Open Provinces Français

When someone dies in Nova Scotia: death certificate, estate and probate

The first steps after a death in Nova Scotia, how to get a death certificate and where to apply for probate, from the official pages.

First steps

  1. A doctor or coroner confirms the death and the funeral home registers it with the province. Ask the funeral home for several proofs of death.
  2. Look for the will and for the name of the executor (the person who administers the estate).
  3. Order a death certificate: banks, insurers and pension plans usually ask for one.
  4. Notify government benefit programs and the Canada Revenue Agency, and file the deceased's final tax return; the executor should also get a clearance certificate before distributing the estate.

Death certificate

Anyone with a valid reason can get a short-form certificate; only the next of kin, executor or an authorized representative can get the long form, which shows cause of death and is what estates usually need.

Official page: death certificate ↗

The estate and probate

Service Nova Scotia's guide After the Loss of a Loved One covers the legal steps. A probate grant is needed when institutions ask for it, when there is no will or when the will is disputed; apply at the Probate Court of the district where the deceased lived. The inventory is due within three months of a probate grant (90 days for administration), and assets should not be distributed before the tax clearance certificate.

Official page: estates and probate ↗

General information, not legal or financial advice; fees, thresholds and forms change and were read on 2026-11-14. For a large or contested estate, ask a lawyer. Quebec estates are handled under Quebec's civil law: see atlasquebec.ca.

Guides for this province