Driving Tests

What to Bring for a Nova Scotia Learner's Licence: ID and Consent

informational·how to guide·Published October 18, 2026·Updated October 20, 2026

What ID do I need for a Nova Scotia learner's licence?

Bring original ID, or certified true copies, that show your legal name and date of birth. One List 1 document, such as a valid Canadian passport or a Permanent Resident Card, is enough on its own. Other documents must be combined from Lists 2, 3 and 4. If you are 16 or 17, also bring written consent from a parent or guardian. The knowledge test costs CAD 15.03.

Where this information comes from

The ID lists come from the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) page on accepted ID. The test steps, the consent rule and the CAD 15.03 fee come from the Nova Scotia page on the Class 7 knowledge test. The application rules come from the Traffic Safety Act, which repealed the Motor Vehicle Act, and its Driver Licensing Requirements Regulations, in effect from October 19, 2026. The vision standards, the consent signature advice and the CAD 25.10 licence fee come from older RMV pages on the Learner's Licence and on who takes the exam. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Nova Scotia Registry of Motor Vehicles (novascotia.ca) before you drive.

How the RMV counts your ID

To get a master number, a Nova Scotia Photo ID card or a driver's licence, you show proof of your age and name. Your documents must be originals, or certified true copies from the agency that issued them. The RMV wants one primary identification document and two secondary identification documents. The RMV sorts documents into four lists. Some documents count as both primary and secondary ID, so each list has its own rule.

The four RMV ID lists

The four RMV ID lists
List	What you need	Examples
List 1	One document. It meets all three requirements alone.	Valid Canadian passport, Permanent Resident Card, Nova Scotia photo driver's licence or photo ID card
List 2	Two List 2 documents, or one List 2 document plus one List 4 document	Valid foreign passport, driver's licence from another jurisdiction
List 3	One List 3 document plus two List 2 documents, or one List 2 plus one List 4, or two List 4 documents	Government-issued birth certificate, study permit, work permit, visitor permit, temporary resident permit
List 4	Supporting documents only. They cannot be your primary ID. Use them with a List 2 or List 3 document.	Parental or guardian statutory declaration, bank card, credit card or health card with your name and signature

Which documents work for you?

You have a valid Canadian passport or a Permanent Resident Card

Bring that one document. Both are on List 1, so each one can meet all three requirements alone.

You have a valid foreign passport

A foreign passport is on List 2, so it needs a partner: a second List 2 document, or a List 4 document such as a bank card with your name and signature.

You have a study permit

A study permit is on List 3. Bring it with two List 2 documents, with one List 2 and one List 4 document, or with two List 4 documents.

You have a birth certificate

A government-issued birth certificate is on List 3. Add the same mix of documents as for a study permit. A birth certificate plus one Parental or Guardian Statutory Declaration is also enough.

Your name is not the same as on your primary ID

Bring extra ID. After a marriage or domestic partnership, a Marriage Certificate or Domestic Partnership Certificate may prove the change. For any other name change, bring an amended birth certificate or a Change of Name Certificate from Vital Statistics, or the same document from another jurisdiction.

What does a 16- or 17-year-old need?

You must be at least 16 for a Class 7 licence. If you are 16 or 17, bring written consent from your parent or guardian. The consent form is a PDF on the provincial Class 7 knowledge test page. Under the Traffic Safety Act, an applicant under 18 gives the written consent of a parent, a legal guardian or another person that the regulations name.

What to bring: online test or in-person test

What to bring: online test or in-person test
Step	Online test	In-person test
Before the test	Nothing. You do not need to meet the other requirements first.	Visit an RMV or Access Nova Scotia office first. Pass a vision test, show your ID and give parent or guardian consent if you are 16 or 17.
What you need	An email address, a desktop computer or laptop (not a phone or tablet) and a web camera	Your ID, and your consent form if you are 16 or 17
How you pay the test fee	Credit card, Visa Debit or Debit Mastercard	Options may vary. The listed options are credit card, debit card, cheque, money order and cash.
After you pass	Visit an RMV or Access Nova Scotia office. Pass the vision test, show your ID, give consent if needed, pay the licence fee and have your photo taken.	Pay the Learner's Licence fee and have your photo taken.

Fees, fines and a spoken test option

Plan to pay CAD 15.03 for the knowledge test. RMV guidance lists the Learner's Licence fee as CAD 25.10, paid after you pass. The cost and retake guide has the fees for a second try. You cannot take the test while you have outstanding fines or privilege reinstatement fees. If a written test is hard for you, contact the RMV or book an appointment at Access Nova Scotia to take it verbally. The test checks road signs and the rules of the road. Once you have the licence, the Class 7 learner rules explain how you may drive.

Do I need glasses for the vision test?

You need glasses or contacts only if your vision does not meet the standard. The vision screening test checks your sharpness of vision and your field of vision. RMV guidance lists the minimums as 6/12 on the Snellen eye chart (20/40) and a total field of vision of 120 degrees. If you do not pass, you need a form signed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist, and proper glasses or contacts before a licence is issued. The licence is then marked "Valid only while licence holder is wearing proper visual correction", so you must wear them whenever you drive.

Application details under the Traffic Safety Act

Your application must include your given names and surname, civic address, mailing address, date of birth, gender, height and eye colour.
You must prove your name, your date of birth, your address in the Province and that you live in the Province, in a way that satisfies the Registrar. Your ID documents prove your name and date of birth.
If the Registrar asks, you also give any previous names, a phone number, an email address and proof that you may lawfully be in Canada while the licence is valid.

Key takeaways

Bring originals, or certified true copies from the issuing agency. One List 1 document, such as a Canadian passport or Permanent Resident Card, is enough alone.
A foreign passport is on List 2 and a study permit is on List 3, so each needs other documents with it.
At 16 or 17, bring written consent from a parent or guardian.
For the online test, you show your documents after you pass. For an in-person test, pass the vision test and show your ID first.
Next step: practise on the free Nova Scotia Class 7 practice test.

Learner's licence documents: common questions

Can a bank card count as ID for a learner's licence?

Yes, but only as a List 4 supporting document. It must show your name and signature, and it can never be your primary ID. A credit card or a health card with your name and signature counts the same way. Use it with a List 2 document, or with a List 3 document and a second List 4 document.

Does my parent have to come with me to get my learner's licence?

Not if the consent is signed before you go. If you are 16 or 17, you need written consent from a parent or guardian. RMV guidance says that if your parent or guardian is not coming, you get the consent form signed ahead of time and bring it with you. An application without the proper signatures is not accepted.

Can I use a driver's licence from another province as ID?

Yes. A driver's licence from another jurisdiction is a List 2 document. It does not work alone, so add a second List 2 document, such as a valid foreign passport, or a List 4 document, such as a bank card with your name and signature.

Can I use my college or university ID card?

Yes, as a List 4 supporting document. A photo ID card from a Nova Scotia college or university counts, and cards from schools such as Dalhousie University, Saint Mary's University and Nova Scotia Community College may be accepted without a signature. It cannot be your primary ID, so use it with a List 2 document, or with a List 3 document and a second List 4 document.

Is my Canadian citizenship card or certificate accepted?

Yes, but the rule depends on the date of issue. A Canadian Citizenship Card issued before February 1, 2012 is on List 1, so it is enough on its own. A Certificate of Canadian Citizenship issued from February 1, 2012 is on List 3, so you need other documents with it.