Nova Scotia STR Regulations
Three layers of rules. 49 municipalities. One clear checklist. Find out exactly what you need to operate legally — in 60 seconds.
Why This Is So Confusing
Short-term rental regulations in Nova Scotia operate on three layers: provincial registration (everyone), municipal rules (varies by municipality), and property-specific requirements (depends on your situation). What applies to a cottage in Lunenburg is completely different from a condo in Halifax or a house in Wolfville.
The provincial STRRA registration is universal, but fees range from $50/year to $2,000/year depending on whether it's your primary residence and which tier your municipality falls into. Some municipalities require additional permits, licences, or insurance. Some have marketing levies. Some have outright bans for certain property types.
Instead of reading through 49 sets of municipal rules, answer a few questions about your property and get a personalized compliance checklist with direct source links to verify everything yourself.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the STRRA and do I have to register?
The Short-Term Rentals Registration Act (STRRA) requires all short-term rental operators in Nova Scotia to register annually. "Short-term rental" means roofed accommodation rented for 28 consecutive days or less. Registration runs April 1 to March 31, and your registration number must be displayed on all online listings. There are no exceptions — if you rent for less than 28 days, you must register.
What happens if I operate without registering?
Penalties are significant: $1,000 to $100,000 per offense under the STRRA. Administrative penalties start at $2,000 for a first offense, $4,000 for a second, and $8,000 for a third or more. Penalties reset after 3+ years without violation. Platforms like Airbnb are also required to verify registration numbers and may remove non-compliant listings.
Do I need to collect HST from guests?
It depends on your revenue. If you earn under $30,000 in taxable supplies over 4 consecutive calendar quarters, you qualify as a "small supplier" and don't need to register for HST. Platforms like Airbnb automatically collect and remit HST on your behalf regardless. If you exceed $30,000, you must register with CRA and collect 14% HST on all bookings including direct bookings. The rate is 14% as of April 1, 2025 (5% GST + 9% PST).
What is a marketing levy and does my municipality have one?
A marketing levy is a municipal tax (typically 3%) on short-term accommodation bookings, used to fund local tourism marketing. Not all municipalities have adopted one. Major areas with active levies include HRM, all five Cape Breton municipalities, Colchester/Truro/Stewiacke, Annapolis County, several Pictou County towns, Bridgewater, Chester, Argyle, and Yarmouth District. Use the checker above to see if your municipality has a marketing levy and how to remit it.
Do platforms like Airbnb handle tax collection automatically?
Partially. Airbnb collects HST automatically on platform bookings. For the marketing levy, HRM has arrangements with major platforms for auto-collection, but most other municipalities require hosts to collect and remit the levy manually — even for platform bookings. For direct bookings, the host is always responsible for collecting both HST (if registered) and the marketing levy.
Can I run an STR if it's not my primary residence?
In most Nova Scotia municipalities, yes — but at a higher registration fee. Non-primary-residence STRs are classified as "commercial" under the STRRA, with fees of $240/year (Tier 3), $500/year (Tier 2), or $2,000/year (Tier 1). Some municipalities are more restrictive: Wolfville and Annapolis Royal require primary residence, and HRM restricts commercial whole-home STRs to zones allowing tourist accommodations. Always check your specific municipality.
Regional Regulation Guides
Want the full picture? Read our detailed guides for your region.
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