Welcome to the Town of Yarmouth
On the Edge of Everywhere
Town Fees
Here is a list of common fees for Town services, applications, and resources. Each type of fee is organized by the Town department or partner organization responsible:
- Planning and Development
- Waste Park
- Property Tax
- Water Utility
- Sewer Connection
- Bylaw Enforcement
For information on permits, licenses, and applications, click here. You can also see our By-Laws page for more information. For recurring charges like property taxes and water rates, see Taxes & Utilities.
Planning and Development
Planning and Development include the costs for processing various applications or printing official documents. You can also find the town's bylaws and strategies online (though note that the bylaws provided online are for informational purposes only). To pay an application fee or other town bill, please see Bill & Ticket Payments.
Official Town Document Printing Costs
| Municipal Planning Strategy | $35.00 plus HST |
| Land Use By-Law | $35.00 plus HST |
| Collins Heritage Conservation District Plan & By-law |
$35.00 plus HST |
| Subdivision By-law | $25.00 plus HST |
| Vending Bylaw | $25.00 plus HST |
Land Use Planning & Development Fees
| Zoning Confirmation Letters | $25.00 |
| Development Agreements | $100.00 + Registry of Deeds fees (HST exempt) |
| Amendments to Development Agreements | Registry of Deeds fees |
| Variances or Site Plan Approval | $100.00 (HST exempt) |
| Subdivision | $100.00 + Registry of Deeds fees (HST exempt) |
| Repeal of Subdivision | $50.00 + Registry of Deeds fees (HST exempt) |
| Amendment of Subdivision | $50.00 + Registry of Deeds fees (HST exempt) |
| Cash in lieu of open space | 5% of assessed value of new lot(s) created (HST exempt) |
| Amendments to the Municipal Planning Strategy & Land Use Bylaw | No charge |
| Advertising for Amendments, Rezoning and Development Agreements | $300.00 (covers the cost of ads) (HST exempt) |
| Legal Cost of Preparing Forms (Land Registration Office Forms) | $75.00 plus HST |
| Property Status Reports | $50.00 |
Town Maps and Photocopies
- Zoning Map (11x17) $5.00 (B&W), $8.00 (Colour) (HST Exempt)
- The electronic copy of stock map: $10.00 (HST Exempt)
- Custom electronic map: $30.00/hour with a minimum 1/2 hr. charge + stock map of $10.00 (HST Exempt)
- Large Scale Plots (dependent on size) $8.00 to $30.00 (HST Exempt)
Building Permit Fees
| Commercial Development | $0.20 per sq. ft. (HST exempt) |
| Residential Development | $0.10 per sq. ft. (HST exempt) |
| Accessory Buildings: and other sheds, decks, shell storage, garages, barns, other farm, forestry, or fishing buildings not designed for human occupancy. | $0.10 per sq. ft. (HST exempt) |
| All alterations or repairs | $4 per $1,000 of the estimated value of construction work. (HST exempt) |
| Building and Permit Application Fee Refund Administrative Charge. | $10 (HST exempt) |
| Building Permit Renewal | $25 (HST exempt) |
|
Demolition Permit *Capping Inspection Fee required with existing hookups to Town Services and refunded after capping and required inspections by Public Works Department. |
$50 + $10 (non-refundable processing fee) + $200 *Capping Inspection Fee= $260 (HST exempt) |
| Occupancy Permit | $25 + $10 (non-refundable processing fee) = $35 (HST exempt) |
| Occupancy Permit with no Building Permit in place | $40 + $10 (non-refundable processing fee) = $50 (HST exempt) |
Waste Park
Looking to get rid of some garbage, compost, or building materials? To help maintain and run the Yarmouth County Waste Park, tipping fees are charged to companies who bring waste to the Waste Park, companies who pick up weekly household garbage, and any resident who brings waste to the Waste Park that exceeds the allowable weekly limit. Residents of Yarmouth County can drop off residential waste up to 200kg/household per week at the transfer station before being charged a fee.
| Yarmouth County Solid Waste Park | |
|---|---|
| Residential Solid Waste | $151.67/MT |
| Commercial Solid Waste | $168.79/MT |
| Metal | $30.00/MT |
| Treated lumber | $151.67/MT |
| Lobster Pots | No Charge |
| Shingles | $60.00/MT |
| Wood | $60.00/MT |
| Construction & Demolition material | $135.00/MT |
| Brick, Concrete, Asphalt | $30.00/MT |
| Asbestos | $135.00/MT |
| Contaminated Soil | $60.00/MT |
| Organics | $114.00/mt |
| Brush | No Charge |
| Residential Fridge | $30.00/Each |
| Commercial Fridge | $30.00 Each |
**Fees updated April 1, 2026. Fees are subject to change without notice.
Note: Any car motors or similar waste must have all fluids removed. There is a double tipping fee for all materials that are improperly sorted – be sure to sort your waste and save some money!
