Civil Forfeiture Regulations
made under Section 77 of the
Civil Forfeiture Act
S.N.S. 2025, c. 15
O.I.C. 2026-19 (effective January 20, 2026), N.S. Reg. 11/2026
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.
Citation
Definitions
Priority of payments from Forfeiture Account
Form of notices to be filed in registry of deeds
Form of filing notices in personal property registry
Persons to be notified and method of service for proceedings affecting real property
Persons to be notified and method of service for proceedings affecting personal property
Form of notice of response to proceeding
Forms for notices of dispute of administrative forfeiture
Form for notice of administrative forfeiture
Form 1: Notice of Proceedings Affecting Real Property
Form 2: Cancellation of Notice of Proceedings Affecting Real Property
Form 3: Notice of Proceedings Affecting Personal Property
Form 4: Response to Notice of Proceeding
Form 5: Notice of Dispute of Administrative Forfeiture
Form 6: Amended Notice of Dispute of Administrative Forfeiture
Form 7: Notice of Administrative Forfeiture
Citation
1 These regulations may be cited as the Civil Forfeiture Regulations.
Definitions
2 In these regulations,
“Act” means the Civil Forfeiture Act;
“application” means an action or an application under the Civil Procedure Rules.
Priority of payments from Forfeiture Account
3 The Director must make payments under clause 69(a) of the Act before making
payments for any of the purposes described in clauses 69(b), (c) and (d) of the Act.
Form of notices to be filed in registry of deeds
4 (1) Form 1 is prescribed as the form for filing a notice of preliminary preservation
order in respect of real property under clause 7(1)(a) of the Act.
(2) Form 1 is prescribed as the form for filing a notice of forfeiture order proceeding in
respect of real property under clause 15(1)(a) of the Act.
(3) Form 2 is prescribed as the form for cancelling all of the following under
subsection 7(2) of the Act:
(a) a notice of preliminary preservation order in respect of real property filed
under clause 7(1)(a) of the Act;
(b) a notice of forfeiture order proceeding in respect of real property filed under
clause 15(1)(a) of the Act.
Form of filing notices in personal property registry
5 (1) The form prescribed for all of the following notices is the same form and manner
as for registering a financing statement in accordance with the Personal Property
Security Act General Regulations made under the Personal Property Security Act:
(a) a notice of preliminary preservation order in respect of personal property to
be filed under clause 7(1)(b) of the Act;
(b) a notice of forfeiture order proceeding against personal property to be filed
under clause 15(1)(b) of the Act;
(c) a notice of administrative forfeiture proceeding against personal property to
be filed under clause 24(3)(a) of the Act.
(2) When registering a notice in accordance with subsection (1), the Director must do
all of the following:
(a) indicate that the secured party is an enterprise and enter the title “Director of
Civil Forfeiture, Civil Forfeiture Program” as the name of the secured party;
(b) enter the following notice under the heading “Additional Information”:
Take notice that a court proceeding has been commenced under the Civil
Forfeiture Act and that the legal ownership of the personal property, or the
whole or a portion of an interest in the personal property, described in this
registration may be affected by the proceedings.
If a forfeiture order is granted in the court proceedings, it may result in a
forfeiture of any interest in the property, effective on the date of this
registration.
Further information about this matter, or a copy of the documents by which
this claim is made, may be obtained from the Director of Civil Forfeiture.
The date of the commencement of the proceedings is _______, Court file
number ________.
(3) All of the following notices may be cancelled or discharged in the same manner as
a discharge of registration is made in accordance with Section 69 of the Personal
Property Security Act General Regulations made under the Personal Property
Security Act:
(a) a notice of preliminary preservation order in respect of personal property
filed under clause 7(1)(b) of the Act;
(b) a notice of forfeiture order proceeding in respect of personal property filed
under clause 15(1)(b) of the Act;
(c) a notice of administrative forfeiture proceeding against personal property
filed under clause 24(3)(a) of the Act.
Persons to be notified and method of service for proceedings affecting real property
6 (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), for proceedings under the Act that may affect
real property, the Director must notify all persons who hold a registered or
recorded interest in the property, whether or not the registered or recorded interest
is the subject of the application for forfeiture.
(2) The Director is not required to notify a person under subsection (1) who holds only
an interest in a right-of-way or an easement affecting the property.
(3) For property registered under the Land Registration Act, notice to persons under
subsection (1) must be served by delivering a copy of the Form 1 filed in the
registry of deeds to the most recent address shown in the parcel register for the
property by 1 of the following methods:
(a) registered mail;
(b) personal service.
(4) For property not registered under the Land Registration Act, notice to persons
under subsection (1) must be served by delivering a copy of the Form 1 filed in the
registry of deeds in the manner directed by the court.
