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Building chapter from the Safety Code

Compliance with the applicable standards according to the year of construction

You must ensure that your building is compliant with the applicable standards, depending on its year of construction or alteration. These standards aim at the safety, the health or the protection of the buildings against fire and structural damages. The standards of the Building chapter of the Safety Code apply in all the following cases:

The building is a new construction.
The building you become the owner of has the same use than at the time of its construction.
The present use of the building arises out of an alteration (for example, an office building having been converted in a rooming house).
The present use of the building arises out of a change of clients (for example, a senior’s residence intended for autonomous clients, converted into a senior’s residence intended for clients demanding assistance for eating, dressing up, etc.).

The applicable regulation

The applicable regulation varies according to the year of the construction or alteration of the building. It is recommended to consult an architect or an engineer in order to ensure the compliance of the building. Depending on its year of construction or alteration, the standard applicable is the one indicated in the table below.

Complete editions of all Québec construction codes can be downloaded free of charge using the links included in the table. Note that some editions are only available in French.

APPLICABLE REGULATION ACCORDING TO THE BUILDING’S YEAR OF CONSTRUCTION OR TRANSFORMATION
Period	Applicable regulation
As of April 17, 2025	Québec Construction Code, Chapter I – Building, and NBC 2020 both amended by Order in Council 437-2025
January 8, 2022 to April 16, 2025	Québec Construction Code, Building chapter (NBC 2015 amended – Québec)
June 13, 2015 to January 7, 2022	Quebec Construction Code, Chapter I – Building, and National Building Code of Canada 2010 (amended) amended by Order in Council 990-2018 dated 3 July 2018
May 17, 2008 to June 12, 2015	Québec Construction Code, Building chapter (NBC 2005 amended – Québec)
November 7, 2000 to May 16, 2008	Québec Construction Code, Building chapter (NBC 1995 amended – Québec)
November 11, 1993 to November 6, 2000	Regulation respecting the application of a Building Code – 1990 – PDF (149 KB) National Building Code of Canada 1990
January 18, 1986 to November 10, 1993	Regulation respecting the application of a Building Code – 1985 – PDF (191 KB) National Building Code of Canada 1985
May 25, 1984 to January 17, 1986	Regulation respecting the application of a Building Code – 1980 – PDF (152 KB) National Building Code of Canada 1980
December 1st, 1976 to May 24, 1984	Building Code – PDF (82,4 MB)
Prior to December 1^st, 1976	Regulation respecting safety in public buildings – PDF (456 KB)

More stringent standards for certain types of buildings

Do consider the standards of your municipality!

Your municipality could enact more stringent standards for the buildings located on its territory.

As per the Regulation to improve building safety, the private seniors’ residences, care occupancies and residential occupandies are subject to higher standards than the ones in effect at the time of the construction or alteration of the building.

Take further note that your municipality could enact more stringent standards for the buildings which are located on its territory. We advise to get informed in this regard.

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