At a glance

Licence status
Voluntary certification See the source
Routes
Annual fees
Not stated by the regulator Check with Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency

Your roadmap

The Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency has no page of its own for this trade. These are the steps it gives for every designated trade in Nova Scotia.

Trained in Canada

  • 2 steps without a listed fee
  1. Complete, sign and submit an application package for an apprenticeship agreement with the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency together with your employer.

    Source
    “Once a potential apprentice and an employer decide to enter into an apprenticeship agreement, an application package must be completed, signed and submitted to the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency.”
    nsapprenticeship.ca/register-apprentice
  2. Submit the required forms and support documentation to register as an apprentice.

    Source
    “2\. Submit the Required Forms and Support Documentation”
    nsapprenticeship.ca/register-apprentice

Listed fees for this route

No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency

2 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.

Licensed in another province

No separate route for this group.

Source
“If you are an Out-of-province/territory apprentice planning to work TEMPORARILY in Nova Scotia: Make sure you carry your apprentice ID card. You do NOT have to register again in Nova Scotia.”
nsapprenticeship.ca/get-started/labour-mobility/apprentice-mobility

Trained outside Canada

No separate route for this group.

Source
“Joey is also a mentor for the East Preston Empowerment Academy for the Bricklayer and Restoration Stone Mason trades, supporting tradespeople in the community who wish to challenge the Red Seal exam.”
nsapprenticeship.ca/employers/employer-champions/2016

Other listed fees

The regulator lists these without tying them to one step, so they are not in the route totals above. Check which apply to you.

  • Apprenticeship ID card issuance: $20 (Youth Apprentices pay only the cost of issuing the apprenticeship ID card, which is less than $20.00)
    Source
    “As a Youth Apprentice, you will only need to pay the cost of issuing your apprenticeship ID card, which is less than $20.00.”
    nsapprenticeship.ca/register-apprentice

Requirements

Other

  • To become an apprentice in the trade in which you are employed, you must be supervised in the workplace by a certified journeyperson.

    Source
    “To become an apprentice (including Youth Apprentice, 16 to 19 years old) in the trade in which you are employed, you must be supervised in the workplace by a certified journeyperson.”
    nsapprenticeship.ca/register-apprentice

Already licensed in another province?

Not stated

The pages state that out-of-province apprentices working temporarily in Nova Scotia do not have to register again, but they do not state how a tradesperson already licensed in another province registers in Nova Scotia.

Source
“If you are an Out-of-province/territory apprentice planning to work TEMPORARILY in Nova Scotia: Make sure you carry your apprentice ID card. You do NOT have to register again in Nova Scotia.”
nsapprenticeship.ca/get-started/labour-mobility/apprentice-mobility

Processing time: Not stated by the regulator Check with Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency

Check a move between two provinces

Credential assessment

Not stated by the regulator Check with Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency

Exams

Language tests

Not stated by the regulator Check with Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency

Compare scores across provinces and professions

Canadian experience

Not stated by the regulator Check with Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency

Supervised practice

Not stated by the regulator Check with Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency

Demand and pay

Job Bank wages and outlook in Nova Scotia and Canada
WhereLowMedianHighOutlook
Nova Scotia $22.50 $31.00 $36.63 Good (4 of 5)
Canada $25.78 $40.00 $48.78 —

Wages by region and job outlook in Nova Scotia

Wages in every province and territory

Restoration masons in other provinces and territories

  • British Columbia Not confirmed yet
  • Alberta Not confirmed yet
  • Saskatchewan Not confirmed yet
  • Manitoba Not confirmed yet
  • Ontario Voluntary certification
  • Quebec Not confirmed yet
  • New Brunswick Not confirmed yet
  • Prince Edward Island Not confirmed yet
  • Newfoundland and Labrador Not confirmed yet
  • Yukon Not confirmed yet
  • Northwest Territories Not confirmed yet
  • Nunavut Not confirmed yet

Compare restoration mason licensing across Canada

Sources checked

  1. Trades in Nova Scotia | Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency nsapprenticeship.ca/get-started/trades · fetched October 9, 2026
  2. Register as an Apprentice | Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency nsapprenticeship.ca/register-apprentice · fetched October 9, 2026
  3. Apprentice Mobility | Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency nsapprenticeship.ca/get-started/labour-mobility/apprentice-mobility · fetched October 9, 2026
  4. Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency nsapprenticeship.ca/employers/employer-champions/2016 · fetched October 9, 2026

Frequently asked questions

2

Do you need a licence to work as a restoration mason in Nova Scotia?

No. Certification is available, but it is not required to work in the trade in Nova Scotia. Certification is managed by the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency.

Which exams are required?

Red Seal exam.

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