Any Business or Seller company engaged in direct sales in Nova Scotia, where the first person-to-person contact is made by the salesperson outside of a retail outlet. This includes home parties, telephone solicitations, door-to-door sales and sales by a multi-level distributor.

Note:  Hearing aid dealers are treated as direct sellers in Nova Scotia, but please see the separate Hearing Aid Dealer Permit entry for application details.

Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations

With this Permit, there are two different ways to submit your application form: 

A) You can send in a hard copy. You can get a form by: 
       (1) downloading a form from our website; 
       (2) visiting any Access Nova Scotia Centre; or 
       (3) calling or writing the office listed above. 

Regardless of the process used to apply for this license, permit, registration or certificate, you must send in a signed copy of the application. If a signed copy is not submitted, you will be requested to do so which may lead to a delay in the issuance process.

B) You can fill it out online. To do this, you must be able to pay as follows: 
       (1) by Visa, MasterCard or American Express Credit Card; or 
       (2) with an already established positive balance account with the Nova Scotia Business Registry. 
       We cannot accept any form of Debit cards at this time. 

If you wish to apply online, click here. Before you begin, make sure you have at hand the information listed below! 

Information you will need to fill out your application form:

Details are required if the applicant or any partner, officer or director has
	had a business licence had a licence refused, suspended or revoked been involved in a personal or corporate bankruptcy unpaid judgments outstanding been convicted of a offence under the law and not been pardoned
Name, address and date of birth for the applicant, partners and officers Three year employment history for the applicant, partners and officers

You can get a Licensing Guide from any Access Nova Scotia Centre or from the Business Licensing Section listed above.

The completed application is submitted to the Department, along with the applicable fee (see Price below).

The application process includes background checks, approval of contracts and bonding requirements.

In addition to the application form, applicants for this permit must submit:
(a) confirmation that they have a place of business in Nova Scotia;
(b) the original of their Bond. Bond amounts are determined using the formula in Section 13(2) of the Regulations. Applicants should contact the Business Licensing Section to confirm the bond amount before purchasing the bond.;
(c) a sample of the direct sales contract, or notice of cancellation rights for approval;
(d) a sample of the identification card that the company intends to provide to its salespersons who are exempt from obtaining a salesperson permit.

If all requirements are met and the application is approved, the permit will be mailed to the applicant.

10 business days
Provided that all the items that must accompany the application have been received
(Please allow several extra days for mail delivery.)

This permit is valid for 1 year from the end of the month in which it was issued. It can be renewed; the Department will send out a renewal notice before it expires.

Same for both Initial Application and Annual Renewal, and based on the number of salespersons working for the company: 
0-5: $119.96
6-10: $238.77
Over 10: $358.69

If you send in an application form, payment is by cheque or money order made out to the Minister of Finance. No credit or debit cards are accepted at this time. 

If you apply online, payment is (a) by Visa, MasterCard or American Express credit card, or (b) with an already established positive balance account with the Nova Scotia Business Registry. No debit cards are accepted at this time.

The business must be registered with the Registry of Joint Stock Companies .

Who is regulated under the Direct Sellers' Regulation Act? 
Companies engaged in direct sales activities and their salespeople.

What is regulated? 
1) The direct sales method of selling, which includes any sales where the first person-to-person contact is made by the salesperson outside of a retail outlet and includes door-to-door sales, making telephone solicitations, sales at home parties and sales by multi-level distributors, etc.

Business Licensing Exemptions

1. Goods / Services, the sale of which is regulated provincially or federally;
2. food or drink for humans / animals;
   
3. newspapers; crown agencies;
   
4. business-to-business transactions;
   
5. sales by a merchant having a retail store;
   
6. sales by a charitable organization;
   
7. sales by hawkers; and
   
8. by students raising funds for school.

Salesperson Licensing Exemption:

1. companies who are selling items where price is low enough that a customer's total bill is less than $100;
2. companies who have maintained an acceptable license history with the Department for a period of 5 years and meet the requirements of the Regulations may apply for an exemption to the salesperson licensing requirement.

2) The contract used by direct sales companies, and the cancellation period available for consumers. 

Direct Sellers' Regulation Act, Statutes of Nova Scotia, 1999, Chapter 8