Following the Fall 2025 sitting of the Nova Scotia Legislature, sections 83, 84, 85, and 88 of the Legal Profession Act related to law stamp requirements have been repealed.
Beginning on April 1, 2026, Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society Law Stamps will no longer be required to be manually purchased and affixed to originating notices, petitions, or notices of appeal.
The institution of law stamps was implemented to support the library services of the Society. Before the repealing of law stamps for all individuals, persons who qualified for a waiver of courts fees pursuant to the Civil Procedure Rules were exempt from this cost.
These changes, along with others from the recent legislative session, aim to modernize court procedures and make the Nova Scotia justice system more efficient.
Read the full Legislative BILL NO. 134.
If you are purchasing law stamps for the period leading up to April 1, 2026, please keep the deadline in mind as refunds for unused stamps will not be provided.
Repealed Sections of Legal Profession Act
The following sections of the Legal Profession Act will no longer be in effect starting April 1, 2026.
Law stamps
83 (1) A person who causes to be issued out of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia or the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal
(a) an originating notice (action) in a proceeding;
(b) any other originating notice, other than a concurrent originating notice or renewal of an originating notice;
(c) a petition, including a petition for divorce; or
(d) a notice of appeal,
shall pay to the Society towards the support of library services of the Society a sum determined by the Governor in Council.
(2) Clauses (1)(a) to (c) do not apply to proceedings commenced in Cape Breton County.
(3) The sum payable under this Section shall be paid by stamps.
(4) This Section does not apply to any person who qualifies for a waiver of court fees pursuant to the Civil Procedure Rules. 2004, c. 28, s. 83.
Notices and petitions require law stamps
84 The stamps referred to in Section 83 shall be provided by the Society and kept for sale at the office of each prothonotary of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia and no originating notice, petition or notice of appeal shall be issued unless a stamp for the appropriate amount is attached thereto and any such originating notice, petition or notice of appeal without a stamp is void and may be set aside. 2004, c. 28, s. 84.
Prothonotary to affix and initial law stamps
85 A prothonotary of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia who issues an originating notice, petition or notice of appeal shall at the time such originating notice, petition or notice of appeal is issued mark each stamp with the prothonotary’s initials and the date of issue of the originating notice, petition or notice of appeal to which it is affixed. 2004, c. 28, s. 85.
Fee for law stamp
88 The amount payable pursuant to subsection 50(1) of the former Act shall be payable as the sum referred to in subsection 83(1) until such time as the Governor in Council determines otherwise. 2004, c. 28, s. 88.