Renewing Your Annual Licence

About Renewal

As a Nova Scotian nurse, you are required to renew your licence each year. This is to make sure only those qualified to practise nursing are able to do so.

The licence renewal period opens on August 20, 2025, and will close on October 31, 2025. You must renew your licence before the deadline to be eligible to practise on November 1, 2025.

Important Dates in 2025

Watch our licence renewal video to learn more about important dates.

  • August 20, 2025: The renewal period opens. First day to renew your licence.
  • October 8, 2025: Deadline to be entered into the Early Bird Licence Renewal Contest for a chance to win the amount of your licensure fee. Winners will be picked for each designation!
  • October 31, 2025: The renewal period and online renewal portal close. Applications (including payment) received after the end of the business day on October 31 may not be processed until November 1.
  • November 1, 2025: If you submit your renewal on or after this date, you will be charged a reactivation fee. Working without an active licence may be considered professional misconduct and could lead to a complaint.

This page contains information on:

NSCN Registrant Portal

Your Accountability 

As a self-regulated professional, you are responsible for renewing your licence every year to legally practise as a nurse.

We will support you with resources, reminders, and guidance to help you complete the process.

Key Reminders:
  • You will receive an email notification once your licence is renewed.
  • You must verify your renewal using Search for a Nurse.
  • Practising without a valid licence is illegal and may lead to a professional conduct complaint. 

Practising without a licence can result in:

  • Written Warning

The warning will be placed on your file.

  • Fine for Practising Without a Licence

The Nursing Act Section 66 (1) authorizes  the Chief Executive Officer to  fine the registrant an amount set out in the NSCN By-Laws (Section 5.1) .

  • Referral to Professional Conduct Services Complaints Committee

The Nursing Act Section 66 (3) authorizes the Chief Executive Officer to  refer the matter to the Complaints Committee if the fine is not paid.

The Complaints Committee may direct the Chief Executive Officer to suspend the registrant’s licence or suspend the ability of the registrant to obtain a licence until the fine is paid, and/or order other fees.

If you have any questions on practising without a licence, please contact registration@nscn.ca.

Supports Available on our Website

We developed a list of online resources to support you during the renewal period. Stay tuned for our renewal guide that provides all the information you need on how to renew your licence!

Information on NSCN's Registrant Portal

  1. Go to the NSCN Portal page here.
  2. 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.

  1. Go to the portal here.
  2. Click ‘Forgot your password.’
  3. Enter your USER NAME, which is the email address you use to communicate with NSCN.
  4. Enter the security code shown on the right and click ‘submit’.
  5. You will receive an email with a link to reset your password. Follow the instructions to activate your profile.  
  1. Log in to the portal using your email and password.
  2. Select the ‘My Profile’ tab on the left-hand side of the window.
  3. Select the ‘Edit Profile’ button and update the information you wish to change.

If NSCN staff approval is required, they will be notified and approve your changes and the information will be active on your profile. 

 

  1. Log in to the portal using your email and password.
  2. Once logged in, on the homepage you will see your registration number below ‘Licensure Status’.

To access your receipt, log in to the portal using your email and password. 

On your main page, under ‘invoices’ choose ‘include paid’. You can then see your receipt for your current licensure year.

 Renewing Your Licence

  1. Log in to the registrant portal.
  2. Under “Complete my Renewal,” click “Apply” beside the designation you want to renew:
    • LPN Practising/Conditional
    • RN Practising/Conditional
    • NP Practising/Conditional
  3. Pay the applicable fee. Your application will not be processed until payment is received.

Learn more about fees and payment.

Important to Note:

  • If you are licensed as both an LPN and RN, you must complete renewal applications for each designation.
  • If you are licensed as an NP, completing your NP renewal will also renew your RN licence.
  • You can save your application and return to it later or withdraw it if you decide not to proceed.
  1. You are not eligible to practice or work on November 1, 2025.
  2. Practicing without a license may be considered professional misconduct.
  3. Renewals after October 31 are subject to a $57.00 reactivation fee.
  1. Log into the registrant portal. Click on the renewal invoice under My Invoices on the right-hand side of the window.
  1. Renewal is automatic if all requirements are met and your fees are paid.
  2. We will contact you with the next steps if there are any outstanding requirements.
  1. Use your new name if we have confirmed that your records are updated.
  2. Use your former name if you have not submitted a name change request or have not yet received confirmation from us.
  3. Find instructions for updating your profile on our Registrant Portal information page.
  • We will contact you by email to confirm your licence has been renewed.
  • You will be listed in our Search for a Nurse directory.

Please Note: If you are checking your 2025-2026 licence before the October 31 deadline, click the ‘i’ or ‘Details’ to see the future-dated licence.

Paying for Your Licence

Pre-authorized debit, credit card, cheque, or e-transfer payments can be made.

  • Log in to the portal using your email and password.
  • On your main page, select the ‘$’ icon for the invoice you want to pay.
  • Open the invoice and click the ‘Pay’ button.

Get detailed information on fees, payments, and receipts.

If all requirements have been met, your licence will be processed as soon as your payment has been submitted. You can verify that your licence has been renewed using our Search for a Nurse tool.  You will be able to see details including current registration, effective date and other information.

What if I have not received an invoice?

Do not worry. In some cases, if there are outstanding requirements, NSCN staff are required to review your application. When this happens, the payment process is not automatic. You will receive an email notification when an invoice is available in your portal profile. 

Returning from Leave?

If you are returning from leave and plan to renew your licence, please log in to the NSCN portal and complete a reactivation application. If you have any questions during this process, please contact our Registration team at registration@nscn.ca. Learn more about returning from leave.

Not Planning to Renew This Year?

Get information on what to do if you are not renewing for the following reasons:

Connect with NSCN for Support

We offer many ways to support you. You can connect with us through:

  • In-person meetings
  • Virtual appointments
  • Phone calls, emails, or conference calls

For in-person or virtual appointments, contact Registration Services at registration@nscn.ca.