 9 of the Acts of 1994-95, the Tourist

Accommodations Act ;

“Halifax Regional Municipality” means the Halifax Regional Municipality

described in the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter ;

“hostel establishment” means a commercial use that provides shared sleeping

accommodation and common facilities for cooking, eating and washing;

“hotel establishment” means a commercial use that provides sleeping

accommodation and housekeeping services to the public and which may provide

amenities such as restaurants or meeting rooms, and includes an inn;

“Minister” means the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing;

“motel establishment” means a commercial use consisting of a building or group

of buildings that provides sleeping accommodation to the public in the form of

rooms with direct access to outside and adjacent parking, and which may provide

amenities such as restaurants or meeting rooms;

“municipality” means a city, an incorporated town, a municipality of a county or

district or a regional municipality, and includes the Peggy’s Cove Preservation

Area and any Peggy’s Cove Commission by-laws established under the Peggy’s

Cove Commission Act ;

“operating” means any of the following:

(

i) advertising the availability of accommodations,

(ii) accepting or maintaining reservations for accommodations,

(iii) providing accommodations in exchange for payment;

“ordinary resident” means the person who lives, makes their home and conducts

their daily affairs, including paying bills and receiving mail, in a dwelling unit, and

uses the residential address of the dwelling unit on documentation related to

billing, identification, taxation and insurance, such as income tax returns, medical

services plan documentation, driver’s licences, personal identification, vehicle

registrations and utility bills;

“personal vacation home” means a dwelling that meets all of the following criteria:

(

i) it is primarily intended for seasonal or recreational use,

(ii) it is primarily used and occupied by 1 or more of the following, who

do not pay rent to use and occupy it:

(

A) its owner,

(

B) its owner’s immediate family,

(

C) close friends of its owner’s family,

(iii) it is not a primary residence or located on the same property as a

primary residence,

(iv) it is not primarily intended to be a rental income property or to be

used as a rental income property,

(

v) it is not intended for continuous, year-round occupancy,

(vi) it is the only dwelling owned by the owner that meets the criteria described

in subclauses (

i) to (v);

“primary residence” means a dwelling unit owned or rented and occupied by an

ordinary resident either alone or jointly with others;

“program” means the Secondary and Backyard Suite Incentive Program established

and offered by the Department;

“registrant” means a host or platform operator who is registered under the Act and

these regulations;

“registration year” means 1 of the following:

(

i) September 30, 2024, to March 31, 2025,

(ii) after March 31, 2025, the period from April 1 of a given year to

March 31 of the following year;

“Registry” means the Short-term Rentals Registry established under

Section 4;

“rented room” means 1 of the following:

(

i) a room in a host’s primary residence that is a short-term rental,

(ii) a dormitory-style room that is part of an educational institution and

that is a short-term rental;

“resort establishment” means a commercial use that provides sleeping

accommodation to the public within a set of units, suites, cabins or cottages that is

located on the premises under single ownership and which may provide amenities

such as restaurants, recreational facilities or meeting rooms;

“secondary suite” means a self-contained accessory dwelling unit contained within

a main dwelling;

“short-term rental duration period” means the duration of time that constitutes a

short-term rental, as set out in subsection (2);

“tier” means a tier established under

Section 13 and listed in

Schedule A to these

regulations;

“traditional tourist accommodation host” means a person operating any of the

following:

(

i) a bed and breakfast establishment,

(ii) a hostel establishment,

(iii) a hotel establishment,

(iv) a motel establishment,

(

v) a personal vacation home,

(vi) a rented room,

(vii) a resort establishment,

(viii) an unusual lodging;

“unusual lodging” means a yurt, dome, stationary recreational vehicle, bunkie,

cabin, guest suite adjoining unrelated businesses or any other form of lodging that

is a fixed in place short-term rental and is not a whole home primary residence

short-term rental or commercial short-term rental;

“whole home primary residence short-term rental host” means a person who offers

the whole dwelling of their primary residence as a short-term rental.

(2A) For the purposes of the Act and these regulations, the duration of a short-term

rental is a period of 28 consecutive days or less.

(2B) Despite subsection (2), for a personal vacation home, the duration of all short-term

rentals of the personal vacation home must total no more than 150 days per

registration year.

(3) For the purposes of the Act and these regulations, the following are the classes of

host:

(

a) whole home primary residence short-term rental host;

(

b) commercial short-term rental host;

(

c) traditional tourist accommodation host.

