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Part II .

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Automotive Service Technician Trade Regulations

made under subsection 17A(2) of the

Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act

S.N.S. 2003, c. 1

O.I.C. 2016-239 (effective April 1, 2017), N.S. Reg. 185/2016

amended to O.I.C. 2025-272 (effective October 6, 2025), N.S. Reg. 200/2025

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

Automotive Service Technician Trade

Automotive service technician trade is compulsory certified trade

Person other than automotive service technician performing work in trade

Exemption application under General Regulations permitted for automotive service

technician trade

Term of apprenticeship for automotive service technician trade

Wage

schedule for apprentices in automotive service technician trade

Certificate in automotive service technician trade through trade qualification

Compliance with identity card requirements of General Regulations

Displaying certificate of qualification in automotive service technician trade

Service Centre Technician Subtrade

Service centre technician subtrade is compulsory certified trade

Person other than service centre technician performing work in subtrade

Exemption application under General Regulations permitted for service centre technician

subtrade

Term of apprenticeship for service centre technician subtrade

Wage

schedule for service centre technician apprentices

Certificate in service centre technician subtrade through trade qualification

Compliance with identity card requirements of General Regulations

Displaying certificate of qualification in service centre technician subtrade

Transition

Apprentice under former regulations continues as apprentice

Citation

1 These trade regulations may be cited as the Automotive Service Technician Trade

Regulations .

Definitions

(1) In these regulations,

“Act” means the Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act ;

“automotive service technician trade” means the occupation of an automotive

service technician, consisting of all of the following work performed on

automobiles and light trucks, other than work excluded under subsection (2):

(

i) repairing and maintaining all mechanical and electrical devices,

including all of the following:

(

A) engines,

(

B) heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems,

(

C) computer systems,

(

D) fuel systems,

(ii) work performed in the service centre technician subtrade,

(iii) work performed on transmissions and transaxles,

(iv) work performed on restraint systems;

“General Regulations” means the Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act

General Regulations made under the Act;

“light truck” means

(

i) a motor home, bus or truck with a manufacturer’s gross weight of

4500 kg or less, or

(ii) a single-axle vehicle equipped with hydraulic brakes, whether or not

it has a manufacturer’s gross weight of 4500 kg or less;

“service centre technician subtrade” means that part of the occupation of

automotive service technician that consists of diagnosing, repairing, removing and

replacing any of the following components of automobiles and light trucks to the

extent that manufacturer-specific procedures for servicing the systems on a

particular model and make of vehicle are followed:

(

i) steering systems,

(ii) brake systems,

(iii) chassis and suspension systems,

(iv) drive shafts and universal joints,

(

v) wheel and axle bearings,

(vi) electrical systems, including all of the following:

(

A) electrical circuits and components,

(

B) batteries,

(

C) ignition systems,

(

D) charging systems,

(

E) starting systems.

(2) For the purposes of these regulations, the occupation of automotive service

technician does not include work performed in relation to any of the following

components:

(

a) tires and rims;

(

b) exhaust systems, except components related to the engine management

system;

(

c) engine cooling systems;

(

d) oil and filtration systems;

(

e) automotive accessories.

(3) A term defined in the General Regulations has the same meaning when used in

these regulations.

Automotive Service Technician Trade

Automotive service technician trade is compulsory certified trade

3 The automotive service technician trade is specified as a compulsory certified trade.

Person other than automotive service technician performing work in trade

4 A person who does not hold a certificate of qualification in the automotive service

technician trade may perform work included in the definition of the automotive service

technician trade if the person holds a certificate of qualification in another designated

trade and the work to be performed comes within the scope of that other designated

trade.

Exemption application under General Regulations permitted for automotive service

technician trade

5 For the purposes of subsection 38(2) of the General Regulations, a joint application for

an exemption from the application of subsections 22(2) and (3) of the Act is permitted

for the automotive service technician trade.

Term of apprenticeship for automotive service technician trade

(1) The term of apprenticeship for the automotive service technician trade consists of

all of the following:

(a) 7200 documented hours of the combination of practical experience and the

portion of technical training spent learning the skills of the designated trade

as described in clause 26(1A)(

a) of the General Regulations and as

approved by the Director;

(

b) related technical training as described in clause 26(1A)(

b) of the General

Regulations and as approved by the Director;

(

c) a certification examination.

(2) Any probationary period included in a term of apprenticeship for the automotive

service technician trade as permitted by subsection 12(2) of the General

Regulations must be no longer than 3 months.

7 [repealed]

Wage

schedule for apprentices in automotive service technician trade

(1) Subject to subsection (2) and to subsection 25(3) of the General Regulations, the

minimum wage for each hour worked by an automotive service technician

apprentice in each portion of a level of their term of apprenticeship is a percentage

of the wage for an automotive service technician journeyperson in the same place

of employment, as set out in the following table:

Wages for Automotive Service Technician Apprentice

Level of

Apprenticeship

Hours in Portion of

Level of Apprenticeship

Minimum Wage

(% of journeyperson’s wage)

0–900

50%

901–1800

55%

1801–2700

60%

2701–3600

65%

3601–4500

70%

4501–5400

75%

5401–6300

85%

6301–7200

90%

(2) An employer must not employ an automotive service technician apprentice at a

wage for actual hours worked that is lower than the wage that would be paid at the

minimum wage rate prescribed in the Minimum Wage Order (General) made

under the Labour Standards Code.

Certificate in automotive service technician trade through trade qualification

9 The period of employment in the designated trade that is required by paragraph

30(1)(a)(ii)(

B) of the General Regulations for a person who does not hold a certificate of

apprenticeship and is applying for a certificate of qualification in the automotive service

technician trade is 10 800 hours.

