In New Brunswick, trade certification is run by Skilled Trades NB, a branch of the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour. You reach the certification exam one of three ways: by completing a New Brunswick apprenticeship, by working the required hours in your occupation and challenging the exam (the Trade Qualification route), or by showing a certificate of qualification from outside the province. Challengers must prove that 20% of the required hours were gained in the six years before they apply. The fees page lists a $250 Certificate of qualification examination, a $200 Interprovincial standards (Red Seal) examination, a $100 challenger assessment and a $120 re-examination, and does not explain when each exam fee applies. The pass mark is 70%. New Brunswick publishes almost no exam logistics; its official instruction is to contact a regional apprenticeship office.
| Who runs it | Skilled Trades NB, the Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification Branch of the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour. |
|---|---|
| Exam fee | Two lines are listed: Certificate of qualification examination $250 and Interprovincial standards (Red Seal) examination $200. The fees page does not explain when each applies. Currency and tax are not stated. |
| Challenger assessment | $100, listed as the Certificate of qualification challenger assessment. |
| How you apply | Contact a regional apprenticeship office. The AMS self-serve portal lists exam registration among its functions. No step-by-step procedure is published. |
| Pass mark | 70% on a written examination, under Board Order GE001.1. Marks are recognized for a maximum of six years. |
| If you fail | Certificate of qualification re-examination fee of $120. Waiting period and attempt limit: not published. |
| Results | The AMS self-serve portal lists viewing exam results. Timing: not published. |
| Where you write | Not published. |
01Who can write the Red Seal exam in New Brunswick?
The Red Seal Program leaves eligibility to each province: "The apprenticeship and certification authority in each province and territory determines who can write the Red Seal Exam." In New Brunswick that authority is Skilled Trades NB, and its apprenticeship and occupational certification program page describes three routes to a New Brunswick Certificate of Qualification.
Apprenticeship. You obtain employment, register as an apprentice, and complete all the program requirements: the on-the-job and technical training requirements and the examinations.
Trade Qualification. This is the challenger route. The page describes it as: "work the required number of hours in a particular skilled trade, supply proof of those hours, scope coverage and challenge the Certification Exam." The older Challenging the Exam page puts it this way: "If you are experienced in an occupation but do not hold a Certificate of Qualification in New Brunswick, you can become a fully qualified and certified journeyperson by successfully challenging the Certificate of Qualification Examination."
Equivalency Standards. For people certified elsewhere: "supply proof of a certificate of qualification from a jurisdiction outside New Brunswick and application to challenge the certification examination or to recognize the certification based on equivalent standards."
The hours a challenger needs are set occupation by occupation on the list of designated occupations. The figure differs by occupation. One example from the list: "A person who has gained the equivalent of 10,800 hours of practical experience in the automotive service technician occupation may apply to challenge the certification examination." Look up your own occupation; there is no single New Brunswick number.
New Brunswick also has a recency rule that is easy to miss. Board Order GC001.1 states: "Individuals applying to challenge the certification examination must provide documentation to prove that twenty percent (20%) of the practical work experience required for the occupation has been gained within the six (6) years prior to the date of submission of application." Hours that are all older than six years will not carry an application on their own. For how the challenge route works across Canada, see our guide on challenging the Red Seal exam without an apprenticeship.
02How to apply and book the exam
New Brunswick publishes no step-by-step application procedure. The Challenging the Exam page gives one instruction: "Please contact an apprenticeship office in your region." The page for internationally and nationally trained tradespeople tells newcomers to "contact Skilled Trades NB to see if you can challenge the certification exam or if the apprenticeship program is the better path." The public pages set out no sequence of steps. What they do establish:
- A regional office is the starting point. The nine regional offices and the central office are listed in section 09.
- Challengers pay an assessment fee. The fees page lists a "Certificate of qualification challenger assessment" at $100. Its name indicates it is charged on a challenge application, but no page states when it is paid, so confirm that with the office.
- Challengers document their hours. You supply proof of the required hours and of scope coverage, including proof that 20% of the hours fall within the six years before you apply.
- There is an online portal. The Apprenticeship Management System (AMS) self-serve portal lists "Register for courses and exams" and "View exam results" among the things it allows, and has guides for "Enroll in a Course or Exam." People "new to Skilled Trades NB" are offered the option "Create a new account and apply for services."
The pages do not say whether you or the office picks the exam date, how long a challenge application takes to process, or how to reschedule or cancel a sitting. The Red Seal Program's own registration page says only: "Complete and submit the appropriate Red Seal Examination application form or contact your provincial or territorial apprenticeship office for more information." In New Brunswick, contacting the office is the published route, so ask these questions when you call.
03What the exam costs
All amounts are as listed on Skilled Trades NB's Fees and forms page on September 17, 2026. The page does not state the currency or whether tax is added.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Certificate of qualification examination | $250 |
| Interprovincial standards (Red Seal) examination | $200 |
| Certificate of qualification challenger assessment | $100 |
| Certificate of qualification re-examination | $120 |
| Practical examination | $350 |
| Foreign credential assessment fee | $100 |
| Assessment for prior learning | $100 |
| Apprentice registration | $25 |
| Work permit in a compulsory occupation | $200 |
| Letter of authenticity | $200 |
| Replacement certificate | $20 |
The two exam fee lines. The page lists a $250 "Certificate of qualification examination" and a $200 "Interprovincial standards (Red Seal) examination" as separate items. It does not explain when each applies: whether a Red Seal candidate pays one, the other, or both, or whether the answer differs for apprentices and challengers. We will not guess. Ask a regional office which line applies to you before you budget, and ask whether tax is added.
The Red Seal Program says the same thing in general terms: "The cost of the exam varies by province and territory. Your provincial or territorial office will let you know the cost when you register for your exam."
04Exam day: format, language, what to bring
What New Brunswick states. Very little. Board Order GE001.1, in effect since December 1, 2013, sets the pass mark: "A minimum grade of 70% must be achieved to successfully pass a written examination in a designated occupation." It adds: "Marks will be recognized for a maximum of six years." The Order sets a different written pass mark for the Blaster occupation: 75%. For Mobile Crane Operator it also sets practical assessment marks (hand signals 100%, load chart 70%, equipment operation 70%), valid for 2 years.
New Brunswick's public pages do not state the exam length, the identification you must show, what you may bring, where exams are written, or whether they are written on paper or on a computer.
What the Red Seal Program states. These are national rules from the Red Seal Program's exam preparation guide, not New Brunswick statements. "The Red Seal Exam has a pass mark of 70%. The writing time is four hours." On the questions: "The format of the questions is multiple-choice. Each question is worth one mark. There are no trick questions. Of the four choices provided, there is only one correct answer." The number of questions varies by trade. Our guides cover the question count for each trade and what 70% means in marks.
What to bring and what is supplied. The PDF version of the national guide tells candidates to "Know what you need to bring (e.g., government issued photo ID, proof of apprenticeship, etc.)" and that means asking your office, because New Brunswick publishes no list. The national guide says the exam centre provides the exam booklet, a diagram booklet and reference material where required, pencil and eraser, and a calculator if one is needed. Candidates must "Not bring any electronic devices into the exam room." Our exam day guide goes through the national rules in detail.
Language. New Brunswick's pages do not address exam language. The Red Seal Program's advice is: "Confirm with your provincial or territorial office that your exam will be in the official language (English or French) of your choice."
05How you get your results
The AMS page lists "View exam results" among the things the self-serve portal allows. That is the only official statement about results. New Brunswick does not publish how long marking takes, whether results are also mailed or emailed, or whether you receive a section-by-section breakdown. Ask the regional office when you register how and when you will hear.
06If you do not pass
The only published rewrite rule is a fee. The fees page lists "Certificate of qualification re-examination" at $120. It does not say whether that one line covers a rewrite of the Interprovincial standards (Red Seal) examination as well.
No waiting period, no maximum number of attempts and no requirement to take training after repeated failures appears on New Brunswick's public pages. That is not the same as saying none exists; it means none is stated. Ask a regional office before you plan a rewrite date.
One rule does bear on timing. Under Board Order GE001.1, written examination marks are recognized for a maximum of six years. If a written pass from several years ago is part of your route to certification, ask the office how that limit applies to you. While you wait for a new date, our guide on how to study for the Red Seal exam builds a plan from the exam breakdown for your trade.
07Accommodations
New Brunswick has no public page on exam accommodations, and no request process, form or deadline is published. The Red Seal Program's registration page tells candidates to "ask about accommodations you may be entitled to when writing the exam. Keep in mind that the request for accommodation has to be made well in advance." In practice that means raising it with your regional office as soon as you apply, not close to the exam date.
The only related service Skilled Trades NB describes is a learning strategy service for apprentices, not an exam accommodation. It "Provides individualized support to apprentices who may struggle with the academic portions of the apprenticeship training program." Apprentices can refer themselves through an "Essential Skills for Success Assessment (ESSA)" arranged with an "Industrial Training and Certification Officer."
08Certificate and Red Seal endorsement
Under Board Order GC001.1, the Board may issue a Certificate of Qualification to a person who "has the required practical experience for the occupation and has successfully passed the examination for a certificate of qualification." On the Red Seal itself, Skilled Trades NB says: "The Red Seal, when affixed to a provincial or territorial trade certificate, indicates that a tradesperson has demonstrated the knowledge required for the national standard in that trade." The Red Seal Program describes the same thing nationally: "Tradespersons who have successfully passed the Red Seal examination receive a Red Seal endorsement on their provincial/territorial trade certificate."
What New Brunswick does not explain is how the two exam fee lines relate to that endorsement, or whether there is any separate endorsement step or fee. No certificate renewal or expiry rule was found on its pages. A replacement certificate costs $20. The Red Seal Program notes that an endorsement "can be confirmed with the provincial or territorial apprenticeship authority that issued the Red Seal."
If you are already certified elsewhere in Canada. "New Brunswick recognizes valid Red Seal endorsements, Certificates of Qualification (C of Q), and other trade certificates issued by Canadian provinces and territories." Board Order GC003.1, dated September 2, 2026, puts it formally: "The Board authorizes the recognition of trade qualifications and certifications issued by other Canadian provinces and territories for the purpose of supporting labour mobility." The designated occupations page says: "Twelve compulsory occupations are identified on the list of designated occupations."
09Contact and exam locations
Skilled Trades NB, Central Office. 470 York Street, Room 110, P.O. Box 6000, Fredericton NB E3B 5H1. Phone 506-453-2260. Email Stnb-msnb@gnb.ca, which is also the address for every regional office.
Regional apprenticeship offices, as listed on the apprenticeship offices page:
- Bathurst: Place Harbourview, 275 Main Street, Suite 300. 506-547-2711.
- Campbellton: 157 Water Street, Suite 100. 506-789-2402.
- Edmundston: 35 15 Aout Street. 506-735-2501.
- Fredericton: 500 Beaverbrook Court, Suite 120. 506-453-2276.
- Miramichi: 80 University Avenue, Room A-B032. 506-251-3562.
- Moncton: 1234 Mountain Road, Room A-1140. 506-856-2236.
- Peninsula (Caraquet): 20E St. Pierre Boulevard West, Suite 14. 506-726-9579.
- Saint John: 15 Market Square, Suite 900. 506-658-2445.
- Woodstock: 100 Broadway Street. 506-325-4855.
New Brunswick does not publish where exams are written, so do not assume your sitting will be at the office you deal with. The location is one more thing to confirm when you register.
10What New Brunswick does not publish
We looked for each of these on Skilled Trades NB's pages and the Red Seal Program's pages on September 17, 2026 and could not find them stated. Rather than guess, we list them, so you know what to ask the office directly.
- Which candidates pay the $250 Certificate of qualification examination fee and which pay the $200 Interprovincial standards (Red Seal) examination fee, or whether some pay both. The fees page lists the two lines without explanation.
- Whether HST is added to any fee, and the currency. The fees page states neither.
- A step-by-step procedure for applying to challenge the exam, and how long an application takes to process. The official instruction is to contact a regional office.
- Whether the candidate or the office schedules the exam sitting, and any rescheduling or cancellation rule.
- Whether exams are written on paper or online, and where. No test-centre locations are published.
- What identification is required on exam day, and what materials such as a calculator or code book are allowed or supplied. Only the Red Seal Program's national rules are available.
- The length of the exam. New Brunswick's pages do not state it; the Red Seal Program gives four hours for Red Seal exams.
- Any waiting period before a rewrite, any maximum number of attempts, and any training requirement after repeated failures. Only the $120 re-examination fee is published.
- Whether the $120 re-examination fee also applies to the Interprovincial standards (Red Seal) examination.
- How long results take, and how they are delivered beyond the AMS portal's exam results function.
- A process for requesting exam accommodations.
- Any renewal or expiry rule for a Certificate of Qualification, and any separate Red Seal endorsement step or fee.
- Two official documents could not be read during our research on September 17, 2026: the fees regulation on the provincial laws site would not render as text, and the Board Order listing hourly requirements (GA005.1) is a scanned PDF with no extractable text. Fee wording here comes from the Fees and forms page only.
11Sources
- Government of New Brunswick: Apprenticeship and trades (Skilled Trades NB) — the certifying authority for New Brunswick.
- Skilled Trades NB: Fees and forms — every fee amount: the $250 and $200 examination lines, the $100 challenger assessment, the $120 re-examination, the $350 practical examination and the other listed fees.
- Skilled Trades NB: The apprenticeship and occupational certification program — the three routes to a Certificate of Qualification, including Trade Qualification and Equivalency Standards.
- Government of New Brunswick: Challenging the Exam — the challenge route and the instruction to contact a regional apprenticeship office. An older page that still serves as the challenge-route page.
- Skilled Trades NB: List of designated occupations — apprenticeship and challenge hours for each occupation, including the 10,800-hour automotive service technician example.
- Skilled Trades NB: Designated occupations — the twelve compulsory occupations.
- Board Order GC001.1: Requirements to Obtain a Certificate of Qualification (PDF) — the rule that 20% of a challenger's hours must fall within the six years before applying; when the Board may issue a certificate.
- Board Order GE001.1: Pass Marks/Examination Requirements (PDF) — the 70% written pass mark, the six-year limit on recognizing marks, the 75% Blaster pass mark, Mobile Crane Operator practical marks.
- Board Order GC003.1: Recognition of interprovincial trade qualification and equivalencies (September 2, 2026, PDF) — recognition of credentials issued by other provinces and territories.
- Skilled Trades NB: Apprenticeship Management System (AMS) — exam registration and viewing exam results in the self-serve portal; new account creation.
- Skilled Trades NB: Internationally and nationally trained or certified trades people — advice to newcomers, the meaning of the Red Seal, recognition of out-of-province certificates.
- Skilled Trades NB: Apprenticeship offices — central and regional office addresses and phone numbers.
- Red Seal Program: Exam Preparation Guide — who decides eligibility, the national 70% pass mark and four-hour writing time, the multiple-choice format, what the exam centre supplies.
- Red Seal Program: Exam Preparation Guide (PDF) — what to bring, and the ban on electronic devices in the exam room.
- Red Seal Program: Register for your Red Seal Examination — applying through the provincial office, fees set by province, exam language, asking about accommodations well in advance.
- Red Seal Program: About the program — the endorsement on the provincial certificate and how it can be confirmed.
Every figure above was read on an official page on September 17, 2026. Fees and rules change; the office's own pages are the final word, and if you find one of ours out of date, tell us.
12Other provinces and territories
Eligibility, fees and rewrite rules are set by each province and territory, not by the Red Seal Program. The same guide for the others:
Related: all guides · challenging the exam without an apprenticeship · exam day: what to expect · the 70% pass mark · if you fail: rewrite rules compared
13Practice for this exam
The exam you write in New Brunswick is the same Red Seal exam written everywhere else in Canada, built from the trade's published breakdown and marked to the same 70%. TicketPrep practice tests are weighted to that breakdown for each trade, every answer is explained, and the first test is free.
Ten free questions per trade, no account: free practice questions. How our questions are written and checked: how our questions are made.