Registration Certificate
Accommodation operators are required to post their marketing levy registration certificate in a visible place within their business/tourist accommodation. A registration certificate must be returned to the Tourism Marketing Levy Coordinator when an Operator ceases to do business for any reason. Marketing levy registrations are not transferable.
Registration Information Changes
An acccommodation operator is required to notify the Tourism Marketing Levy Coordinator by mail or email of any change in their tourist accommodation address, mailing address, phone number or email address, the name of their business, and the nature of the accommodation offered.
Disposal or Cessation of Operator's Business
If an accommodation operator disposes of or otherwise ceases to carry on their tourist accommodation business, they must immediately notify the Tourism Marketing Levy Coordinator in writing by mail or email. Registration and the requirement to collect, report and remit the marketing levy continues unless proper notification is provided. All reports and remittances are required to be collected, reported and remitted within 15 days of the date of discontinuance or disposal and the tourist accommodation's registration certificate must be returned.
Once an accommodation operator cancels their registration, they must re-register for the Marketing Levy if they re-commence operations at another time.
Records Retention
An accommodation operator is required to keep books of account, records and documents (and retain them for five years) sufficient to furnish the Municipality with the necessary particulars of:
- revenue on accommodation sales,
- the amount of levies collected, and
- payment of levies to the Municipality
The Municipality has the authority to inspect, audit and examine an accommodaton operator's books of account, records or documents to ensure compliance. All marketing levy records and documents must be kept for a period of five years, unless under audit.
Province of Nova Scotia Short-Term Rentals Registry - Proof of Compliance
As of September 30, 2024, all tourist accommodations are considered short-term rental accommodations under the laws of the Province of Nova Scotia and are required to register as a short-term rental with the Province of Nova Scotia.
As part of the Province's registration process, an accommodation operator must obtain from either the Municipality of Colchester or the Town of Truro, depending upon where the accommodation operator's tourist accommodation property is located, a Proof of Compliance with Municipal By-laws. The Proof of Compliance confirms that the accommodation operator's tourist accommodation is compliant with the applicable municipal land use by-law.
To request a Proof of Compliance, accommodation operators are required to complete and email their request on the prescribed form below to the Tourism Marketing Levy Coordinator. Please note, in order to receive this document, an accommodation operator must be registered for the Tourism Marketing Levy.
- For tourist accommodation in the Municipality of Colchester download pdf Municipality Short Term Rental Compliance Request(111 KB)
- For tourist accommodation in the Town of Truro download Letter of Short-Term Rental Request
Once a Proof of Compliance is issued to an accommodation operator, the operator will need to include it with other information they are required to provide to the Province with their Short-term Rental registration application. For more information on registering a short-term rental accommodation with the Province follow go to Guide to Registering Your Short-term Accommodation.
