POS, payroll and accounting software for Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia’s HST is now 14%

On April 1, 2025, Nova Scotia reduced the provincial portion of its HST by one point, taking the combined rate from 15% to 14% (5% federal and 9% provincial). It still files as a single tax with the CRA. For anyone comparing old and new invoices, seeing 15% before the change and 14% after is expected, and transitional rules decided which rate applied to sales spanning the date.

In SeroPOS and SeroBooks the Nova Scotia HST code carries the current rate, and the Sales Tax Centre totals collected HST and input tax credits for your return. Nova Scotia businesses that sell into New Brunswick, PEI or Newfoundland and Labrador still charge those provinces’ 15%, and SeroBooks picks the rate from the customer’s province.

Payroll under Nova Scotia’s Labour Standards Code

Nova Scotia has one of the highest overtime thresholds in Canada. Under the Labour Standards Code, overtime is due after 48 hours in a week, at 1.5 times the employee’s regular wage. There is no daily overtime rule. SeroPayroll applies the 48-hour threshold to Nova Scotia employees and keeps it separate from the 40- or 44-hour rules other provinces use.

Vacation is two weeks at 4% to start and three weeks at 6% after eight years. SeroPayroll accrues vacation pay in dollars, which matters for seasonal staff who are often paid out at the end of the season. Workers’ compensation is through WCB Nova Scotia, and assessable earnings are kept per pay run for reporting.

Paid holidays in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia’s paid holidays under the Labour Standards Code are New Year’s Day, Heritage Day on the third Monday of February, Good Friday, Canada Day, Labour Day and Christmas Day. Remembrance Day is governed by the separate Remembrance Day Act, which has its own rules for who must be given the day off. Victoria Day, Thanksgiving and the August Natal Day are not paid holidays under the Code.

To qualify for holiday pay, an employee must be entitled to wages for at least 15 of the 30 days before the holiday and work their last scheduled shifts before and after it. SeroPayroll stores the Nova Scotia holiday list and pay formula separately, so it never pays Thanksgiving as a Nova Scotia statutory holiday by mistake.

• Paid holidays: New Year’s, Heritage Day, Good Friday, Canada Day, Labour Day, Christmas
• Remembrance Day: separate act, separate rules
• Overtime: 48 hours a week at 1.5 times regular rate
• Vacation: 4%, rising to 6% after eight years

Halifax, Cape Breton and the South Shore

Nova Scotia’s economy has a strong seasonal rhythm: restaurants and bars on the Halifax waterfront and Argyle Street, craft breweries and wineries in the Annapolis Valley, gift shops in Lunenburg and Peggy’s Cove, and tourism operators across Cape Breton. Many staff up in May and lay off in October, which makes ROEs and vacation payouts a big part of the payroll year.

Sero is based in British Columbia and serves Nova Scotia remotely, by phone, email and in-app chat, with no local office. SeroPOS covers the counter and the patio, SeroBooks covers inventory and the HST return, and SeroPayroll covers the pay run from $25 USD a month for up to 10 employees.