Secondary or backyard suite

(1) For the purposes of these regulations, a secondary suite or backyard suite is

considered to be a commercial short-term rental, unless the suite is the host’s

primary residence.

(2) An owner or occupant of a secondary suite or backyard suite who has received

funding under the program is prohibited from operating or registering the suite as a

short-term rental, unless the suite is the owner or occupant’s primary residence or

the owner or occupier is exempted from this prohibition under subsection (3).

(3) The Minister may exempt a person in writing from the prohibition described in

program or if the Minister determines that an exemption is in the public interest.

Registry and Registrar

(1) The Minister may appoint 1 or more persons as Registrar to maintain, administer

and operate a Short-term Rentals Registry in accordance with the Act and these

regulations.

(2) The Minister may delegate any powers or duties conferred by these regulations to

the Registrar and may impose any terms or conditions on the Registrar that the

Minister considers advisable.

(3) A Registrar appointed under subsection (1) must carry out the duties and

responsibilities assigned by the Minister.

Host and platform operator registration requirement

(1) A person who is operating as 1 of the following must apply to be registered under

the Act in the form and manner outlined in the corresponding

Section set out in the

following table and must renew their registration annually in the form and manner

outlined in

Section 16:

Type of operator

Section of regulations

whole home primary residence short-term rental host

Section 6

commercial short-term rental host

Section 7

traditional tourist accommodation host

Section 8

platform operator

Section 9

(2) If the Minister is satisfied that an application for registration or renewal of

registration made under subsection (1) meets all of the requirements in these

regulations and the applicant has paid the prescribed annual registration tax for the

short-term rental, the Minister may grant the registration or renewal of registration

for a period of time not exceeding the registration year.

(3) A registration or renewal of registration granted under subsection (2) is not

transferrable or assignable.

(4) A person operating as a whole home primary residence short-term rental host

without being registered as a whole home primary residence short-term rental host

in accordance with the Act and these regulations is guilty of an offence.

(5) A person operating as a commercial short-term rental host without being registered

as a commercial short-term rental host in accordance with the Act and these

regulations is guilty of an offence.

(6) A person operating as a traditional tourist accommodation host without being

registered as a traditional tourist accommodation host in accordance with the Act

and these regulations is guilty of an offence.

(7) A person operating as a platform operator without being registered as a platform

operator in accordance with the Act and these regulations is guilty of an offence.

Registration application for whole home primary residence short-term rental host

(1) A person applying for registration as a whole home primary residence short-term

rental host must submit an application to the Minister that includes all of the

following information and documents, together with payment of the annual

registration tax prescribed under

Section 12:

(

a) the applicant’s full legal name;

(

b) any name under which the applicant carries on business as a host;

(

c) the address of the location where the applicant offers short-term rentals;

(

d) the number of bedrooms available for rent;

(

e) confirmation from the municipality that the accommodation the applicant

seeks to register complies with applicable municipal land-use by-laws;

(

f) proof the accommodation is the applicant’s primary residence in the form of

at least 2 of the following:

(

i) a copy of the applicant’s driver’s licence or the applicant’s

government-issued photo identification card,

(ii) a copy of the applicant’s most recent tax return,

(iii) a copy of the applicant’s most recent property tax bill,

(iv) a copy of the applicant’s lease agreement,

(

v) any other form of documentation acceptable to the Minister;

(

g) if the applicant is not an owner of the property or if the property is a

condominium unit as defined in the Condominium Act , written consent for

the applicant to register under the Act from the property owner or the condo

board, as applicable;

(

h) if the applicant is the joint owner of the property, confirmation that the

applicant has obtained the consent of all other joint owners to register under

the Act;

(

i) any additional information required by the Minister to register the applicant.

(2) An application for registration described in subsection (1) and the annual

registration tax payment prescribed under

Section 12 may be submitted in 1 of the

following ways:

(

a) electronically through the online system established by the Department;

(

b) in person at an Access Nova Scotia office;

(

c) by mail.