If you have any questions regarding the Yarmouth County Solid Waste Park, please contact the Waste Park manager:
Yarmouth County Solid Waste Park
manager@ycwastepark.ca
Phone: (902) 742-5852
Fax: (902) 742-5852
8 AM-4 PM Mon–Fri
9 AM-3 PM Sat
Property Tax
- Property Tax Certificate: $20.00 per certificate (HST exempt)
- Deed Transfer Tax: 1.0%
- Interest on Overdue Taxes (Interest is applied monthly on the first day of each month after the Tax Due Date): 14% Annual
Water Utility
| Service | Fees | After Hours Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Set up new water account | $50.00 | |
| Connection to Town water system | $50.00 | |
| Turn the water off and on (e.g. for repairs) | $50.00 | $150.00 |
| Final meter reading (selling house) | $50.00 | |
| Remove meter | $50.00 | |
| Install meter | $50.00 | |
| New Construction Build (total fees) | $150.00 | |
| Property Sold (total fees) | $100.00 |
Note: For water utility rates, see Taxes and Utilities. Go to Water Utility for more information.
Examples of common scenarios and water fee charges:
New construction build: New water account ($50), connection to Town water system ($50) and install meter ($50). Total fees: $150.00.
Property sold: Seller pays final meter reading ($50), purchaser pays for new water account ($50). Total fees: $100.00.
For all other situations, please contact billing@townofyarmouth.ca or (902) 742-2521.
Sewer
- Sewer Connection Fee: $500
- Sewer Entrance Application Fee: $500
- Surface Run-Off Approval Application: No Fee
Bylaw Enforcement
Taxi Administration Fees (Taxi Bylaw)
| Type of Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Taxi Company License | $100 for one vehicle; each additional vehicle is $100 (HST exempt) |
| Limousine Company License | $100 for one vehicle; each additional vehicle is $100 (HST exempt) |
| Taxi Driver's License or Limousine Driver's License | $50 per license (HST exempt) |
| Transfer of Taxi Owner's License from one vehicle to another | $25 (HST exempt) |
Town Seal Bylaw
| Affix Town Seal to document or certificate | $5.00 per document (HST exempt) |
Vending Fees (Vending Bylaw)
| Type of Vending | Per Week | Per Month | Per Year | Per Event |
| Mobile Canteen | $200 | $500 | $100 | |
| Stand | $25 | $50 | ||
| Umbrella Event | $100 | |||
| Outdoor Farmers’ or Outdoor Craft Market | $200 | $500 | $100 | |
| Outdoor Fruit/Vegetable/Fish Stand or Vehicle | $25 | $100 | $500 | |
| All Other Vendors | $25 | $200 | $500 | |
| Non-Profit Event or Unit | $0 |
Streets and Sidewalks
| Encroachment Permit | $500.00 |
| Street Disturbance Permit | $100 non-refundable fee; $50 for traffic obstruction with no damage to the surface or subsurface of the street; security deposit of $1,000 or other such amount as determined by the Town Engineer in the case of excavation |
| Annual Street Disturbance Permit | $500 non-refundable fee; security deposit of $10,000 or higher, as determined by the Engineer. |
| Street Events Permit (to restrict the use of Town Streets) | No Fee |
| Walkathon, Bikeathon, Parade Permits | No Fee |
| Sidewalk Cafe Permit | No Fee |
Solid Waste Storage, Collection, and Disposal (Garbage Collection, Storage and Removal Bylaw)
| License fee | $50.00 (HST exempt) |
Private Property Vending Retail License Fees
| Type of Vending | Per Year | Per Month |
|---|---|---|
| Retail 0 - 500 sq. ft. | $300 (HST exempt) | $100 (HST exempt) |
| Retail 500 - 1000 sq. ft. | $500 (HST exempt) | $200 (HST exempt) |
| Retail 1000 - 2000 sq. ft. | $700 (HST exempt) | $300 (HST exempt) |
| Retail 2000 & over | $900 (HST exempt) | $400 (HST exempt) |
| Food Trucks/Trailers | $500 (HST exempt) | $200 (HST exempt) |
Dog Impoundments *Administered by Yarmouth SPCA (Dog Bylaw)
| Dog Registration (Annual Fee) | |
| Dog registration (male or female) | $50.00 (HST exempt) |
| Dog registration for a neutered male or spayed female | $25.00 (HST exempt) |
