The Nova Scotia Occupational Therapy Regular will be increasing the annual licensing fees paid by all registrants starting in the 2027-2028 year. The NSOTR Board approved this change after careful consideration at their March 28, 2026 meeting.
To provide as much notice to registrants as possible, this fee increase will not take effect until next renewal: April 1, 2027. Therefore, the renewal fees for the upcoming 2026-2027 renewal starting on Wednesday (April 1, 2026) have not changed.
2026-2027 Licensing fees (no change):
- Full year: $575
- 3-month: $300
2027-2028 Licensing fees (increase):
- Full year: $650
- 3-month: $325
To be transparent about the reasons for this increase, we provide answers to frequently asked questions below. If you have a question about these fee changes that is not answered here, please write to info@nsotr.ca.
Why are fees increasing in 2027?
NSOTR has forecast a significant increase in expenses over the coming years. The reasons for this increase are varied, and include the following:
- NSOTR has a new legislated regulatory mandate that is set out in the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA). Under the RHPA, all regulated health professions must operate new comprehensive programs which require additional resources and staffing, such as the Practice Review process.
- Inflation continues to have a large impact on the general operating expenses for all regulatory bodies, including NSOTR.
When setting fees, NSOTR focuses what is needed to provide quality and effective regulatory programs that meet NSOTR’s legislative mandate and serve the public interest. These regulatory programs include continuing competency, professional conduct, and the creation of practice standards.
How does NSOTR limit expenses?
NSOTR optimizes its resources and limit expenses where possible, including by sharing services with other Nova Scotia Health Regulators and Canadian Occupational Therapy regulatory bodies. Nevertheless, to address the projected increase in expenses, NSOTR will need to increase revenue.
What fee will I need to pay at the upcoming renewal (2026/2027)?
During the upcoming renewal period (Apr 1-May 31, 2026) the fee to renew a licence for a full year is $575. The fee to renew for a period of three months is $300.
Why do Occupational Therapists pay an annual licensure fee to NSOTR?
Occupational Therapy is a self-regulating profession in Nova Scotia. In short, this means that the expectation is that professionals support all of the cost of regulating their profession. As the Regulator for Occupational Therapy, NSOTR relies on applicant and registrant fees to cover the costs of our regulatory functions and remain financially sustainable.