In Newfoundland and Labrador, the Red Seal exam is run by the Apprenticeship and Trades Certification Division (ATCD). Apprentices get to the exam by having their work hours recorded and signed, finishing their in-school training and submitting a Statement of Eligibility form. Experienced workers apply as trade qualifiers with the Application to be Examined, need at least one and a half times the on-the-job experience of an apprenticeship term in the trade, and once approved use the online Certification Exam Registration Form to pick a sitting. Approved trade qualifiers must attempt the exam within six months. There is no fee to write or rewrite: the province eliminated those fees effective April 1, 2025. You have 4 hours, the pass mark is 70%, and results usually arrive by email 10 business days later. A rewrite can happen at least 30 calendar days after the first writing and should be within 90 days.
| Who runs it | The Apprenticeship and Trades Certification Division (ATCD) of the provincial Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. |
|---|---|
| Exam fee | $0. Exam, rewrite and trade qualifier application fees were eliminated effective April 1, 2025. |
| How you book | Apprentices submit a Statement of Eligibility. Trade qualifiers submit an Application to be Examined, then the online Certification Exam Registration Form. |
| Where you write | At sittings in St. John's, Clarenville, Grand Falls-Windsor, Corner Brook, Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Wabush. Online through the ICEMS portal or on paper. |
| Pass mark | 70% for all Red Seal and provincial certification exams. You have 4 hours. |
| If you fail | Rewrite at least 30 calendar days later, and it should be within 90 days. A third attempt needs an ATCD-approved course of study first. |
| Results | By email, usually 10 business days after the exam. If you do not pass, the email breaks your results down by exam section. |
| Accommodations | Request at least 3 weeks before your scheduled exam, with supporting documentation from a qualified professional. |
01Who can write the Red Seal exam in Newfoundland and Labrador?
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 Newfoundland and Labrador that authority is the Apprenticeship and Trades Certification Division (ATCD). Its exam preparation page describes two routes: registered apprentices, and trade qualifiers.
Apprentices. ATCD lists three things to do before the exam: "Make sure all your required work hours are recorded and signed by your journeyperson mentor. Finish your required in-school training. Submit a Statement of Eligibility form."
Trade qualifiers. This is the route for experienced workers. ATCD's Trade Qualifiers page asks for three things:
- "At least one and a half (1.5) times the on-the-job work experience of an apprenticeship term in your trade"
- "Verified documentation of your work skills, verified by a certified journeyperson in your trade"
- "Documented verification of time and hours worked"
The February 2026 Application to be Examined lists the required hours for each trade. Examples from that form: Carpenter 10,800 hours, Construction Electrician 10,800, Plumber 10,800, Welder 8,100, Cook 8,100, Hairstylist 5,400, and Heavy Equipment Operator 7,200 for the first piece of equipment plus 2,400 for each subsequent piece. The experience also has to be recent: "the hours worked and tasks performed in the trade must have occurred within the last 10 years."
Two more points for trade qualifiers. In four trades there is an extra step: "for some trades (Cook, Welder, Hairstylist and Machinist), you will need to pass a practical exam" before the written one. And if you were certified in another country, ATCD says you "will need to apply as a Trade Qualifier". For how this route compares across Canada, see our guide on challenging the Red Seal exam without an apprenticeship.
02How to apply and book the exam
Apprentices and trade qualifiers use different forms. The order of events, as ATCD describes it:
- Apprentices: submit the Statement of Eligibility. The Statement of Eligibility to Write the Certification Examination is the apprentice's form. "Once submitted, you will receive an approval email." ATCD adds: "Exams are scheduled at the end of your training period. You will get a confirmation of your exam date and location ahead of time."
- Trade qualifiers: submit the Application to be Examined. "Complete and submit the Trade Qualifier Application to be Examined form. Include your Record of Work Experiences form with your application." The application can be dropped off, mailed or emailed (ApprenticeshipOnline@gov.nl.ca) to the nearest ATCD office. There is no longer an application fee. No processing time is published.
- Trade qualifiers: register for a sitting. "If you are approved as a Trade Qualifier, submit the Certification Exam Registration form to schedule your exam." The online Certification Exam Registration Form lists sittings in St. John's, Clarenville, Grand Falls-Windsor, Corner Brook, Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Wabush, each with its own registration deadline. Check the deadline for your location on the form itself.
- Watch for the confirmation email. After the registration form goes in, "you will receive an email approximately one week before the exam with a CONFIRMED EXAM DATE, location and time." Apprentices are told only that a confirmation of the date and location comes ahead of time, with no number of days attached.
- Find out how your exam is delivered. Exams may be written online through the ICEMS online exam portal or on paper. For paper, ATCD says: "If your exam will be a paper exam, you will need to confirm that the email address on the exam envelope is correct." Your grade is sent by email, so the address ATCD has on file must be right either way.
The six-month window. Approval as a trade qualifier does not stay open indefinitely. The application form states: "Approved applicants must attempt the examination within six (6) months of the approval date."
Deferring. If you cannot make your date, email certificationexams@gov.nl.ca "at least 3 business days before your exam". If you miss an exam without giving notice, ATCD requires "a valid reason (like a doctor's note)" before it will reschedule you.
Public registry. The application includes a consent. If you give it, your name, your apprenticeship or certification status and your certificate number appear in a public online registry.
03What the exam costs
Newfoundland and Labrador charges nothing to write the exam. The province's Budget 2025 news release of April 22, 2025 says: "Newfoundland and Labrador apprentices will no longer have to pay fees to write or rewrite an exam." The change took effect April 1, 2025 and covers trade qualifiers as well. Amounts below are as read on September 17, 2026, in Canadian dollars. Previous amounts are shown so you can recognize out-of-date information.
| Item | Fee now | Previous fee (before April 1, 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Exam or rewrite, apprentice | $0 | $50 |
| Exam or rewrite, trade qualifier | $0 | $200 |
| Trade qualifier application | $0 | $50 |
| Journeyperson certificate replacement | $0 | $50 |
| Logbook replacement | $0 | $10 |
The Red Seal Program's general advice still applies: "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
Format. ATCD states: "You will have 4 hours to write the exam." and "The pass rate for all Red Seal and provincial certification exams is 70%." Both match the national rule. The Red Seal Program describes the questions this way: "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." ATCD's pages do not give the number of questions; that is set per trade, and our guide lists the question count for each trade. For what the pass mark means in marks, see the Red Seal pass mark explained.
Online or paper. Some exams are delivered online through the ICEMS portal and are "scored automatically by the computer". Paper exams are couriered to a central office and machine-scored. The registration form lists sittings at six locations, and the Exam Rules describe an invigilator in the exam room.
What to bring. From the exam preparation page: "Bring a government issued Photo ID, such as your Driver's License. Don't worry about supplies - all exam materials will be provided." The Exam Rules page adds the confirmation letter: "Bring your government-issued photo ID and confirmation letter (if you have one)." ATCD also says: "Plan to arrive 15 minutes early to allow time for set-up."
What stays outside the room. The Exam Rules are direct: "Do not bring any books, notes, or personal items into the exam room." Electronic devices of any kind are not allowed, and the rules name cell phones, tablets, smartwatches, headphones, ear buds and cameras. "Backpacks, purses, and pouches are not allowed." "Take off jackets, hats, and hoods before the exam begins." "Only bring water or food if the invigilator approves."
What is supplied. "Use only the pencils, erasers, calculators, and scrap paper given by the invigilator." That includes the calculator: you do not bring your own. Our exam day guide covers the national rules these are based on.
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." ATCD's pages do not say whether the exam can be written in French in Newfoundland and Labrador, so ask the Certification Exam Coordinator when you register. A translator appears on ATCD's list of accommodations; see section 07.
Interruptions and misconduct. "If unexpected issues come up, like a fire alarm or equipment trouble, start and stop times may be adjusted." ATCD's Exam Misconduct Policy allows penalties that include "a delay (time frame to be determined) before being permitted to challenge or re-write an examination". Appeals go to the Appeals Committee of the Provincial Apprenticeship and Certification Board within ten days.
05How you get your results
Results come by email. ATCD's grade release and rewrites page says: "Once you have completed your exam and it has been graded, we will send you an email with your results." On timing, "grades are usually sent out 10 business days after the exam." Because everything arrives by email, make sure the address ATCD has for you is correct before exam day.
If you do not pass, you "will receive an email with a breakdown of your results, by exam section". That breakdown tells you where to spend your time before a rewrite.
You can note feedback on individual questions on your scrap paper, but do not expect it to move your mark: "Feedback provided will not result in a change to your grade."
06If you do not pass
The window. ATCD's rule has a minimum and a target: "The rewrite can happen at least 30 calendar days after your original exam writing and should be within 90 days." There is no rewrite fee. It was eliminated on April 1, 2025 along with the exam fee.
Booking. Rewrites are held monthly at the regional ATCD offices, and a rewrite must be booked at least 3 weeks ahead. The pages we read do not spell out the booking method for a rewrite, so ask the Certification Exam Coordinator at certificationexams@gov.nl.ca or (709) 729-0961.
Deferring a rewrite. You can defer, but repeated deferrals cost you priority: "If you have deferred your rewrite three times or more, it will only be rescheduled after all other requests" for that monthly session.
Third attempt. After two unsuccessful attempts the rule changes: "For a third or any further exam attempts, you will need to complete a course of study approved by the Apprenticeship and Trades Certification Division (ATCD)." ATCD offers a Virtual Learning Strategy (VLS) program and the Essential Skills for Success Assessment (ESSA). No maximum number of attempts is stated.
Use the section breakdown from your results email to decide what to study. Our guide on how to study for the Red Seal exam builds a plan from a breakdown like that.
07Accommodations
ATCD publishes a specific list of what it can offer. Its exam accommodations page names:
- Extra time to complete the exam, up to 6 hours
- A quiet location
- A reader, translator, ASL interpreter, or scribe
- Assistive technology
- Special exam formatting
- Splitting the exam into sections
Documentation. A request requires "supporting documentation from a qualified professional". The trade qualifier application form says the same thing: "candidates must provide supportive medical or other professional documentation".
How and when to ask. There are three ways in: through your campus instructor or disability coordinator, by email to certificationexams@gov.nl.ca, or through an Apprenticeship Program Officer. The deadline is "at least 3 weeks before your scheduled exam". ATCD gives a confirmation of approval within "5 business days", and its pages do not say what that period is counted from.
Interpreters and translators. An interpreter or translator must be named and must sign a declaration form.
Timing of the sitting. An accommodated exam is not always written with the main group. It may be held "up to 20 days after the original group exam".
08Certificate and Red Seal endorsement
ATCD's Certificate of Qualification page says: "Pass the certification examination and you will earn a Certificate of Qualification. Registered apprentices will also receive a Certificate of Apprenticeship."
On the Red Seal itself, the national program's description is: "Tradespersons who have successfully passed the Red Seal examination receive a Red Seal endorsement on their provincial/territorial trade certificate." ATCD's pages do not describe how the endorsement is added to a Newfoundland and Labrador certificate, and we found no separate endorsement fee, renewal requirement or expiry rule.
Certified in another province, without the Red Seal. If you hold a provincial Certificate of Qualification in a Red Seal trade from another jurisdiction and want the Red Seal, you do not apply to ATCD directly. You contact the authority that issued your certificate "to request that they ask Newfoundland and Labrador to invigilate your Red Seal exam."
Replacement and revocation. The fee to replace a journeyperson certificate was eliminated on April 1, 2025. The Provincial Apprenticeship and Certification Board "may revoke the certificate" in cases of fraud.
09Contact and exam locations
Apprenticeship and Trades Certification Division. Toll free 1-877-771-3737, general email app@gov.nl.ca. For anything about a certification exam, the Certification Exam Coordinator is at certificationexams@gov.nl.ca or (709) 729-0961. Trade qualifier applications go to ApprenticeshipOnline@gov.nl.ca or to the nearest office. The staff listing and office locations page has the full list.
Regional offices. Exam sittings and monthly rewrites are held at these ATCD offices. Note that the registration form names a sitting in St. John's while the office list names Mount Pearl and not St. John's, and the pages we read do not say whether the two are the same place. Your confirmation email states the location of your sitting.
- Mount Pearl: 1170 Topsail Road, (709) 729-2729.
- Clarenville: 45 Tilley's Road, (709) 466-3982.
- Grand Falls-Windsor: 42 Hardy Avenue, (709) 292-4215.
- Corner Brook: 1-3 Union Street, Aylward Building, 2nd Floor, (709) 637-2366.
- Happy Valley-Goose Bay: 163 Hamilton River Road, Bursey Building, (709) 896-6348.
- Wabush: 1D Grenfell Drive. No phone number is published for this office; use the toll-free line.
A note on names: ATCD's own site places the division in the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, while the Red Seal Program's directory of provincial and territorial authorities still lists the Department of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour. Use the contact details on ATCD's own site.
10What Newfoundland and Labrador does not publish
We looked for each of these on Apprenticeship and Trades Certification Division'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.
- The number of questions on each exam. ATCD's pages do not state it; the Red Seal Program publishes it trade by trade.
- Whether the exam can be written in French in Newfoundland and Labrador. A translator is listed as an accommodation, but the exam language is not addressed. Ask the Certification Exam Coordinator.
- How long a trade qualifier application takes to be approved.
- How the Red Seal endorsement is physically added to a Newfoundland and Labrador certificate, and whether any endorsement fee, renewal or expiry applies. None was found.
- A maximum number of exam attempts. None is stated; the only rule is the approved course of study before a third or later attempt.
- How a rewrite is booked. The 3-week lead time is stated, but the pages we read do not spell out the method. Ask the Certification Exam Coordinator.
- How long the delay is after an exam misconduct finding. The policy says only that the time frame is to be determined.
- Details of the practical exam that Cook, Welder, Hairstylist and Machinist trade qualifiers must pass first, such as how it is booked. They were not in the pages we read.
- A direct phone number for the Wabush office. We found an address only.
- Whether the St. John's sitting on the registration form is the Mount Pearl office. The pages we read list the sittings and the offices separately and do not link the two.
11Sources
- ATCD: Red Seal and Provincial Certification Exams Preparation — steps for apprentices and trade qualifiers, the 4-hour writing time, photo ID, arriving 15 minutes early, the 3-business-day deferral rule.
- ATCD: Red Seal and Provincial Certification Exam Grade Release and Rewrites — the 70% pass rate, results by email in about 10 business days, the section breakdown, the 30 to 90 day rewrite window, deferred rewrites, the course of study before a third attempt.
- ATCD: Red Seal and Provincial Certification Exam Accommodations — the list of accommodations, supporting documentation, the 3-week deadline, the 5-business-day confirmation, sittings up to 20 days after the group exam.
- ATCD: Exam Rules — ID and confirmation letter, prohibited items, supplied pencils, erasers, calculators and scrap paper.
- ATCD: Exam Misconduct Policy — penalties for misconduct and the ten-day appeal.
- ATCD: Trade Qualifiers — the 1.5 times experience requirement, journeyperson verification, the practical exam for four trades, applicants certified abroad.
- ATCD: Trade Qualifier Application to be Examined (February 2026, PDF) — required hours per trade, the 10-year window, the six-month deadline to attempt the exam, accommodation documentation, how to submit, office addresses.
- ATCD: Statement of Eligibility to Write the Certification Examination (PDF) — the apprentice's form.
- Government of Newfoundland and Labrador: Certification Exam Registration Form — the six sitting locations, per-location registration deadlines, the confirmation email about one week before, online and paper delivery.
- News release: Budget 2025 Eliminates Fees for Apprentices and Trade Qualifiers (April 22, 2025) — fees eliminated effective April 1, 2025, and the previous amounts.
- ATCD: Certificate of Qualification — the certificate on passing, Red Seal invigilation for out-of-province certificate holders, revocation for fraud.
- ATCD: Staff Listing and Office Locations — office addresses, phone numbers and the certification exam contact.
- Apprenticeship and Trades Certification Division — the division and its department.
- Red Seal Program: Provincial and Territorial Authorities — Newfoundland and Labrador's listing.
- Red Seal Program: Exam Overview and Preparation — who decides eligibility, the multiple-choice format, the national 70% pass mark and four-hour writing time.
- Red Seal Program: Register for your Red Seal Examination — fees set by each province, confirming the exam language, requesting accommodations well in advance.
- Red Seal Program: About the program — the Red Seal endorsement on the provincial certificate.
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 Newfoundland and Labrador 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.