Basic Bank Account
A basic bank account that covers your minimal financial needs
Is this Chequing Account right for you?
Right for you if you:
- Can benefit from up to 12 debit transactions per month included in this account
- Use for everyday banking such as purchases, ABM transactions and payroll deposits
May not be right for you if you:
- Are interested in only opening a savings account that earns interest
Account features
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12 free transactions3 per month
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Free Interac e-Transfer† transactions
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Eligible for overdraft protection23
Account fees
$3.95/mth
What you can access with every account
Banking for Seniors
Seniors aged 60+ will receive an automatic monthly account fee discount of $4.00.
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Preferred Package
Our most popular features packaged for your everyday banking needs.
Tools and calculators
Managing your money just got smarter
Scotia Smart Money by Advice+. A set of money management features in the Scotiabank mobile app that gives you personalized insights, advice, and more control over your money.
Learn where you are spending and saving
A great way to plan for your financial future is to understand where you are now. Use our calculator for a better picture of your finances and to help you budget for your goals.
Pay yourself first
With Pre-Authorized Contributions see how easy it is to reach your savings goals through regular and automatic savings.
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Additional information
Registered trademarks of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under license.
Trademark of Scene IP LP, used under license.
Interac e-Transfer is a registered trade-mark of Interac Corp. Used under license.
CreditView is a service provided by TransUnion. The Bank of Nova Scotia and its affiliates are not responsible for the service.
Terms and Conditions found in Scotiabank International Money Transfer Agreement apply
The Ultimate Package monthly account fee is waived if a minimum daily closing balance of $6,000 is maintained for the entire month in the Ultimate Package. If the monthly balance of the Ultimate Package account is less than the daily minimum of $6,000 but has a combined minimum daily closing balance of $30,000 across the Ultimate Package account and MomentumPLUS Savings Account(s) for the entire month, the monthly account fee of the Ultimate Package account will be charged then rebated within the first 10 business days of the following month. The account must have sufficient funds to cover any fees, including the monthly fee. The account balance of one (1) Ultimate Package Account plus more than one (1) MomentumPLUS Savings Account(s) qualifies to pay no monthly fees on one (1) Ultimate Package account. Account holders of the Ultimate Package who are also account holders of the MomentumPLUS Savings Account(s) qualify.
Additional fees apply for shared ABM services, cross-border debit transactions and other banking services not included in the chequing account package. For accounts that do not provide unlimited debit transactions, a charge for additional debit transactions may apply if you perform an Interac e-Transfer transaction over and above the number of debit transactions allowed in the account.
Ultimate Package Account holders who add Overdraft Protection to their account will have the Overdraft Protection fee(s) automatically waived. Interest will remain to be payable on overdrawn balances calculated daily at 21% (per annum) and charged monthly. The account must have a positive balance at least once every 30 days. A $5.00 handling fee will be charged for each item that is paid while the account is overdrawn more than the authorized limit. Subject to approval.
If you open an Ultimate Package account (the “Account”), on or after the date you open the Account (“Account Open Date”) you will receive an annual fee waiver (“Annual Fee Waiver”), each year for as long as you have one eligible Scotiabank Credit Card account (an “Eligible Card”) and the Account. You will receive the Annual Fee Waiver, even if you opened an Eligible Card prior to the Account Open Date. Eligible Cards are the Scotiabank Gold American Express, Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite*, Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite and Scotiabank Value® Visa* credit cards. Eligible Cards are subject to change. Each Account will only receive one Annual Fee Waiver regardless of the number of accountholders on the Account or Eligible Cards opened. The Annual Fee Waiver will be applied to the first annual fee for a primary Card charged on an Eligible Card after the Account Open Date. If there is more than one Eligible Card after the Account Open Date, the Annual Fee Waiver will be applied only to the first annual fee for a primary card that is charged on an Eligible Card after the Account Open Date. All other fees and charges applicable to the Eligible Card continue to apply. Annual Fee Waiver will not be applied if your Account or Eligible Card is not open or is not in good standing and cannot be combined with any other annual fee waiver offer. Current annual fees, rates and other features for Eligible Cards are subject to change.
The Ultimate Package account includes non-Scotiabank Interac⁺ ABM cash withdrawals in Canada and cash withdrawals at non-Scotiabank Visa* or PLUS* ABMs within and outside of Canada. Account holders may still be charged a convenience fee by the other bank and ABM operator, not by Scotiabank.
Ultimate Package account holders will receive a boost to the Regular Interest Rate (the “Ultimate Interest Rate Boost”). Refer to the Current Rates Page on Scotiabank.com for the Total Annual Interest Rate applicable to the Ultimate Package (current Regular Interest Rate plus Ultimate Interest Rate Boost), which is subject to change at any time without advance notice. It will take up to 10 business days after activating an Ultimate Package account for the Ultimate Interest Rate Boost to apply. The Ultimate Interest Rate Boost will cease to apply effective as of the date that the Ultimate Package account is closed. The Ultimate Interest Rate Boost is an annual rate calculated daily on the MomentumPLUS Savings Account(s) closing balance and paid monthly.
Ultimate Package holders will receive Ultimate Package GIC interest rates (“Ultimate Package GIC Rates”) on Long Term Non-Redeemable GICs with terms between 1 and 10 years, excluding Special Rate GICs, Market Linked GICs and Guaranteed Income Optimizer GICs. The Ultimate Package GIC Rates are subject to change without notice. For the latest Ultimate Package GIC Rates, contact your branch or call 1-800-4-SCOTIA.
Interest is accrued daily on your GIC from the issue date up to, but not including, the maturity date. For Scotiabank GICs that pay interest during their term (monthly, semi-annually or annually) the last interest payment is paid at maturity.
Account holders who have a Scotia iTRADE account (except for corporate and non-personal Scotia iTRADE accounts) qualify to be credited with the commissions associated with their first 10 online commissionable trades of equities, options, debentures ($24.99 per debenture trade) or ETFs (“Eligible Securities”) placed across all account holder(s)’ Scotia iTRADE accounts within the calendar year when they open the Ultimate Package account. In the second calendar year and thereafter, account holders qualify to be credited with the commissions associated with their first 5 online commissionable trades of Eligible Securities placed across all their Scotia iTRADE accounts during each year. Both the Ultimate Package account and Scotia iTRADE accounts must be in good standing on the last day of every month. Credits will be applied to the account holder’s non-registered Scotia iTRADE account, and, in its absence, to the account holder’s registered Scotia iTRADE account in CAD currency (converted from USD to CAD for trades executed in USD, using the applicable foreign exchange rate) within the first 10 business days of the month following the trades. To be eligible, the primary or joint account holder of the Ultimate Package account can be either the primary or joint account holder of the Scotia iTRADE account. Credits will appear as $4.99 or $9.99 per trade depending on the account trading activity: standard commissions are $9.99, if more than 150 trades are placed per quarter commissions are valued at $4.99 per trade, debenture commissions are valued at $24.99 per trade. Trades executed by a Trading Authority in the Scotia iTRADE account are also eligible. To qualify you must not be in a disallowed debit position in your Scotia iTRADE accounts and not have any outstanding margin calls due in your Scotia iTRADE accounts. No cash redemption value. Free trades are limited to one per client. Only one account holder per each joint Ultimate Package account will be entitled to receive the credits for 10 or 5 free trades, as applicable, into their Scotia iTRADE account.
The Ultimate Package qualifies for unlimited Canadian and U.S. dollar drafts. Account must be in good standing.
If you open a Preferred Package account (the “Account”), on or after the date you open the Account (the “Account Open Date”), you will receive an annual fee waiver for the first year only (the “First Year Annual Fee Waiver”) on one eligible Scotiabank Credit Card account (an “Eligible Card”) opened on or after the Account Open Date. Eligible Cards are the Scotiabank Gold American Express, Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite*, Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite and Scotiabank Value® Visa* credit cards. Eligible Cards are subject to change. Each Account can only receive one First Year Annual Fee Waiver regardless of the number of accountholders on the Account or Eligible Cards opened. The First Year Annual Fee Waiver will be applied to the first annual fee for a primary card charged on an Eligible Card after the Account Open Date. If there is more than one Eligible Card opened after the Account Open Date, the First Year Annual Fee Waiver will be applied only to the first annual fee for a primary card that is charged on an Eligible Card after the Account Open Date. This First Year Annual Fee Waiver is only available for new Eligible Cards opened on or after the Account Open Date. Current or previous cardholders of an Eligible Card or cardholders that transfer to an Eligible Card on or after the Account Open Date will not receive the First Year Annual Fee Waiver. All other fees and charges applicable to the Eligible Card continue to apply. First Year Annual Fee Waiver will not be applied if the Account or Eligible Card is not open or is not in good standing and cannot be combined with any other annual fee waiver offer. Current annual fees, rates and other features for Eligible Cards are subject to change.
The Preferred Package account includes 1 free non-Scotiabank Interac⁺ ABM cash withdrawal within Canada per month. Access fee for each subsequent cash withdrawal at non-Scotiabank Interac⁺ ABMs will be charged $2.00 per withdrawal. Each cash withdrawal from non-Scotiabank Visa* or PLUS* ABMs will be charged $3.00 in Canada and the U.S. and $5.00 outside of Canada and the U.S. Account holders may still be charged a convenience fee by the other bank and ABM operator, not by Scotiabank.
Preferred Package account holders will receive a boost to the Regular Interest Rate (the “Preferred Interest Rate Boost”). Refer to the Current Rates Page on Scotiabank.com for the Total Annual Interest Rate applicable to the Preferred Package (current Regular Interest Rate plus Preferred Interest Rate Boost), which is subject to change at any time without advance notice. It will take up to 10 business days after activating a Preferred Package account for the Preferred Interest Rate Boost to apply. The Preferred Interest Rate Boost will cease to apply effective as of the date that the Preferred Package account is closed. The Preferred Interest Rate Boost is an annual rate calculated daily on the MomentumPLUS Savings Account(s) closing balance and paid monthly.
Preferred Package account holders will receive Preferred Package GIC interest rates (“Preferred Package GIC Rates”) on Long Term Non-Redeemable GICs with terms between 1 and 10 years, excluding Special Rate GICs, Market Linked GICs and Guaranteed Income Optimizer GICs. The Preferred Package GIC Rates are subject to change without notice. For the latest Preferred Package GIC Rates, contact your branch or call 1-800-4-SCOTIA. Interest is accrued daily on your GIC from the issue date up to, but not including, the maturity date. For Scotiabank GICs that pay interest during their term (monthly, semi-annually or annually) the last interest payment is paid at maturity.
The primary account holder of the Ultimate Package qualifies for a monthly account fee waiver on a Basic Plus Bank Account. The primary account holder on the Ultimate Package account can be either the primary or joint account holder on the Basic Plus Bank Account. If the primary account holder of the Ultimate Package had a Basic Plus Bank Account prior to opening a new Ultimate Package the fee waiver will apply to the bill cycle following the activation of the Ultimate Package. Limit of one (1) Basic Plus Bank Account per Ultimate Package account. Both accounts must be in good standing.
Subject to availability. Upon activation, the primary account holder of the Ultimate Package account who gets a safety deposit box will receive a $60.00 fee waiver (value of a small safety deposit box) applied annually as long as the account is in good standing. Limit of one (1) annual waiver per Ultimate Package account.
Package recommendations are provided for information purposes only and should not be relied upon as financial, investment or other advice. All recommendations are based on the information you provide and Scotiabank’s current product and service offerings. Terms and conditions apply to all packages and benefits displayed and should be reviewed carefully. All rates, fees, features, reward programs, bonus offers and benefits and related terms and conditions are subject to change. Please visit your nearest branch or call [1-800-472-6842] to speak with a Scotiabank representative.
The primary account holder of the Ultimate Package qualifies for a monthly account fee waiver on a Scotia® U.S. Dollar Daily Interest Account. The primary account holder on the Ultimate Package account can be either the primary or joint account holder on the Scotia® U.S. Dollar Daily Interest Account. If the primary account holder of the Ultimate Package had a Scotia® U.S. Dollar Daily Interest Account prior to activating an Ultimate Package the fee waiver will apply to the bill cycle following the activation of the Ultimate Package. Both accounts must be in good standing. Limit of one (1) Scotia® U.S. Dollar Daily Interest Account per Ultimate Package account.
The account qualifies for one (1) book of 100 personalized cheques per year per account. Account must be in good standing.
To qualify for the 1-Year No Monthly Account Fee Offer (the “Offer”) is available to eligible clients who open a new Preferred Package account under the StartRightTM Program (the “Account”). During the first 12 months, your monthly Account fee will be waived and will not appear as a charge on your Account. The Account must be open and in good standing at the time of the waiver. All applicable service charges on the Account will continue to be applied monthly. After the first 12 months, you will begin to see the monthly Account fee charged to your Account unless you maintain a minimum daily closing balance of $4,000, in which case the monthly Account fee will be waived per the Account terms and conditions. Employees of The Bank of Nova Scotia (“Scotiabank”) and individuals who are currently or were previously holders/ joint holders of a Scotiabank chequing account within the last 2 years are not eligible for this Offer. This Offer is non-transferable and cannot be combined with any other offers. Maximum one Offer per customer. All rates, fees, features and benefits are subject to change. Offer may be changed, cancelled, or extended at any time without notice.
The primary account holder of the Preferred Package qualifies for a monthly account fee waiver on a Scotia® U.S. Dollar Daily Interest Account. The primary account holder on the Preferred Package account can be either the primary or joint account holder on the Scotia® U.S. Dollar Daily Interest Account to qualify. If the primary account holder of the Preferred Package had a Scotia® U.S. Dollar Daily Interest Account prior to activating a Preferred Package the fee waiver will apply to the bill cycle following the activation of the Preferred Package. Limit of one (1) Scotia® U.S. Dollar Daily Interest Account per Preferred Package account. Both accounts must be in good standing.
Subject to approval. A customer must apply for an Overdraft Protection Plan to determine if they qualify.