Three-Wheeled Vehicles Pilot Project Regulations
made under Section 307 of the
Motor Vehicle Act
R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 293
O.I.C. 2024-163 (effective May 7, 2024), N.S. Reg. 90/2024
Table of Contents
Please note: this table of contents is provided for convenience of reference and does not form part of the regulations.
Click here to go to the text of the regulations.
Interpretation and Application
Citation
Definitions
Application of Act
Pilot project duration
Three-wheeled vehicle is motorcycle only under Section 184 of Act
Sale and Inspection of Three-Wheeled Vehicle
Sale of three-wheeled vehicle
Inspection of three-wheeled vehicle
Three-Wheeled Vehicle Driving Requirements
Requirements for three-wheeled vehicle permitted on highway
Required license
Driver and passengers must wear helmets
Three-wheeled vehicle must be driven in accordance with law
Prohibitions on driving three-wheeled vehicle on highway
Penalties
Category C offence
Category D offence
Category F offences
Category F (double) offence
Interpretation and Application
Citation
1 These regulations may be cited as the Three-Wheeled Vehicles Pilot Project Regulations.
Definitions
2 In these regulations,
“Act” means the Motor Vehicle Act;
“pilot project” means the Department’s project for researching, testing and
evaluating the use of three-wheeled vehicles on highways, as authorized by these
regulations;
“three-wheeled vehicle” means an on-road vehicle that
(i) is designed to travel on three wheels that are in contact with the
ground,
(ii) has no more than 4 designated seating positions,
(iii) does not have seating on which the driver and any passengers must
sit astride, and
(iv) has a gross vehicle weight rating of 1000 kg or less.
Application of Act
3 (1) Except as provided in these regulations, a three-wheeled vehicle is considered a
motor vehicle under the Act and all provisions of the Act that apply to a motor
vehicle apply to a three-wheeled vehicle.
(2) Except as provided in these regulations, a driver of a three-wheeled vehicle is
considered a driver of a motor vehicle under the Act and all provisions of the Act
that apply to a driver of a motor vehicle apply to a driver of a three-wheeled
vehicle.
Pilot project duration
4 The pilot project begins May 15, 2024, and ends May 15, 2029.
Three-wheeled vehicle is motorcycle only under Section 184 of Act
5 A three-wheeled vehicle is considered to be a motorcycle only for the purposes of
Section 184 of the Act.
Sale and Inspection of Three-Wheeled Vehicle
Sale of three-wheeled vehicle
6 Despite the restrictions in the Dealers’ Licenses Regulations made under the Act,
three-wheeled vehicles may be sold by all of the following dealers:
(a) motorcycle dealers;
(b) new car dealers;
(c) used car dealers.
Inspection of three-wheeled vehicle
7 A three-wheeled vehicle is a Type 1 vehicle for the purposes of the Vehicle Inspection
Regulations made under the Act.
Three-Wheeled Vehicle Driving Requirements
Requirements for three-wheeled vehicle permitted on highway
8 A person may drive or permit the driving of a three-wheeled vehicle on a highway if the
vehicle meets all of the following requirements:
(a) for a three-wheeled vehicle manufactured or built in Canada, it bears the
manufacturer’s compliance label and that label has been issued under
Section 6 of the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (Canada) and specifies
the type of vehicle as being “TWV/VTR”;
(b) for a three-wheeled vehicle imported into Canada, it bears a compliance
label or other label as required by Section 12 of the Motor Vehicle Safety
Regulations (Canada);
(c) it continues to meet the Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards that applied
to its class of vehicle at the time it was manufactured or imported;
(d) it is in good working order.
Required license
9 Subject to Section 12, the driver of a three-wheeled vehicle on a highway must be 1 of
the following:
(a) the holder of a valid Class 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 driver’s license issued by the
Province of Nova Scotia;
(b) a non-resident of the Province who holds a valid driver’s license issued to
them in their home province, country or state and who is authorized to drive
a motor vehicle in the Province for no more than 90 days under subsection
65(1) of the Act;
(c) a new resident of the Province who holds a valid driver’s license issued to
them in their previous home province, country or state and who is
authorized to drive a motor vehicle in the Province for no more than 90
days under subsection 65(3) of the Act.
Driver and passengers must wear helmets
10 A driver must only drive a three-wheeled vehicle on a highway if the driver and every
passenger in the three-wheeled vehicle are wearing helmets that comply with the
requirements for a motorcycle helmet in the Helmet Regulations made under the Act.
Three-wheeled vehicle must be driven in accordance with law
11 A driver must drive a three-wheeled vehicle on a highway in accordance with the Act
and the regulations made under the Act.
Prohibitions on driving three-wheeled vehicle on highway
12 A driver must not drive a three-wheeled vehicle on a highway in any of the following
circumstances:
(a) with a passenger in the vehicle who is under 9 years old;
(b) while a licensed learner or newly licensed driver;
(c) while undergoing a driver’s examination;
(d) while a sidecar is attached to the vehicle;
(e) while towing anything behind the vehicle.
Penalties
Category C offence
13 A person who violates Section 10 is guilty of an offence and liable on summary
conviction to the penalties provided for a category C offence in the Summary
Proceedings Act.
Category D offence
14 A person who violates clause 12(b) is guilty of an offence and liable on summary
conviction to the penalties provided for a category D offence in the Summary
Proceedings Act.
Category F offences
15 A person who violates clause 12(d) or (e) is guilty of an offence and liable on summary
conviction to the penalties provided for a category F offence in the Summary
Proceedings Act.
Category F (double) offence
16 A person who violates clause 12(a) is guilty of an offence and liable on summary
conviction to the penalties provided for a category F (double) offence in the Summary
Proceedings Act.
The following regulations are not
yet in force and are not included in the current consolidation: