Holding the correct licence

To carry out construction work, or to have this work carried out, you must not only hold a licence issued by the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ), but also

1. hold the appropriate licence subclass(es).
2. make certain that all subcontractors who are carrying out work for you are licensed and hold the appropriate subclass(es) for the work being done. If they do not, you will both be liable to prosecution for this infraction.

Failing to comply with these rules entails severe fines, as it is equivalent to working without a licence.

Before entrusting work to a subcontractor

As a precaution, before entrusting work to a subcontractor, you must 

• verify the licence classes and subclasses required for the work to be carried out, by consulting the List of Licence Subclasses – PDF (109 KB) or the Guide to determining the type of licence required [Fr]
• consult the RBQ licence holders' repertory [Fr] to be certain that the subcontractor is indeed licensed and holds the appropriate subclass(es). 

Any contractor who employs an unlicensed subcontractor will be subject to immediate prosecution.

To keep informed regarding licences that have been restricted, suspended or cancelled, subscribe to our newsletter [Fr] to receive regular updates on licences.

Severe fines

Master electricians and master pipe mechanics (CMEQ and CMMTQ)

The fines set out in the Master Electricians Act and the Master Pipe-mechanics Act range from $5,000 to $25,000 for individuals, and from $15,000 to $75,000 for legal persons. 

Do you need a licence?

To know if you or your subcontractors need a licence, consult the following pages:

• Work requiring a licence
• Work not requiring a licence
• Licence exemptions