Clearance Letters
Having clearance means that a business—whether it’s your own, one you subcontract to, or one you’ve hired—has WCB Nova Scotia coverage in case a workplace injury happens.
What is a clearance letter?
A clearance letter is a document that confirms a business is:
- Covered by WCB Nova Scotia
- Up to date with payroll reporting
- Free of outstanding balances
Understanding clearance status
A business’s WCB clearance status shows whether it’s in good standing. This affects coverage if a workplace injury occurs.
Good standing – yes
The account is active and up to date.
- Workers’ compensation coverage is in place.
- Payroll reporting and payment requirements are being met.
Good standing – no
The account is registered with WCB Nova Scotia, but it’s not in good standing.
- There may be overdue payments or missing payroll information.
- These issues must be fixed to regain clearance.
Not registered
The business does not have a WCB account.
- There is no workers’ compensation insurance coverage in place.
How to access clearance letters
Clearance status and letters can be accessed through MyAccount, under the WCB Account tab.
Users can:
- View clearance status
- Save and print clearance letters
- Share clearance with others
- Check clearance for contractors
- Manage a contractor list
If you already use MyAccount
Log in at MyAccount
If you’re new to MyAccount
To register:
- Call 1-800-870-3331 with a Business Number to get a registration code.
- Use the code at MyAccount Sign-Up for Employers.
- If the company is already registered, the policy administrator can add new users to the account.
Need help? Get step-by-step guidance.
Understanding and managing contractors’ clearance
When you hire or subcontract work, the principal contractor or hiring party must check and track the clearance status of any contractor involved.
If the contractor has WCB coverage and is in good standing
- No premiums need to be paid on their labour
- Claims do not affect the hiring business’s WCB rating
If the contractor has WCB coverage but is not in good standing
- The hiring business is jointly responsible for premiums
- Premium amounts may be withheld from the contract—this is the only case where wage holdback is allowed
If the contractor does not have WCB coverage
If the contractor works in a mandatory industry and does not have coverage:
- The labour portion of their work must be included in the hiring party’s payroll reporting
- The hiring party is responsible for paying premiums
If the contractor works in a non-mandatory industry and does not have coverage:
- Premiums do not need to be paid on their behalf
- The contractor is not protected by workers’ compensation insurance
How to manage a contractor list
From the Contractors tab in MyAccount, users can:
- Search contractors by business number or name
- Add contractors to a list to track status each quarter
- Download clearance letters for each contractor
Staying on top of clearance protects businesses, workers, and everyone on the job site.