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Fee refund · Canada

How to get a Scotiabank fee refunded

The short answer

Scotiabank lists a $10.00 NSF fee (not charged when the shortfall is $10 or less, and not more than once within two business days per account), and a $5.00 handling fee per item if you overdraw without Overdraft Protection. Preferred Package has a $16.95 monthly fee that is waived with a $4,000 minimum daily closing balance.

To ask for a fee back, contact Scotiabank soon after it posts, name the fee, its date and amount, and ask for a one-time courtesy refund. Scotiabank decides — it isn’t guaranteed.

By Checked Source: Scotiabank Day-to-Day Banking Companion Booklet (September 2026)

Scotiabank’s common fees

From Scotiabank’s official fee schedule, in Canadian dollars. Fees below are for Basic Banking Account, Basic Plus Bank Account, Preferred Package.

Scotiabank fees
Returned item (NSF) fee$10.00 for each cheque or other debit item returned as non-sufficient funds, including each presentment or re-presentment[1][2][3]Scotiabank says the fee does not apply if the difference between your balance and the funds needed when it receives the payment is $10 or less, and it is not charged more than once within two business days per account. Scotiabank also says NSF fees are not charged as long as the payment is within your approved Overdraft Protection limit.
Overdraft handling fee (no Overdraft Protection)$5.00 handling fee for each item that places your account in overdraft, and $5.00 for each payment from your account while the overdraft is outstanding, plus 21% annual interest on the overdrawn balance[1]Scotiabank says that in its sole discretion it may allow an overdraft even if you do not have Overdraft Protection, and you must then repay the overdraft in full immediately. Overdraft Protection (subject to approval) is the optional alternative.
Overdraft Protection (optional)Monthly Plan: $5.00 per month. Pay-per-Use Plan: $5.00 each time an overdraft is created or increased, at most once per day (not available in Quebec). Both plus 21% annual interest on overdrawn balances. Protection of $250 to $5,000, subject to approval.[1][2][3]No monthly Overdraft Protection fee with the Ultimate Package. The Monthly Plan fee does not apply to Quebec residents. A $5.00 fee also applies to each payment if you are overdrawn past your pre-authorized limit.
Monthly fee - Basic Banking Account$3.95 per month (18 debit or Interac e-Transfer transactions included, 4 of them teller-assisted)[1][2]Waived for beneficiaries of an RDSP, Indigenous Peoples, recipients of select provincial or territorial social assistance payments, and recipients of the disability tax credit (proof at a branch for the programs that require it). Clients 60 and older automatically get up to $4.00 off the fee.
Monthly fee - Basic Plus Bank Account$11.95 per month (25 debit or Interac e-Transfer transactions included)[1][2]No monthly fee if you maintain a minimum daily closing balance of $3,000 for the entire month. Clients 60 and older automatically get up to $4.00 off the fee.
Monthly fee - Preferred Package$16.95 per month (unlimited debit transactions and Interac e-Transfers)[1][2]No monthly fee if you maintain a minimum daily closing balance of $4,000 for the entire month. Clients 60 and older automatically get up to $4.00 off the fee. Scotiabank applies only the largest fee reduction.
Additional debit transaction fee$1.25 for each debit transaction over the monthly limit on Basic Banking (18) and Basic Plus (25); none on Preferred Package[1]Open transit debit transactions (tapping your debit card at a public transit fare reader) are not counted against the free debit transactions.
Non-Scotiabank ABM feesInterac ABM in Canada: $2.00 each (Preferred Package: 1 free per month, then $2.00). Visa or PLUS ABM in Canada or the U.S.: $3.00 each; outside Canada and the U.S.: $5.00 each. The other bank or ABM operator may add its own convenience fee.[1][2]The Ultimate Package includes unlimited non-Scotiabank ABM withdrawals. Scotiabank notes the convenience fee is charged by the other bank or ABM operator, not by Scotiabank.
Foreign transactions - ScotiaCard debitVisa Debit purchases outside Canada carry a foreign currency transaction fee based on a 2.5% increase to the exchange rate. Each Cross Border (NYCE) debit transaction is $1.00.[1]—

Scotiabank’s overdraft rules

  • Federal rules in force since March 12, 2026 cap NSF fees on personal deposit accounts at federally regulated banks at $10, allow no more than one NSF fee per account within 2 business days, and allow none when the account is overdrawn by less than $10 (Financial Consumer Agency of Canada).
  • Scotiabank says Overdraft Protection (subject to approval) covers transactions up to your approved overdraft limit, from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $5,000, and NSF fees are not charged while a payment is within that limit.
  • Scotiabank says you must bring accounts in overdraft to a positive balance at least once every 30 days.
  • FCAC says financial institutions must send e-alerts when your account balance falls below a threshold; $100 is the default and you can change the amount or opt out. Scotiabank lists Scotia InfoAlerts as free.