Persons to be notified and method of service for proceedings affecting personal property
7 (1) For proceedings under the Act that may affect personal property, the Director must
notify all persons who have an interest or notice registered in the personal property
registry.
(2) Notice to persons under subsection (1) must be served by delivering a completed
Form 3 to the address shown in the personal property registry for the person by 1
of the following methods:
(a) registered mail;
(b) personal service.
Form of notice of response to proceeding
8 Form 4 is prescribed as the form for a notice of response to a proceeding in accordance
with Section 14 of the Act.
Forms for notices of dispute of administrative forfeiture
9 (1) Form 5 is prescribed as the form for a notice of dispute of administrative forfeiture
under Section 28 of the Act.
(2) Form 6 is prescribed as the form for an amended notice of dispute of
administrative forfeiture under subsection 29(3) of the Act.
Form for notice of administrative forfeiture
10 Form 7 is prescribed as the form for a notice of administrative forfeiture under
subsection 30(3) of the Act.
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Form 1: Notice of Proceedings Affecting Real Property
(clauses 7(1)(a) and 15(1)(a) of the Civil Forfeiture Act)
Take notice that:
(1) a court proceeding has been commenced under the Civil Forfeiture Act, and
(2) the legal ownership of the real property or the whole or a portion of an interest in the real
property described below may be affected by the proceedings.
Forfeiture:
If a forfeiture order is granted in the court proceedings, it may result in a forfeiture of any
interest in the property, effective the date this notice is filed in the registry of deeds.
Description of property:
□ The property is registered under the Land Registration Act:
OR
□ The property is not registered under the Land Registration Act:
Civic address:
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Owner’s name on the consolidated index:
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Legal Description attached as Schedule “A”
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Further information
Further information about this matter, or a copy of the document(s) by which the claim is made,
may be obtained from the office of the Director of Civil Forfeiture at the following address:
Director of Civil Forfeiture
Public Safety and Security Division
Nova Scotia Department of Justice
PO Box 7
Halifax, NS B3J 2L6
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Director of Civil Forfeiture
Civil Forfeiture Program
Public Safety and Security Division
Nova Scotia Department of Justice
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________________________________________________________________
Form 2: Cancellation of Notice of Proceedings Affecting Real Property
(subsection 7(2) of the Civil Forfeiture Act)
Take notice:
Take notice that the notice of proceedings affecting real property filed in the registry of deeds
on ____________, 20___, as document number __________________, that may affect the real
property described below is hereby cancelled.
Description of property:
□ The property is registered under the Land Registration Act:
OR
□ The property is not registered under the Land Registration Act:
Civic address:
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Owner’s name on the consolidated index:
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Legal Description attached as Schedule “A”
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Director of Civil Forfeiture
Civil Forfeiture Program
Public Safety and Security Division
Nova Scotia Department of Justice
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Date
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________________________________________________________________
Form 3: Notice of Proceedings Affecting Personal Property
(Section 15 of the Civil Forfeiture Act)
Take notice that:
(1) a court proceeding has been commenced under the Civil Forfeiture Act, and
(2) the legal ownership of the personal property, or the whole or a portion of an interest in
the personal property described below, may be affected by the proceedings.
Forfeiture:
If a forfeiture order is granted in the court proceedings, it may result in a forfeiture of any
interest in the property, effective on the date that notice of the proceedings was registered in the
personal property registry, which was _____________ (date).
Description of property:
(for example, identifying information from the registration, serial number, etc.)
Further information:
Further information regarding this matter, or a copy of the documents by which the claim is
made, may be obtained from the office of the Director of Civil Forfeiture at the following
address:
Director of Civil Forfeiture
Public Safety and Security Division
Nova Scotia Department of Justice
PO Box 7
Halifax, NS B3J 2L6
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Director of Civil Forfeiture
Civil Forfeiture Program
Public Safety and Security Division
Nova Scotia Department of Justice
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Date
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________________________________________________________________
Form 4: Response to Notice of Proceeding
(Section 14 of the Civil Forfeiture Act)
Date:
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Case File:
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Asset Number:
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Note: If this form has not been signed by the person declaring an interest and sworn or
affirmed before a person authorized to administer oaths before the deadline date, the
subject property will be forfeited. This form must be completed and received at the office
of the Director of Civil Forfeiture before the deadline date.
I am claiming an interest in the subject property described below, and I am submitting this
Notice of Dispute to oppose its forfeiture under the Civil Forfeiture Act. (If further space is
required, please attach additional pages.)
The subject property is:
I claim to have the following interest in the subject property:
The basis upon which I am disputing forfeiture of the subject property is:
IMPORTANT: Please attach documentation that supports the basis of your dispute.