Registration application for commercial short-term rental host

(1) A person applying for registration as a commercial short-term rental host must

submit an application to the Minister that includes all of the following information,

together with payment of the annual registration tax prescribed for each dwelling

unit associated with the short-term rental under

Section 13 and in accordance with

the applicable tier and geographic area listed in

Schedule A to these regulations:

(

a) the applicant’s full legal name and any registered business names under

which they operate as a commercial short-term rental host in the Province;

(

b) any name under which the applicant carries on business as a host;

(

c) the address of each dwelling unit where the applicant offers short-term

rentals;

(

d) the number of bedrooms available for rent in each dwelling unit where the

applicant offers short-term rentals;

(

e) the number of rooms available as separate accommodation in each dwelling

unit where the applicant offers short-term rentals;

(

f) confirmation from the municipality that the accommodation the applicant

seeks to register complies with applicable municipal land-use by-laws;

(

g) if the property is a condominium unit as defined in the Condominium Act , 1

of the following:

(

i) for a property not owned by the applicant, written consent for the

applicant to register under the Act from the property owner and the

condo board,

(ii) for a property owned by the applicant, written consent for the

applicant to register under the Act from the condo board;

(

h) any additional information required by the Minister to register the applicant.

(2) An application for registration described in subsection (1) and the annual

registration tax payment prescribed under

Section 13 may be submitted in 1 of the

following ways:

(

a) electronically through the online system established by the Department;

(

b) in person at an Access Nova Scotia office;

(

c) by mail.

(3) An application for registration as a commercial short-term rental host described in

subsection (1) may be approved by the Minister only if the dwelling unit that is the

subject of the application is

(

a) owned by the applicant; or

(

b) a condominium unit as defined in the Condominium Act .

Registration application for traditional tourist accommodation host

(1) A person applying for registration as a traditional tourist accommodation host must

submit an application to the Minister that includes all of the following information

and documents, together with payment of the annual registration tax prescribed

under

Section 14:

(

a) the applicant’s full legal name and any registered business names under

which they operate as a traditional tourist accommodation host in the

Province;

(

b) any name under which the applicant carries on business as a host;

(

c) the address of the location where the applicant offers traditional tourist

accommodation;

(

d) which of the following types of accommodation the applicant plans to offer:

(

i) a bed and breakfast establishment,

(ii) a hostel establishment,

(iii) a hotel establishment,

(iv) a motel establishment,

(

v) a personal vacation home,

(vi) a rented room,

(vii) a resort establishment,

(viii) an unusual lodging;

(

e) the number of rooms available for rent in the location where the applicant

offers traditional tourist accommodation;

(

f) confirmation that the accommodation the applicant seeks to register

complies with applicable municipal land-use by-laws in a form acceptable

to the Minister, which may include a licence issued to the applicant under

the former Act;

(

g) for a rented room that is not part of an educational institution or a bed and

breakfast establishment, proof the accommodation is the applicant’s primary

residence in the form of at least 2 of the following:

(

i) a copy of the applicant’s driver’s licence or the applicant’s

government-issued photo identification card,

(ii) a copy of the applicant’s most recent tax return,

(iii) a copy of the applicant’s most recent property tax bill,

(iv) a copy of the applicant’s lease agreement,

(

v) any other form of documentation acceptable to the Minister;

(

h) for a personal vacation home, proof that the personal vacation home is

exclusively owned by 1 or more individuals who are not a business

association, society or trust;

(

i) for a personal vacation home, all of the following documents:

(

i) documents that demonstrate that it is not the applicant’s primary

residence in at least 2 of the forms described in clause (g),

(ii) an attestation by its owner or owners that it is used primarily for

personal vacation purposes;

(

j) for an applicant that is an owner of a traditional tourist accommodation that

is 1 of the following and is not part of a resort establishment, written

consent for the applicant to register under the Act from the property owner:

(

i) a bed and breakfast establishment,

(ii) an unusual lodging that is on private property that is either vacant or

shared with only 1 primary residence,

(iii) a rented room that is not part of an educational institution;

(

k) for a traditional tourist accommodation that is a condominium unit as

defined in the Condominium Act , written consent for the applicant to

register under the Act from the condo board;

(

l) any additional information required by the Minister to register the applicant.

(2) An application for registration described in subsection (1) and the annual

registration tax payment prescribed under

Section 14 may be submitted in 1 of the

following ways:

(

a) electronically through the online system established by the Department;

(

b) in person at an Access Nova Scotia office;

(

c) by mail.

Registration application for platform operator

(1) A person applying for registration as a platform operator must submit an

application to the Minister that includes all of the following information, together

with payment of the annual registration tax prescribed under

Section 15:

(

a) the applicant’s full legal name and any registered business names under

which they operate as a platform operator in the Province;

(

b) all of the following information for a person designated by the applicant as

their contact person for the purposes of the Act and these regulations:

(

i) name,

(ii) title or position,

(iii) telephone number,

(iv) e-mail address;

(

c) the website or app through which the applicant brokers or facilitates

reservations for short-term rentals;

(

d) confirmation that all postings on the applicant’s website or app include a

valid registration number for the host, except for an applicant listing only

hotel or motel accommodation.

(2) The Minister may enter into an agreement with a platform operator, in a form

approved by the Minister, for the provision of the information about the platform

operator’s transactions that is required to be retained under

Section 4 of the Act to

the Minister.

(3) An application for registration described in subsection (1) and the annual

registration tax payment prescribed under

Section 15 may be submitted in 1 of the

following ways:

(

a) electronically through the online system established by the Department;

(

b) in person at an Access Nova Scotia office;

(

c) by mail.

registration:

(

a) they must report any changes to the information provided in their

registration application to the Minister within 10 days of the change;

(

b) they must comply with the Act, these regulations and any additional terms

and conditions of their registration;

(

c) they must ensure that their registered accommodation maintains compliance

with applicable municipal by-laws in the manner prescribed by the Minister;

(

d) for a host, they must ensure that any online advertisement for their

accommodation includes their registration number, except if the

advertisement appears on a platform operator’s website or app that lists only

hotel or motel accommodation;

(

e) for a platform operator, they must

(

i) ensure that all postings on their website or app include a valid

registration number for the host, unless they list only hotel or motel

accommodation,

(ii) share records required to be retained under

Section 4 of the Act with

the Minister upon request, and

(iii) remove an advertisement for a short-term rental from their website or

app upon request of the Minister;

(

f) for a person whose mailing address is not in the Province, they must provide

the contact information and address of an office or representative located in

the Province to the Minister and agree that all documents sent to the office

or representative are deemed to have been received by them.

(2) The Minister may do any of the following after providing notice to a registrant:

subsection (1), that the Minister considers appropriate on the registrant’s

registration;

(

b) amend or remove a term or condition of the registrant’s registration imposed

under clause (a).

registration imposed under subsections (1) and (2) to registrants.

in accordance with the Act and these regulations is guilty of an offence.

Denial, cancellation, revocation or suspension of registration

(1) The Minister may deny the registration of an applicant or cancel, revoke or

suspend the registration of a registrant for a period of time or subject to any

conditions the Minister considers necessary in any of the following circumstances:

(

a) the applicant or registrant fails to comply with or does not meet the

application for registration requirements of

Section 6, 7, 8 or 9;

(

b) the applicant or registrant has contravened any of the following:

(

i) a term or condition of their registration,

(ii) a provision of the Act or these regulations;

(

c) the Minister has determined that it is in the public interest to deny, cancel,

revoke or suspend the registration.

(2) The Minister must provide written reasons to an applicant or a registrant for a

decision made under subsection (1).

(3) The Minister may delegate the authority to make a decision under subsection (1) to

a delegate and the delegate must provide written reasons for the decision, and an

applicant or a registrant may appeal a decision made by a Minister’s delegate under

subsection (1) by providing written comments to the Minister within 15 days of

receiving written reasons for the decision.

(4) After considering any written comments provided by an applicant or a registrant

under subsection (3), the Minister may confirm, vary or set aside the decision made

by a Minister’s delegate to deny, cancel, revoke or suspend the registration under

subsection (1).

(5) A decision made by the Minister under subsection (1) or (4) is final.

Annual registration tax for whole home primary residence short-term rental hosts

(1) A whole home primary residence short-term rental host must pay an annual

registration tax of $50 in each whole or partial registration year in which the whole

home primary residence short-term rental host is a registrant.

(2) A person operating as a whole home primary residence short-term rental host who

fails to pay the annual registration tax prescribed in subsection (1) is guilty of an

offence.

(3) The annual registration tax prescribed in this

Section is not refundable.

Annual registration tax for commercial short-term rental hosts

(1) For the purposes of the Act and these regulations, the Province is divided into the

geographic areas and tiers listed in

Schedule A to these regulations.

(2) A commercial short-term rental host must pay the following annual registration tax

in each whole or partial registration year in which the commercial short-term rental

host is a registrant for each dwelling unit offered as a short-term rental:

(

a) for a dwelling unit located in tier 1, $2000;

(

b) for a dwelling unit located in tier 2, $500;

(

c) for a dwelling unit located in tier 3, $240.

(3) A person operating as a commercial short-term rental host who fails to pay the

annual registration tax prescribed in subsection (1) is guilty of an offence.

(4) The annual registration taxes prescribed in this

Section are not refundable.

(5) Despite subsection (4), an annual registration tax paid under this

Section may be

refunded to an applicant or a registrant if the Minister determines that the tax was

paid in error and the applicant or registrant should receive a refund.

(6) An applicant or a registrant is not entitled to a refund if the Minister has exercised

their authority under

Section 11.

Annual registration tax for traditional tourist accommodation hosts

(1) A traditional tourist accommodation host must pay the following annual

registration tax in each whole or partial registration year in which the traditional

tourist accommodation host is a registrant for each location at which it is operating

traditional tourist accommodation:

(

a) for accommodation with 1 to 4 bedrooms, $50;

(

b) for accommodation with 5 or more bedrooms, $150.

(2) A person operating as a traditional tourist accommodation host who fails to pay the

annual registration tax prescribed in subsection (1) is guilty of an offence.

(3) The annual registration taxes prescribed in this

Section are not refundable.

Annual registration tax for platform operators

(1) A platform operator must pay an annual registration tax of $500.

(2) A person operating as a platform operator who fails to pay the annual registration

tax prescribed in subsection (1) is guilty of an offence.

(3) The annual registration tax prescribed in this

Section is not refundable.

Registration renewal

(1) A registrant may renew their registration under the Act by submitting all of the

following to the Minister before the end of their current registration year:

(a) 1 of the following:

(

i) confirmation that the registrant’s registered information is unchanged

from the previous registration year,

(ii) written notice of any change to the registrant’s registered information

since the previous registration year;

(

b) payment of the applicable annual registration tax.

(2) If written notice of a change to the registrant’s registered information is provided

under subclause (1)(a)(ii), the Minister must review the change and may do any of

the following:

(

a) approve the registration renewal;

(

b) require the registrant to provide additional information to determine their

eligibility for renewal;

(

c) require the registrant to apply for registration as a new applicant;

(

d) deny the registrant’s request for renewal.

(3) A person who continues to operate as a host or platform operator and fails to

renew their registration in accordance with this

Section is guilty of an offence.

Disclosure of collected information

(1) The Minister may disclose any information collected for the purpose of

registration under Sections 6, 7, 8 and 9 and information concerning the

registration status of a host for any of the following reasons:

(

a) to administer, ensure compliance with or enforce the Act or these

regulations;

(

b) to administer an enactment of the Province, the Parliament of Canada or

another province of Canada concerning the imposition of taxation;

(

c) to fulfill an agreement between the Province and another government that

(

i) relates to the administration or enforcement of an enactment of the

Province, the Parliament of Canada or another province of Canada

concerning the imposition of taxation, and

(ii) allows the parties to disclose and exchange information, returns and

records;

statistical information;

(

e) to be used by a public body as defined in the Freedom of Information and

Protection of Privacy Act ;

(

f) to be used by a crown corporation as defined in the Finance Act ;

(

g) to be used by a member of the Executive Council to administer an

enactment of the Province;

(

h) to be used by a municipal unit as defined in the Freedom of Information and

Protection of Privacy Act , another province of Canada or another

government in accordance with an agreement between the Province and the

municipal unit, other province of Canada or other government;

(

i) to be used by a person with whom the Minister has entered into an

agreement regarding the use of the information;

(

j) to monitor compliance with the Act and these regulations under an

agreement with a platform operator.

(2) The Minister may disclose information collected under the Act or these regulations

in aggregate form.

Offence and penalty

(1) A person who commits an offence under the Act or these regulations is liable on

summary conviction to a fine of not less than $1000 and not more than $100 000.

(2) An offence described in subsection (1) that is committed or continued for more

than 1 day is considered to be a separate violation for each day it is committed or

continued and the person who committed the offence is liable on

summary

conviction to a fine for each day the offence is committed or continued, up to a

total of $100 000 annually.

Administrative penalty

(1) The Minister may require a person who does any of the following to pay an

administrative penalty by serving a notice of administrative penalty on the person:

(

a) contravenes a provision of the Act or these regulations;

(

b) fails to comply with any of the following made by the Minister under the

Act or these regulations:

(

i) a decision,

(ii) an order,

(iii) a demand;

imposed under the Act and these regulations;

(

d) gives false or misleading information to an inspector appointed by the

Minister under subsection 4A(1) of the Act or a Registrar appointed by the

Minister under subsection 4(1).

(2) A notice of administrative penalty served on a person under subsection (1) must be

in writing and contain all of the following information:

(

a) the name of the person on whom the administrative penalty is imposed;

(

b) the provision of the Act or these regulations that was contravened and

resulted in the administrative penalty;

(

c) the details of the contravention of the Act or these regulations that resulted

in the administrative penalty;

(

d) the amount of the administrative penalty;

(

e) when and how the administrative penalty must be paid;

(

f) the process for filing an appeal of the administrative penalty.

Service of notice of administrative penalty

(1) A notice of administrative penalty is deemed to have been served on a person if it

(

a) delivered personally to the person; or

(

b) sent by electronic means, courier or registered mail to any of the following:

(

i) the person’s last known address,

(ii) the person’s last known business address,

(iii) the person’s usual place of residence,

(iv) the person’s office or representative in the Province, as described in

clause 10(1)(f).

(2) If a notice of administrative penalty is sent by

(

a) electronic means, it is deemed to have been served on the person on the date

it is transmitted;

(

b) courier, it is deemed to have been served on the person on the date it is

delivered to the courier; and

(

c) registered mail, it is deemed to have been served on the person on the date it

is mailed.

(3) A notice of administrative penalty must be served no more than 2 years from the

date of the performance of the act for which the administrative penalty is imposed.

Amount of administrative penalty

(1) The amount of an administrative penalty is as follows:

(

a) for a first offence, $2000;

(

b) for a second offence, $4000;

(

c) for a third or subsequent offence, $8000.

(2) For the purposes of this Section, an offence committed under the Act or these

regulations by a person is considered to be the first offence committed under the

Act or these regulations by the person if the notice of administrative penalty for the

offence is served 3 or more years after the dates of the services of notices of

administrative penalty for all previous offences committed under the Act or these

regulations by the person.

Cancellation of administrative penalty

(1) The Minister may cancel an administrative penalty imposed on a person by the

service of a notice of administrative penalty and instead enter into an agreement

with the person.

(2) An agreement made under subsection (1) may reduce or cancel an administrative

desirable.

(3) An agreement made under subsection (1) must specify when the terms and

conditions imposed by the Minister as part of the agreement under subsection (2)

must be met.

(4) If the person with whom the Minister enters into an agreement under subsection

agreement under subsection (2) by the date specified in subsection (3), they must

pay the administrative penalty

(

a) specified in the notice of administrative penalty served on them; and

Minister as part of the agreement under subsection (2).

Appeal of administrative penalty

(1) A person may appeal an administrative penalty by filing a notice of appeal in the

form prescribed by the Deputy Minister of the Department with the Deputy

Minister of the Department or Associate Deputy Minister of the Department no

more than 30 days after the date the notice of administrative penalty is served on

them.

(2) The Deputy Minister of the Department or Associate Deputy Minister of the

Department must decide to revoke, decrease or confirm an administrative penalty

no more than 30 business days after the date a notice of appeal is filed regarding

the administrative penalty.

Payment of administrative penalty

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2), a person who is served a notice of

administrative penalty must pay the administrative penalty no more than 60 days

after the date the notice of administrative penalty is served on them.

(2) An administrative penalty that is appealed under subsection 23(1) must be paid

(

a) only if the Deputy Minister of the Department or Associate Deputy Minister

of the Department decides that the administrative penalty must be paid; and

(

b) if clause (

a) applies, no more than 30 days after the date the Deputy Minister

of the Department or Associate Deputy Minister of the Department makes a

decision about the appeal.

Failure to pay administrative penalty

25 If an administrative penalty is not paid by a person who is served a notice of

administrative penalty by the deadlines described in

Section 24, the amount of the

administrative penalty is a debt due to the Crown in right of Nova Scotia.

Administrative penalty does not relieve person from duty to comply

26 A person must continue to comply with the Act and these regulations after any of the

following occurs:

(

a) they are served a notice of administrative penalty;

(

b) they pay an administrative penalty.

