Tax rates for Nova Scotia
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A simple breakdown of Nova Scotia’s tax rates by income range.
Think of it like a ‘tax ladder’: at the lowest rung, you don’t pay any tax on income below your basic personal amount (below). As your income climbs into a higher range, you don’t pay the higher rate on all your income — just on the portion that falls into that range. You can use a tax calculator (like the EY 2026 Personal tax calculator) to calculate your estimated after-tax income.
Remember, these numbers are just guidelines; your personal situation and tax credits will change what you actually owe.
NS combined tax rate (2026)
These percentages combine both the federal and provincial rate.
| Income range | Tax Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 to $11,932 | 0.00% |
| $11,933 to $16,452 | 8.79% |
| $16,453 to $30,995 | 22.79% |
| $30,996 to $58,523 | 28.95% |
| $58,524 to $61,991 | 35.45% |
| $61,992 to $97,417 | 37.17% |
| $97,418 to $117,045 | 38.00% |
| $117,046 to $157,124 | 43.50% |
| $157,125 to $181,440 | 47.00% |
| $181,441 to $258,482 | 50.29% |
| $258,483 and up | 54.00% |
Basic personal amount (BPA)
You don’t owe provincial taxes if your income is less than the NS basic personal amount.
You don’t owe federal taxes if your income is less than the federal basic personal amount.
| Region | Basic personal amount |
|---|---|
| NS basic personal amount | $11,932 |
| Federal basic personal amount | $14,538 |