10 [repealed]

Compliance with identity card requirements of General Regulations

11 For the purposes of

Section 34 of the General Regulations, which requires an apprentice

or journeyperson to keep their identity card in their possession when practising the

designated trade and produce it on request, a person is practising the automotive service

technician trade while the person is doing any of the following:

(

a) for an apprentice,

(

i) acquiring practical experience in the trade, or

(ii) learning the skills of the trade during the technical training portion of

apprenticeship training;

(

b) for a journeyperson, performing the duties of the trade as defined in these

regulations or their duties as set out in the General Regulations.

Displaying certificate of qualification in automotive service technician trade

(1) An automotive service technician journeyperson must display their certificate of

qualification in a conspicuous location at their place of employment.

(2) The employer of an automotive service technician journeyperson must provide

suitable space for the display of the journeyperson’s certificate of qualification.

Service Centre Technician Subtrade

Service centre technician subtrade is compulsory certified trade

13 The service centre technician subtrade is specified as a compulsory certified trade.

Person other than service centre technician performing work in subtrade

14 A person who does not hold a certificate of qualification in the service centre technician

subtrade may perform work included in the definition of the service centre technician

trade if the person holds a certificate of qualification in another designated trade and the

work to be performed comes within the scope of that other designated trade.

Exemption application under General Regulations permitted for service centre technician

subtrade

15 For the purposes of subsection 38(2) of the General Regulations, a joint application for

an exemption from the application of subsections 22(2) and (3) of the Act is permitted

for the service centre technician subtrade.

Term of apprenticeship for service centre technician subtrade

(1) The term of apprenticeship for the service centre technician subtrade consists of

(a) 5400 documented hours of the combination of practical experience and the

portion of technical training spent learning the skills of the designated trade

as described in clause 26(1A)(

a) of the General Regulations and as

approved by the Director;

(

b) related technical training as described in clause 26(1A)(

b) of the General

Regulations and as approved by the Director; and

(

c) a certification examination.

(2) Any probationary period included in a term of apprenticeship for the service centre

technician subtrade as permitted by subsection 12(2) of the General Regulations

must be no longer than 3 months.

17 [repealed]

Wage

schedule for service centre technician apprentices

(1) Subject to subsection (2) and to subsection 25(3) of the General Regulations, the

minimum wage for each hour worked by a service centre technician apprentice is a

percentage of the wage for a service centre technician journeyperson in the same

place of employment, in each portion of a level of the term of an apprenticeship, as

set out in the following table:

Wages for Service Centre Technician Apprentice

Level of

Apprenticeship

Hours in Portion of

Level of Apprenticeship

Minimum Wage

(% of journeyperson’s wage)

0–900

50%

901–1800

55%

1801–2700

60%

2701–3600

70%

3601–4500

80%

4501–5400

90%

(2) An employer must not employ a service centre technician apprentice at a wage for

actual hours worked that is lower than the wage that would be paid at the

minimum wage rate prescribed in the Minimum Wage Order (General) made

under the Labour Standards Code.

Certificate in service centre technician subtrade through trade qualification

19 The period of employment in the designated trade that is required by paragraph

30(1)(a)(ii)(

B) of the General Regulations for a person who does not hold a certificate of

apprenticeship and is applying for a certificate of qualification in the service centre

technician subtrade is 8100 hours.

20 [repealed]

Compliance with identity card requirements of General Regulations

21 For the purposes of

Section 34 of the General Regulations, which requires an apprentice

or journeyperson to keep their identity card in their possession when practising the

designated trade and produce it on request, a person is practising the service centre

technician subtrade while the person is doing any of the following:

(

a) for an apprentice,

(

i) acquiring practical experience in the trade, or

(ii) learning the skills of the trade during the technical training portion of

apprenticeship training;

(

b) for a journeyperson, performing the duties of the trade as defined in these

regulations or their duties as set out in the General Regulations.

Displaying certificate of qualification in service centre technician subtrade

(1) A service centre technician journeyperson must display their certificate of

qualification in a conspicuous location at their place of employment.

(2) The employer of a service centre technician journeyperson must provide suitable

space for the display of the journeyperson’s certificate of qualification.

Transition

Apprentice under former regulations continues as apprentice

23 A person who, immediately before the coming into force of these regulations, was an

apprentice in the automotive service technician trade or the service centre technician

subtrade in an apprenticeship program under the trade regulations respecting the

automotive service technician trade, N.S. Reg. 167/1977, continues as an apprentice in

that apprenticeship program under these regulations.

Legislative History

Reference Tables

Automotive Service Technician Trade Regulations

N.S. Reg.

185/2016

Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications 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 Automotive Service Technician Trade Regulations made

under the Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act includes all of the following regulations:

N.S.

Regulation

In force

date*

How in force

Royal Gazette

Part II Issue

185/2016

Apr 1, 2017

date specified

Oct 14, 2016

129/2022

Jul 5,

date

specified

Jul

15, 2022

200/2025

Oct 6,

date

specified

Oct

17, 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

7 ........................................................

rep. 129/2022

10 ......................................................

rep. 200/2025

17 ......................................................

rep. 129/2022

20 ......................................................

rep. 200/2025

Note that changes to headings are not

included in the above table.

Editorial Notes and Corrections:

Note

Effective

date

Repealed and Superseded:

N.S.

Regulation

Title

In force

date

Repealed

date

167/1977

Automotive

Service Technician Trade Regulations

Dec

30, 1977

Apr 1,

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.