# Nova Scotia Building Code: Stairs & Guards Nova Scotia runs its own NS Building Code — its own edition of the NBC 2020 — in force since April 2025. The residential stair and guard numbers match the national code. - Canonical HTML: https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/ns/ - Publisher: Chippy Tools - Language: en - Updated: 2026-09-13 [Browse all topics](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/topics/)[Free web tools](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/tools/)[Printable references](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/printables/) [All countries](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/) [Canada](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/) Topics Stairs - [NBC Stair & Guard Rules: Riser, Run, Handrails, Guards](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/stairs/stair-and-barrier-requirements/) Footings - [Canada Footing Sizes (NBC 9.15)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/footings/footing-sizes-and-depth/) Room heights - [Canada Minimum Ceiling Heights (NBC 9.5)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/rooms/minimum-ceiling-heights/) Ramps - [Canada Ramp Slopes (NBC 9.8)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/ramps/ramp-gradients/) Wet areas - [Shower & Bathtub Waterproof Finish (NBC 9.29.2)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/wet-areas/waterproofing-requirements/) By province & territory - [Alberta](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/ab/) - [British Columbia](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/bc/) - [Manitoba](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/mb/) - [New Brunswick](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/nb/) - [Newfoundland and Labrador](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/nl/) - [Nova Scotia](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/ns/) - [Northern Territory](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/nt/) - [Nunavut](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/nu/) - [Ontario](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/on/) - [Prince Edward Island](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/pe/) - [Québec](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/qc/) - [Saskatchewan](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/sk/) - [Yukon](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/yt/) Calculation guides - [Concrete Calculations: The Complete On-Site Guide](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-calculations-guide/) - [How to Calculate Concrete Volume for a Slab](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-volume-slab/) - [How Many Bags of Concrete Per m³? (20kg, 25kg, 40kg)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/bags-of-concrete-per-m3/) - [Concrete for Post Holes: Volume Per Hole & Bags Needed](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-post-holes/) - [Concrete Mix Ratios Explained: 1:2:3, 1:2:4 & Water-Cement Ratio](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-mix-ratios/) - [Roof Pitch to Angle: Convert Rise/Run to Degrees & Grade](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/roof-pitch-to-angle/) - [Rafter Length Calculation: Run, Rise & Overhang](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/rafter-length/) - [Stair Rise & Run Setout: Riser, Going & the 2R+G Formula](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/stair-rise-and-run-setout/) - [How to Convert a Fall or Gradient: Ratio, Percentage & Degrees](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/fall-and-gradient-conversion/) - [Stud & Joist Spacing Takeoff: How Many at 400, 450 & 600 mm Centres](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/stud-and-joist-spacing-takeoff/) - [Gravel & Base Volume: Compacted Depth vs Loose-Fill Order Quantity](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/gravel-and-base-volume/) In this section [Browse all topics](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/topics/)[Free web tools](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/tools/)[Printable references](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/printables/) [All countries](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/) [Canada](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/) Topics Stairs - [NBC Stair & Guard Rules: Riser, Run, Handrails, Guards](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/stairs/stair-and-barrier-requirements/) Footings - [Canada Footing Sizes (NBC 9.15)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/footings/footing-sizes-and-depth/) Room heights - [Canada Minimum Ceiling Heights (NBC 9.5)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/rooms/minimum-ceiling-heights/) Ramps - [Canada Ramp Slopes (NBC 9.8)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/ramps/ramp-gradients/) Wet areas - [Shower & Bathtub Waterproof Finish (NBC 9.29.2)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/wet-areas/waterproofing-requirements/) By province & territory - [Alberta](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/ab/) - [British Columbia](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/bc/) - [Manitoba](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/mb/) - [New Brunswick](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/nb/) - [Newfoundland and Labrador](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/nl/) - [Nova Scotia](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/ns/) - [Northern Territory](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/nt/) - [Nunavut](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/nu/) - [Ontario](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/on/) - [Prince Edward Island](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/pe/) - [Québec](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/qc/) - [Saskatchewan](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/sk/) - [Yukon](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/yt/) Calculation guides - [Concrete Calculations: The Complete On-Site Guide](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-calculations-guide/) - [How to Calculate Concrete Volume for a Slab](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-volume-slab/) - [How Many Bags of Concrete Per m³? (20kg, 25kg, 40kg)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/bags-of-concrete-per-m3/) - [Concrete for Post Holes: Volume Per Hole & Bags Needed](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-post-holes/) - [Concrete Mix Ratios Explained: 1:2:3, 1:2:4 & Water-Cement Ratio](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-mix-ratios/) - [Roof Pitch to Angle: Convert Rise/Run to Degrees & Grade](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/roof-pitch-to-angle/) - [Rafter Length Calculation: Run, Rise & Overhang](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/rafter-length/) - [Stair Rise & Run Setout: Riser, Going & the 2R+G Formula](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/stair-rise-and-run-setout/) - [How to Convert a Fall or Gradient: Ratio, Percentage & Degrees](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/fall-and-gradient-conversion/) - [Stud & Joist Spacing Takeoff: How Many at 400, 450 & 600 mm Centres](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/stud-and-joist-spacing-takeoff/) - [Gravel & Base Volume: Compacted Depth vs Loose-Fill Order Quantity](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/gravel-and-base-volume/) [Building Codes](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/) [Canada](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/) Nova Scotia # Nova Scotia Building Code: Stairs & Guards Nova Scotia runs its own NS Building Code — its own edition of the NBC 2020 — in force since April 2025. The residential stair and guard numbers match the national code. Nova Scotia runs its own **NS Building Code**, in force since **1 April 2025**. It adopts the [NBC 2020](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/) as its base and layers Nova Scotia’s own regulation (N.S. Reg. 198/2024) on top, the same pattern as Ontario, Québec and BC. For a house stair the figures **match the NBC 2020 baseline** — 200 mm max riser, 255 mm min run, 1950 mm headroom, 860 mm min width, 865–1070 mm handrails, 900 mm guards (1070 mm otherwise), the 600 mm trigger and the 100 mm gap. See the [Canada stair & guard rules](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/stairs/stair-and-barrier-requirements/), and confirm any figure against the current NS Building Code regulation before you build. ## Adoption status Adopted Current code in force NS Building Code (NBC 2020) Next edition — Adoption / transition In force 1 Apr 2025 [Official source →](https://canlii.org/en/ns/laws/regu/ns-reg-198-2024) Last verified 2026-07-28 No state-specific variations recorded yet for this jurisdiction. This page is general information for tradespeople and is not compliance, engineering or legal advice. Requirements are subject to state and territory variations and adoption timing. Always confirm requirements with your building certifier and relevant state authority. ## Page directory