How to ask for a courtesy refund

General tips — not bank policy. What works is being specific, honest and brief.

  1. Ask soon after the fee posts, and name it exactly: the fee, its date and the amount.
  2. Say briefly what happened — a deposit that hadn’t cleared yet, a timing mix-up, a first slip in years. Keep it honest.
  3. Ask for a one-time courtesy refund of that fee. If you’ve banked there a long time or rarely pay fees, it’s fair to mention it.
  4. Be polite and brief. If the answer is no, ask whether there’s a way to avoid the fee next time — low-balance alerts, overdraft settings, or a different account.
  5. Banks decide case by case. A refund once doesn’t mean you’ll get one again, and nothing guarantees one.

What Scotiabank says: Scotiabank’s Day-to-Day Banking Companion Booklet says that if you are not satisfied with a change to your account, you may choose a different Scotiabank account within 90 days of the effective date of the change; if the new account has higher fees, Scotiabank will refund the difference between the fees from your old account and the new one for those 90 days if you ask. For the special-plan fee waivers (RDSP, Indigenous Peoples, social assistance, disability tax credit), it says additional fees paid before eligibility may not be refunded.

How to contact Scotiabank

As listed on Scotiabank’s own website.

  • Phone (general inquiries): 1-800-4SCOTIA (1-800-472-6842), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; relay service for Deaf, deafened and hard of hearing customers: 1-866-267-4726.[5]
  • Chat: In the Scotia app, select Search & chat, then Chat with us. Choose a topic, type a question, or ask to connect with a live chat advisor. Live chat hours: English daily 8 am to 10 pm ET; French Monday to Friday 8 am to 3 pm ET.[4]
  • Appointment or branch: Book an appointment or visit a nearby branch.[4]
  • Complaints: Scotiabank says to start with your bank representative, the branch or the Customer Contact Centre (1-800-4SCOTIA), and to ask for a manager if needed. After 14 days the complaint goes to the Escalated Customer Concerns Office: 1-877-700-0043 (English), escalatedconcerns@scotiabank.com.[1]

Wally, your AI money agent

Let Wally ask for you

Wally spots bank fees and can ask your bank’s chat or secure messages for a one-time courtesy refund. Not guaranteed.

Scotiabank decides case by case.

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Scotiabank fee FAQ

How much is Scotiabank’s NSF fee?

Scotiabank lists $10.00 for each cheque or other debit item returned as NSF, including each presentment or re-presentment. It says the fee does not apply if the difference between your balance and the funds needed is $10 or less, and it is not charged more than once within two business days per account. The Government of Canada’s $10 cap on NSF fees at federally regulated banks has been in force since March 12, 2026.

What does Scotiabank charge if I overdraw without Overdraft Protection?

Scotiabank says it may allow the overdraft at its sole discretion, and charges a $5.00 handling fee for each item that places your account in overdraft and $5.00 for each payment while the overdraft is outstanding, plus 21% annual interest on the overdrawn balance. You must repay the overdraft in full immediately.

How can I avoid the Preferred Package monthly fee?

The monthly fee is $16.95. It is waived if you maintain a minimum daily closing balance of $4,000 for the entire month. Clients 60 and older automatically receive up to $4.00 off the monthly fee, and Scotiabank applies only the largest fee reduction.

Can I get fees refunded if Scotiabank changes my account?

Scotiabank says you may choose a different Scotiabank account within 90 days of the effective date of a change you are not satisfied with. If the new account has higher fees, Scotiabank will refund the difference between the old and new account’s fees for those 90 days if you ask.

Sources

  1. 1.Scotiabank Day-to-Day Banking Companion Booklet (PDF) · September 1, 2026
  2. 2.Scotiabank - Bank account fees at a glance · October 14, 2026
  3. 3.Scotiabank - Overdraft protection · October 14, 2026
  4. 4.Scotiabank - Contact us · October 14, 2026
  5. 5.Scotiabank - Contact us by phone · October 14, 2026
  6. 6.FCAC: Chequing accounts · March 12, 2026
  7. 7.FCAC news release: New NSF fee regulations bring down cost of banking for Canadians · March 12, 2026
Fees come from Scotiabank’s own fee schedules and account pages, checked October 2026; the federal NSF rule comes from the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada. Dates show each document’s own date where it gives one, otherwise the date we checked it. Fees change and can depend on your account and province or state — your account agreement is what applies to you. Wally AI isn’t affiliated with Scotiabank.

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