Schedule A—Tiers for Commercial Short-term Rentals

For the purposes of

Section 13, the Province is divided into the following geographic areas and

tiers which are used to determine the annual registration tax paid by commercial short-term

rental hosts:

Tier

Geographic areas

Tier 1

The following communities located in the Halifax Regional

Municipality:

Bedford

Beechville

Cole Harbour

Dartmouth

Halifax

Lakeside

Lower Sackville

Tier 2

Annapolis Royal

Cape Breton Regional Municipality

Municipality of the County of Annapolis

Municipality of the County of Antigonish

Municipality of the County of Clare

Municipality of the County of Colchester

Municipality of the County of Cumberland

Municipality of the County of Digby

Municipality of the County of Inverness

Municipality of the County of Kings

Municipality of the County of Pictou

Municipality of the County of Richmond

Municipality of the County of Victoria

Municipality of the District of Argyle

Municipality of the District of Barrington

Municipality of the District of Chester

Municipality of the District of East Hants

Municipality of the District of Guysborough

Municipality of the District of Lunenburg

Municipality of the District of Shelburne

Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s

Municipality of the District of Yarmouth

Region of Queens Municipality

Town of Amherst

Town of Antigonish

Town of Berwick

Town of Bridgewater

Town of Kentville

Town of Lunenburg

Town of Mahone Bay

Town of Middleton

Town of New Glasgow

Town of Oxford

Town of Pictou

Town of Port Hawkesbury

Town of Stellarton

Town of Stewiacke

Town of Trenton

Town of Truro

Town of Westville

Town of Wolfville

Town of Yarmouth

West Hants Regional Municipality

The following communities located in the Halifax Regional

Municipality:

