www.nspharmacy.ca, the official website of the Nova Scotia Pharmacy Regulator (NSPR), provides information about the pharmacy regulator, pharmacist and pharmacy technician registration, pharmacy licensure, and pharmacy practice in our province.

The information on this site is intended as a resource to pharmacy professionals and future pharmacy professionals, and to the public.

Public interpretation of health information on this site should not be substituted for the advice of a healthcare professional. For specific health matters, visitors to this site are encouraged to consult their pharmacist or other appropriate healthcare provider.

Occasionally, alternate websites are referenced on this site. This does not imply an endorsement by NSPR. The Nova Scotia Pharmacy Regulator does not endorse specific organizations, products, or therapies.

Nova Scotia Pharmacy Regulator is located in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People, and we acknowledge them as the past, present, and future caretakers of this land.

We respect and honour the Peace and Friendship Treaties that were signed in this territory, setting the terms of coexistence between settlers and the Mi’kmaq people. These Treaties remain in place today.

We recognize our responsibility to uphold the Treaties in the spirit of Reconciliation and collaboration. We acknowledge the harms that have created and continue to create health inequities for Mi’kmaq People, and we commit to moving forward in partnership.

We are all Treaty People.

We recognize the histories, legacies and contributions of African Nova Scotians, a distinct people with connections to the original 52 land-based Black communities. African Nova Scotians have been a key part of enriching the culture and history of Mi’kma’ki for more than 400 years.

Mi’kma’ki includes all of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, part of New Brunswick, the Gaspé region of Quebec, part of Maine, and southwestern Newfoundland.

Pharmacy Student

A student may only work in a pharmacy in Nova Scotia if they are licensed with the NSPR.

A student must be enrolled in an accredited degree program in pharmacy in order to apply for licensure as a student with the NSPR and, once licensed, their student status continues until the they graduate from their pharmacy program.

If you are a student enrolled in an accredited degree program in pharmacy and would like to apply for licensure with the NSPR, please see the steps outlined below.

Complete each of the following and submit all items in ONE email to the NSPR Registrations & Licensing Team at registrations@nspharmacy.ca.

1
Application Form

Download and complete the Application for Registration as a Student.

2
Proof of Identity

An applicant must submit a signed NSPR Identification Verification Form AND

A copy of an approved government-issued photo identification document notarized by a Notary Public in Canada OR certified by pharmacist or pharmacy technician that holds a valid license with the NSPR.

3
Statement of Disclosure

Download and submit the Statement of Disclosure Form.

4
Criminal Record Check

Complete an “Enhanced Police Information Check” (myBackCheck) by visiting  www.sterlingtalentsolutions.ca/nspharmacists. This must be conducted within three months of the completed registration process.

5
Professional Liability Insurance

Provide the NSPR with a letter or certificate from an insurance provider confirming that the professional liability insurance policy meets the legislated criteria.

6
Proof of Enrolment in an Accredited Degree Program in Pharmacy

This is a copy of your confirmation of enrolment from your student account for the current term.

7
Letter of Standing (if applicable)

This is only required if you are currently registered with a pharmacy regulatory authority in another province. If so, you must contact that authority and request that they complete a letter using the Letter of Standing Template.

8
Injection Technical Permit (if applicable)

If applying for an injection technical permit, submit a completed Drug Administration by Injection Technical Permit Application, along with supporting documentation and fee. A valid NSPR injection technical permit is required to administer injections in practice.

9
Payment of Applicable Fees

Submit the required registration and licensing fees to proceed with your application.

  • View Fees: Schedule of Fees
  • How to Pay: A payment link will be emailed to you following submission of your application.   
  • Payment Methods: We accept VISA, VISA Debit, MasterCard, and Debit Mastercard.

Once your application is approved, we will issue your certificate of registration and licence. You must display this certificate in the pharmacy where you practice.

Preceptor and Site Approval

The appropriate Preceptor and Site Approval Application must be completed and submitted to the NSPR for approval before you begin your practice experience:

You will receive an email from the NSPR once your application has been approved, after which you can begin your practice experience with the named preceptor named below.

Practice Requirements

The practice experience requirements for registration and licensure as a pharmacist in Nova Scotia include:

  • successful completion of a Structured Practice Experience Program as a registered student or intern; and
  • successful completion of 560 hours of practice experience as a registered student or intern, 280 of which must be completed after graduation as a registered Intern.

Regarding the 560-hour practice experience requirement:

  • it will be counted toward the requirements for registration and licensure after the beginning of a student’s first year of enrollment in the degree program;
  • effective May 1, 2020, the requirement to work a minimum of 25 hours per week in order for practice experience hours to be counted is no longer in effect;
  • if completed in another Canadian jurisdiction, it may be counted toward the requirements for registration and licensure if the Registrar considers it to be equivalent to practice experience in Nova Scotia (this includes structured practice experience); and
  • it will not be counted toward the requirements for registration and licensure if the student’s preceptor designates it as unsatisfactory.

Policy: Practice Experience to Register and License as a Pharmacist

Declaration of Experience

After you have completed your practice experience, a Declaration of Practice Experience form must be completed by the preceptor(s) named on your approved Preceptor and Site Approval Form and submitted to NSPR Registrations & Licensing at registrations@nspharmacy.ca or by fax at 902-701-3540.

Licensure to practice pharmacy as a pharmacy student automatically expires on December 31 and must be renewed each year.

The requirements to renew licensure include maintaining appropriate professional liability insurance, signed declarations, and the submission of the annual renewal form and fees by the renewal deadline of November 30 of each year. Renewing after November 30 incurs a late fee.

If your licensure expires, you must also apply to resume practice and pay additional fees.  

Licensure renewals can be completed through the NSPR Registrant Portal.