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Issuance and amendment of licences
Please note that our processing times are currently longer than usual. As of May 15, 2026, we are processing applications received on the following dates:

Priority applications: April 20, 2026
Regular applications: March 23, 2026

This content in English is intended for individuals covered by the exceptions to the Charter of the French language and its regulations.

Determining the required licence

List of subclasses

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2.1 Contractor – Drilled wells

This subclass authorizes construction work related to the drilling of wells and extraction of water as well as similar or related construction work.

Additional explanations

This subclass also authorizes, without exceeding the regulatory framework, construction work relating to:

horizontal drilling
geothermal drilling
hydraulic elevator pistons
hydraulic rock fracturing

Standards for the construction of wells are contained in the Water Withdrawal and Protection Regulation (CQLR, c. Q-2, r. 35.2) administered by the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment and Climate Change.

NOTE: The installation of pumping systems requires a subclass 2.3 licence

No licence is required for the following work:

drilled wells or other water capture installations for the irrigation of lawns or crop fields, or the watering of livestock.

If in doubt as to the applicable subclass, refer to the Keyword Index or contact us.

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