All future documents for this proceeding can be served on me at the following address:
NOTE: If, for any reason, the above address changes, you must notify the Director of Civil
Forfeiture at (902) 424-4066 or in writing at the address at the bottom of this page.
I, _____________________ (print name), solemnly declare that the submissions set forth above
are, insofar as they are matters of fact, true to the best of my information, knowledge and belief,
and, insofar as they are matters of opinion, are reasonably and honestly believed by me.
And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing it to be true and knowing that it
is of the same force and effect as if made under oath by virtue of the Nova Scotia Evidence Act.
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Signature of Declarant
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Sworn to/Affirmed before me
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Signature of authority
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Signature of witness
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Print name:
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Print name:
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Official capacity:
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________________________________________________________________
Form 5: Notice of Dispute of Administrative Forfeiture
(subsection 28(1) of the Civil Forfeiture Act)
Date:
Note: If this form has not been signed by the person declaring an interest and sworn or
affirmed before a person authorized to administer oaths before the deadline date, the
subject property will be forfeited. This form must be completed and received at the office
of the Director of Civil Forfeiture before the deadline date.
By submitting a completed Notice of Dispute, I am claiming an interest in the subject property
described below and oppose its forfeiture under the Civil Forfeiture Act. (If further space is
required, please attach additional pages.)
The subject property is:
(Note: You may use the same description of the subject property included in the notice of
administrative forfeiture provided by the Director of Civil Forfeiture under S. 25 of the Act.)
I claim to have the following interest in the subject property:
The reason I am disputing forfeiture of the subject property is:
IMPORTANT: Please attach documentation that supports the basis of your dispute.
All future documents for this proceeding can be served on me at the following address:
(Note: If the above address changes, you must notify the Director of Civil Forfeiture at Director
of Civil Forfeiture, Public Safety and Security Division, Nova Scotia Department of Justice, PO
Box 7, Halifax, NS B3J 2L6.)
I, _____________________ (print name), solemnly declare that the submissions set forth above
are, insofar as they are matters of fact, true to the best of my information, knowledge and belief,
and, insofar as they are matters of opinion, are reasonably and honestly believed by me.
And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing it to be true and knowing that it
is of the same force and effect as if made under oath by virtue of the Nova Scotia Evidence Act.
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Signature of Declarant
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Sworn to/Affirmed before me
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on
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Signature of authority
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Signature of witness
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Print name:
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Print name:
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Official capacity:
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________________________________________________________________
Form 6: Amended Notice of Dispute of Administrative Forfeiture
(subsection 29(3) of the Civil Forfeiture Act)
Date:
Note: If this form has not been signed by the person declaring an interest and sworn or
affirmed before a person authorized to administer oaths before the deadline date, the
subject property will be forfeited. This form must be completed and received at the office
of the Director of Civil Forfeiture before the deadline date.
Further to the Notice of Dispute dated ________________________, I have advised the
Director of Civil Forfeiture that:
(a) I am now disputing forfeiture of the following subject property:
(If further space is required, please attach additional pages.)
OR
(b) I have agreed to pay $ ______________ to the Crown in right of Nova Scotia in
consideration of the Director of Civil Forfeiture’s discontinuing proceedings in
accordance with subsection 29(3) of the Civil Forfeiture Act, against the original subject
property referred to in the notice of administrative forfeiture proceedings given under
Section 25 of the Civil Forfeiture Act dated _______________________________.
I, _____________________ (print name), solemnly declare that the submissions set forth above
are, insofar as they are matters of fact, true to the best of my information, knowledge and belief,
and, insofar as they are matters of opinion, are reasonably and honestly believed by me.
And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing it to be true and knowing that it
is of the same force and effect as if made under oath by virtue of the Nova Scotia Evidence Act.
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Signature of Declarant
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Sworn to/Affirmed before me
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Signature of authority
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Signature of witness
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Print name:
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Print name:
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Official capacity:
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________________________________________________________________
Form 7: Notice of Administrative Forfeiture
(subsection 30(3) of the Civil Forfeiture Act)
Date:
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Case File:
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Asset Number:
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To: (insert names of interested persons)
Take notice that, further to the Notice of Administrative Forfeiture Proceeding issued on
__________ (date), the Director of Civil Forfeiture has not received a Notice of Dispute within
the prescribed time in relation to the following subject property:
Description of subject property:
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Date subject property was seized:
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Location subject property was seized:
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Basis on which the Director of Civil
Forfeiture seizes the subject property:
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Therefore, the subject property is forfeited to the Province of Nova Scotia through
Administrative Forfeiture authorized by Section 30 of the Civil Forfeiture Act. This letter serves
as your notice.
Print name: _________________________
Director of Civil Forfeiture
The following regulations are not
yet in force and are not included in the current consolidation: