Photo: Gaurav Singh, Pexels
The Nova Scotia learner’s test has two written parts of 20 multiple-choice questions each: one on traffic laws and safe driving, one on Nova Scotia highway signs. You need at least 16 correct on each part, and if you fail one part you retake only that part. You can sit it online or in person. This page covers the format, the $15.03 test receipt, the vision test and what to bring on the day.
Key facts
- You must be at least 16 to apply. There are two parts: rules (20 questions) and signs (20 questions).
- Pass mark: 16 out of 20 on each part, which is 80%. You get 30 minutes per part.
- Fail one part and you retake only that part (both, if you failed both). Online, you can retake straight away; in person, you wait until the next day.
- You can take it online or at a Registry of Motor Vehicles office. Passing does not give you a licence yet.
- Test receipt: $15.03, tax included (as of November 2026).
- No appointment needed, but not every RMV office tests every day.
- Oral tests are available by special appointment.
What is on the Nova Scotia knowledge test?
| Part | Questions | Pass | Where to study in the handbook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rules test: traffic laws and safe driving | 20 multiple choice | 16 | Chapter 1 (licensing, GDL, demerits), Chapter 2 (rules of the road), Chapters 4 to 6 (safety, adverse conditions, impaired and distracted driving) |
| Road sign test: Nova Scotia highway signs | 20 multiple choice | 16 | Chapter 3 (signs, pavement markings and work zones) |
Study the Nova Scotia Driver’s Handbook alongside the current Traffic Safety Act updates and testing instructions. Motorcycle learners take a different rules part.
Online or in person?
The order of steps depends on the route you choose, so follow the one for your route:
- Online: use a desktop computer or laptop with a web camera; phones and tablets are not accepted. After you pass, visit a Registry of Motor Vehicles or Access Nova Scotia office to finish the rest: vision test, ID, parental consent if you are 16 or 17, licence fee and photo.
- In person: do the vision test, ID check and consent before the test, then pay the licence fee and have your photo taken after you pass.
Either way, a pass on its own is not a licence. Don’t drive yourself to the office after an online pass.
How to book and pay
- Pay $15.03 through the online application if testing online, or arrange payment at RMV for an in-person test. Keep your payment confirmation.
- Phone ahead (902-424-5851, or 1-800-898-7668 toll-free) to find out when your nearest office runs the test. Testing is generally first come, first served.
- If you need the test read aloud, ask for an oral test appointment in advance.
What to bring on test day
- Your test receipt.
- Proof of identification. Use the current RMV identification lists. Some documents meet all three identification requirements alone, such as a valid Canadian passport or permanent resident card; a birth certificate needs supporting documents. Check which combination fits your documents before travelling.
- Name-change documents if your ID names do not match.
- If you are 16 or 17: a consent form signed by one parent or legal guardian, or bring them to sign section 2A of the application. The handbook adds that a married applicant’s spouse over 18 may sign, or an employer if both parents have died and there is no guardian.
- Proof of your Nova Scotia address and residency. You also declare that you have no medical condition that may affect safe driving (N.S. Reg. 236/2026, section 16).
- Glasses or contacts if you need them to see clearly.
The vision test
Complete the vision screening before an in-person knowledge test, or after an online pass. For Class 7, the current standard includes:
- colour perception
- at least 120 continuous degrees horizontally and 15 continuous degrees above and below fixation, with both eyes open and examined together
- visual acuity of at least 20/50 (6/15), with both eyes open and examined together, using correction if needed
- distance judgment
If you fail, you get a form for an optometrist or ophthalmologist to complete. If you pass only with corrective lenses, your licence carries a condition that you must wear them when driving.
After you pass
- Pay the learner’s licence fee of $25.10 (no tax) and have your photo taken.
- You get a temporary document valid for 30 days, and your card arrives by mail within 14 days.
- You cannot drive until you hold that temporary document.
- You can pay the $52.54 road test receipt at the same time to save a trip.
- The learner’s licence is valid for 2 years. Arrange renewal before expiry if you still need it; do not drive on an expired licence.
Study tips that match the test
- Learn sign shapes and colours first. The handbook has a full “shape of a sign says what it means” page.
- Memorise numbers the rules test likes: 80 km/h default highway limit, 50 km/h in towns, school zone limits, parking distances and demerit thresholds.
- Know the GDL rules for your own stage: the ordinary learner passenger limit has specific exceptions, alcohol must be zero, and the ordinary learner demerit suspension threshold is 4 points. Read the learner rules and the lower post-reinstatement threshold in the points guide.
- Rules changed when the Traffic Safety Act took effect on 19 October 2026. Read what changed as well as the handbook.
Next steps: the full Nova Scotia licensing guide, rules of the road and the road test.
Sources
- Government of Nova Scotia, “Health professionals”, current vision standards; “Identification Requirements”; Driver Licensing Requirements Regulations, section 21 (novascotia.ca)
- Government of Nova Scotia, “Take a driver knowledge test: Learner’s Licence (class 7)” (novascotia.ca)
- Service Nova Scotia, “Learner’s (Beginner’s) Licence” (novascotia.ca)
- Service Nova Scotia, “Nova Scotia Driver’s Handbook” (novascotia.ca)
- Government of Nova Scotia, “Changes to traffic safety legislation” (novascotia.ca)