| Dog registration for a neutered male or spayed female that is implanted with a microchip or tattooed | $10.00 (HST exempt) |
| Fierce and Dangerous Dog Registration | $250.00 (HST exempt) |
| Kennel registration | $100.00 (HST exempt) |
| Impoundment Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| First impoundment in any calendar year | |
| Neutered male or spayed female dog | $25.00 (HST exempt) |
| Non-neutered or unspayed dog | $50.00 (HST exempt) |
| Fierce and Dangerous Dog | $250.00 (HST exempt) |
| Second impoundment in any calendar year | |
| Neutered male or spayed female dog | $100.00 (HST exempt) |
| Non-neutered or unspayed dog | $250.00 (HST exempt) |
| Fierce and Dangerous Dog | $500.00 (HST exempt) |
| Third impoundment in any calendar year | |
| Neutered male or spayed female dog | $200.00 (HST exempt) |
| Non-neutered or unspayed dog | $500.00 (HST exempt) |
| Fierce and Dangerous Dog | $1,000.00 (HST exempt) |
Yarmouth Waterfront Advisory Committee
The mandate of this committee is to advise the Council on a variety of issues including advising on infrastructure projects for the waterfront and Water Street, advising on services and programs to enhance the connections between our waterfront and our residents and visitors, ATVs on Water Street, and more.
Committee Members:
- Mayor Pam Mood
- Deputy Mayor Steve Berry
- Phil LeBlanc
- Tim Kaiser
- Patti Durkee
- Gordon Watkins
- Kathryn Davidson
- JP Ferron
Yarmouth Waterfront Advisory Committee
400 Main St.
Yarmouth, NS B5A 1G2
cao@townofyarmouth.ca
Taxes & Utilities
Paying taxes and using municipal utilities keeps Yarmouth running — from streets and parks to water and sewer services. Below is what property owners and residents need to know about property taxes, water and sewer billing, and related services. For payment options see Bill & Ticket Payments.
Taxes
Property tax billing
- The Town issues two property tax bills each year:
- April (interim) — due May 31 — 60% of the year’s taxes, based on the current assessment and the previous Council tax rate.
- August (final) — due September 30 — 40% of the year’s taxes, based on the current assessment and the new tax rate set by Council; the final bill includes a garbage fee per dwelling unit.
- The tax year runs April 1 – March 31.
- Property tax = assessed value × applicable tax rate. The assessed value is the capped market value of the property at the base rate as determined by the Property Valuation Services Corporation (PVSC), a department of the Nova Scotia Government since 2008. To learn more, please visit the PVSC website.
2026-2027 property tax rates (summary)
| Residential | $1.71 per $100 of Assessment |
| Commercial | $4.35 per $100 of Assessment |
| Resource General | $1.71 per $100 of Assessment |
| Farmland | $2.18 per Acre |
| Garbage | $205 per dwelling unit up to a maximum of 4 (four) dwelling units per building. Other In excess of 4 (four) dwelling units is deemed Commercial and at the owner's expense. Retail and other Commercial type operators are deemed Commercial and at the owner's expense. |
Interest Rate: Interest is applied monthly (14% annually) on the first day of each month after the Tax Due Date.
How taxes are used
To learn more about how your municipal taxes are spent, check out our Annual Budget.
Other tax information
- Deed Transfer Tax: 1% of the purchase price for properties within Town limits.
- Property Tax Certificate: $20 per certificate (HST exempt).
- Property Tax Sale: Properties with taxes in arrears for two preceding taxation years may be placed on the Tax Sale list under Section 134 of the Municipal Government Act. Notices, advertising, and the tax sale process follow the Act; buyers may receive a Certificate of Sale or Tax Sale Deed depending on the age of arrears. (Detailed process and timelines are governed by provincial law.)
