Searching for a contractor or a licence number: consult the Licence holders' repertory.
Searching for a contractor or a licence number: consult the Licence holders' repertory.
Searching for a contractor or a licence number: consult the Licence holders' repertory.
requires that any building contractor offering his/her services for carrying out or having a third party carry out construction work in the province of Quebec holds a licence in good standing. Barring the exceptions set out under the Act and its regulations, a licence is also required from any owner-builder who carries out construction work.
The RBQ is the organization responsible for issuing and modifying the licences of contractors. It also ensures on a yearly basis that the conditions of maintenance are fulfilled by the licence holders. The amendment of the Building Act vests further powers to the RBQ. In concrete terms, it allows for an extension of the scope of the actions, which may result in the denial of issuance, the restriction, the revocation or the suspension of a contractor’s licence.
According to the section 9 of the Building Act, foundation, erection, renovation, repair, maintenance, alteration and demolition work is construction work.
In the field of renovation, there is often confusion between the obligation to hold the competency cards which are required by the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ) and the obligation to hold a licence issued by the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ).
Indeed, while works related to the maintenance, repair, renovation and alteration of a dwelling, carried out by and for the benefit of the person inhabiting it (residential renovation by the occupant), are not covered by the Act respecting labour relations, vocational training and workforce management in the construction industry, which is administered by the CCQ, it is not the case with regard to the licence issuing when such work is performed by a natural person on behalf of an owner and for the purpose of making profit out of this work. A contractor’s licence is thus always required within the applicable subclass(es). For example, for interior or exterior paint work, or work related to the installation of floorings, walls or ceilings and their finishing, it will be required to hold the subclass 9, Finishing contractor.
To learn about which subclass(es) is (are) applicable to the work to carry out, you may refer to the Guide to determine the licence required [Fr].
If the work is to be performed by a natural person or a legal person for his/her/its own account, please refer to the information related to the status of owner-builder.
To help you determine which licence classes or subclasses you need, the RBQ has created a Guide to determine the licence required [Fr].
The Building Act is clear (section 71, paragraph 8): The licence of a contractor or of an owner-builder ceases to have effect as soon as he/she did not pay the fees payable to maintain the licence when they were due. Regardless of the number of days of default, it is the responsibility of the licence holder to make sure that his/her payment for the maintenance of licence comes through no later than the due date. If the payment arrives late, the licence will be cancelled. The licence holder shall complete the application for licence form and pay the fees payable for this type of application.
You must send us a letter requiring the discontinuance of your licence. In the case where you are:
A natural person doing business by themselves, the letter requiring the discontinuance of your licence must be written on the business enterprise’s letterhead paper. Such letter must be dated and signed by the natural person themselves.
A legal person, you must submit one of the following documents:
A partnership, the letter requiring the discontinuance of your licence must be written on the business enterprise’s letterhead paper. Such letter must be dated and signed by all the partners and must state that they wish to discontinue the licence held by their partnership.