Antrim

Bald Rock

Barkhouse Settlement

Bayside

Bear Cove

Beaver Bank

Beaver Dam

Beaver Harbour

Beech Hill

Big Lake

Black Point

Blind Bay

Boutiliers Point

Brookside

Brookvale

Caribou Mines

Carrolls Corner

Chaplin

Chaswood

Cherry Brook

Clam Bay

Clam Harbour

College Lake

Conrod Settlement

Cooks Brook

Cow Bay

Dean

Debaies Cove

Devils Island

Devon

Duncans Cove

Dutch Settlement

Earn [East] Loon Lake Village

East Chezzetcook

East Dover

East Jeddore

East Lawrencetown

East Pennant

East Petpeswick

East Preston

East Quoddy

East Ship Harbour

Eastern Passage

Ecum Secum

Ecum Secum West

Elderbank

Elmsvale

Fall River

Fergusons Cove

Fletchers Lake

French Village

Gaetz Brook

Glen Haven

Glen Margaret

Glenmore

Goffs

Goodwood

Governor Lake

Grand Desert

Grand Lake

Greenwood

Hacketts Cove

Halibut Bay

Hammonds Plains

Harrietsfield

Harrigan Cove

Hartlin Settlement

Hatchet Lake

Head of Chezzetcook

Head of Jeddore

Head of St Margarets Bay

Herring Cove

Higginsville

Hubbards

Hubley

Indian Harbour

Ingramport

Jacket Lake

Ketch Harbour

Kinsac

Lake Charlotte

Lake Echo

Lake Egmont

Lake Loon

Lakeview

Lantz

Lawrencetown

Lewis Lake

Lindsay Lake

Liscomb Sanctuary

Little Harbour

Lochaber Mines

Long Lake

Lower East Chezzetcook

Lower Prospect

Lower Ship Harbour

Lower Three Fanthom Harbour

Lucasville

Malay Falls

Marinette

McGraths Cove

McNabs Island

Meaghers Grant

Middle Musquodobit

Middle Porters Lake

Middle Sackville

Milford

Mill Lake

Mineville

Mitchell Bay

Montague Gold Mines

Moose River Gold Mines

Moosehead

Mooseland

Moser River

Murchyville

Murphy Cove

Mushaboom

Musquodobit Harbour

Myers Point

Necum Teuch

Newcomb Corner

North Preston

Oakfield

Oldham

Ostrea Lake

Otter Lake

Owls Head

Oyster Pond

Pace Settlement

Peggy’s Cove

Peggy’s Cove Preservation Area

Pleasant Harbour

Pleasant Point

Pleasant Valley

Popes Harbour

Port Dufferin

Porters Lake

Portuguese Cove

Prospect

Prospect Bay

Queensland

River Lake

Salmon River Bridge

Sambro

Sambro Creek

Sambro Head

Seabright

Seaforth

Shad Bay

Shearwater

Sheet Harbour

Sheet Harbour Passage

Ship Harbour

Smiths Settlement

Sober Island

South

Section

South Uniacke

Southwest Cove

Spry Bay

Spry Harbour

Stillwater Lake

Tangier

Tantallon

Ten Mile Lake

Terence Bay

Third Lake

Three Fanthom [Fathom] Harbour

Timberlea

Trafalgar

Upper Hammonds Plains

Upper Lakeville

Upper Musquodobit

Upper Sackville

Upper Tantallon

Watt

Section

Waverley

Wellington

West Chezzetcook

West Dover

West Jeddore

West Loon Lake

West Pennant

West Petpeswick

West Porters Lake

West Quoddy

Westphal

Whites Lake

Williamswood

Windsor Junction

Wyses Corner

Tier 3

Town of Clark’s Harbour

Town of Digby

Town of Lockeport

Town of Mulgrave

Town of Shelburne

Legislative History

Reference Tables

Short-term Rentals Registration Regulations

N.S. Reg.

158/2024

Short-term Rentals Registration Act

Note: The

information in these tables does not form part of the regulations and is

compiled by the Office of the Registrar of Regulations for reference only.

Source Law

The current consolidation of the Short-term Rentals Registration Regulations made

under the Short-term Rentals Registration Act includes all of the following regulations:

N.S.

Regulation

In force

date*

How in force

Royal Gazette

Part II Issue

158/2024

Sep 30, 2024

date specified

Aug 23, 2024

185/2024

Sep 30, 2024

date specified

Sep 6, 2024

269/2025

Dec 1, 2025

date specified

Dec 12, 2025

The following regulations are not

yet in force and are not included in the current consolidation:

N.S.

Regulation

In force

date*

How in force

Royal Gazette

Part II Issue

*See subsection 3(6) of the Regulations Act for

rules about in force dates of regulations.

Amendments by Provision

ad. = added

am. = amended

fc. = fee change

ra. = reassigned

rep. = repealed

rs . = repealed and substituted

Provision affected

How affected

2(1), defn . of “commercial

short-term rental host” .....................................

rs . 269/2025

2(1), defn . of “operating” .................

ad. 269/2025

2(1), defn . of “personal

vacation home”, (v) ...................................................

am. 269/2025

2(1), defn . of “personal

vacation home”, (vi) ..................................................

ad. 269/2025

2(1), defn . of “unusual

lodging” .......

am. 269/2025

2(2B) .................................................

am. 185/2024

6(1)(f)(v) ...........................................

rs . 269/2025

6(1)(g) ...............................................

am. 269/2025

7(1)(g) ...............................................

rs . 269/2025

7(3) ...................................................

ad. 269/2025

8(1)(g)(v) ..........................................

rs . 269/2025

8(1)(k) ...............................................

am. 269/2025

10(1)(e) .............................................

am. 269/2025

10(1)(f) .............................................

ad. 269/2025

12(1) .................................................

am. 269/2025

13(2) .................................................

am. 269/2025

14(1) .................................................

am. 269/2025

19-26 .................................................

ad. 269/2025

Note that changes to headings are not

included in the above table.

Editorial Notes and Corrections

Note

Effective

date

Clauses 2(2)(

a) and (

b) lettered as clauses in original

text redesignated as subsections 2(2A) and 2(2B) to correct the structure of

the

Section for the purposes of this consolidation.

A reference in s. 2 to the Department or Minister of

Municipal Affairs and Housing should be read as a reference to the Department

or Minister of Growth and Development in accordance with O.I.C. 2024-425 under

the Public Service Act , R.S.N.S.

1989, c. 376.

Dec 12, 2024

Repealed and Superseded

N.S.

Regulation

Title

In force

date

Repealed

date

11/1996

Tourist Accommodations Regulations (made under

the Tourist Accommodations Act )

Jan 16, 1996

Nov 6, 2003

185/2003

Tourist Accommodations Regulations (made under

the Tourist Accommodations Act )

Nov 6, 2003

Apr 1, 2020

16/2020

Tourist Accommodations Registration Regulations

Apr 1, 2020

Sep 30, 2024

Note: Only

regulations that are specifically repealed and replaced appear in this

table. It may not reflect the entire

history of regulations on this subject matter.