Heritage Research Permits – Palaeontology (Fossils)
It is against the law in Nova Scotia to excavate fossils without a Heritage Research Permit. You must have a permit before disturbing any place where fossils are found. The permit system is in place to make sure that:
- people excavating fossils are qualified to do the work;
- the excavation is well planned;
- the fossils end up being properly studied and cared for; and
- a report on the work is written and kept in the provincial repository.
The Special Places Protection Act also states that anyone exploring for fossils requires a permit. While we encourage people to pick up beach fossils before they are destroyed by the tides, we want to make sure that the important ones find their way to the provincial collection and to those most knowledgeable about them. We are actively working on how best to do this - stay tuned.
The Heritage Research Permit is available for download as a PDF. The free Adobe Acrobat Reader is required.
Please complete, sign and submit to:
Bob Ogilvie
Heritage Promotion & Development
1747 Summer Street
Halifax, NS, Canada B3H 3A6
902-424-6475 (phone)
902-424-0560 (fax)
email: ogilvirr@gov.ns.ca
This type of requirement is common is most areas with important fossil resources. Laws to regulate fossil collecting have been created to prevent what has often happened in the past - important fossils and information being lost when researchers retire or pass away. Another purpose of the Act is to ensure that important fossils are seen, studied and reported on by those who have the knowledge and training to do so. The Heritage Division will ensure that both the fossils and the knowledge they represent are passed on for future generations.