Changing your mailing address
- It is your responsibility to keep your mailing address current on your property tax account. Where there are multiple owners or addresses, the Town issues one bill to one address. Complete the Change of Mailing Address form below and return it to Town Hall.
pdf Request for change of mailing address form(283 KB)
Federal and provincial taxes
- Federal and provincial taxes (income tax, GST/HST, business taxes) are handled by the Canada Revenue Agency and Nova Scotia Taxation. For those obligations see the CRA and Nova Scotia Taxation websites:
Paying property taxes
- For payment methods and options, visit Bill & Ticket Payments.
Utilities
Water & wastewater (sewer) service
- Water and sewer service is provided by the Town and billed quarterly.
- Quarterly bills: issued four times per year. Payments more than 30 days after the bill date will incur interest at 14% per annum.
- To pay your water/sewer bill, please see Bill and Ticket Payments.
2026–2027 water and wastewater charges
|
Quarterly charges based on meter size - As of April 1, 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Meter size in inches | Water quarterly | Wastewater quarterly |
| 5/8" | $54.87 | $41.77 |
| 3/4" | $80.48 | $62.66 |
| 1" | $131.71 | $104.43 |
| 1.5" | $259.76 | $208.86 |
| 2" | $413.43 | $334.18 |
| 3" | $823.22 | $668.36 |
| 4" | $1,284.23 | $1,044.33 |
| 6" | $2,564.80 | $2,088.60 |
| 8" | $4,613.73 | $3,759.49 |
| Consumption Rate (per 1000 Imperial Gallons): | |
|---|---|
| 1st Block | (0 to 4,000,000 imp. gal per customer per quarter) $6.27 per 1000 Imp. Gallons |
| 2nd Block | (>4,000,000 imp. gal per customer per quarter) $4.26 per 1000 Imp. Gallons |
Effluent Rate: $5.282/1000 Imp. Gallons
Connecting, responsibility and billing
- To connect to Town water you must sign a contract with the Yarmouth Water Utility and pay applicable charges.
- Owners are responsible for private service connections (from the building to the property line) and for maintenance of private plumbing inside their property.
- For details about connections, repairs, or accounts, contact the Yarmouth Water Utility.
Late payments and interest
- Interest at 14% per year is applied to overdue water/sewer accounts after 30 days.
Reporting problems or questions about water/wastewater
- For urgent water/wastewater issues (daytime emergencies) call Operational Services. For after-hours emergencies call the designated emergency line:
- Tel: (902) 742-9423
Hours of operation: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:30 PM
After-hours emergency: 1-833-460-8709
- Tel: (902) 742-9423
- For non-urgent inquiries about accounts or billing, contact:
- Tel: (902) 742-2521
Electricity
- Electricity service in Yarmouth is provided by Nova Scotia Power. To start or manage service, visit the Nova Scotia Power website.
Where to find more information
- Annual Budget (how tax dollars are spent)
- Bill & Ticket Payments (pay taxes and utility bills)
- Yarmouth Water Utility (connections, accounts, service details)
- Property Valuation Services Corporation (property assessments)
- Nova Scotia Taxation and Canada Revenue Agency (provincial and federal taxes)
Capital Investment Plan
The Town of Yarmouth uses the Capital Investment Plan as a key tool to meet our operational and financial goals. It is part of our long-term financial plan.
Why we have a Capital Investment Plan
Managing a town involves many departments and responsibilities. The plan helps us put the right funding toward the right projects so the town stays safe and sustainable.
What the plan does
The plan uses risk management and other principles to balance the need to repair, replace, or upgrade assets with what the town can afford. Specifically, the plan provides:
- long-range strategic planning and prioritization of asset needs
- better evidence-informed decision-making
- long-term cost estimates to maintain assets
- improved capital planning processes across the organization
- consistent asset management practices and measures
How we choose projects
We use a capital planning tool to make a long list of possible projects. Each project is scored against a set of criteria. The scores help us decide which projects to consider for funding. Projects that score 5 on all criteria are usually already funded, cost-shared, or complete.
Reporting and cost estimates
We share the tool’s results with Council and with senior levels of government when we request cost-sharing for infrastructure projects. The Total Project Cost figures in the plan are the Town’s estimates, often prepared before final engineering design. These figures are estimates and may change as projects move forward.
