Planning a renovation, a new build, or any construction work in Quebec? Before you hand over a deposit, spend five minutes confirming your contractor holds a valid RBQ licence. In Quebec that check isn't a nicety — it's the law, and it's what stands between you and a job with no recourse if it goes wrong.
Here's exactly how to verify a Quebec contractor, what the licence number and class mean, and where to look it up fast.
Why the RBQ licence matters
Almost anyone who carries out construction work for the public in Quebec — general contractors, specialized trades, even owner-builders in some cases — must hold a licence from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ). The licence confirms the contractor met competency, financial, and probity requirements.
Hiring someone without a valid RBQ licence is a real risk:
- You have far less recourse if the work is defective or unfinished.
- Unlicensed work can void warranties and complicate insurance claims.
- Contractors working without a licence are breaking the law — and can be fined.
So "does this contractor have an RBQ licence?" is really shorthand for "is this job protected?"
What to check before you sign
Don't stop at "yes, I'm licensed." Read the actual record:
-
The licence number — an RBQ licence is 10 digits, shown as
RBQ licence: XXXX-XXXX-XX. It's a public document; you're entitled to ask the contractor to show it. - Status — the licence must be currently valid (in good standing), not expired, suspended, or restricted.
- The licence class — it has to cover the work you're hiring for.
- The name — the licensed company name should match the business you're actually contracting with, not a look-alike.
Understanding the licence class
RBQ licences are issued by class, so the class tells you what a contractor is actually allowed to do:
- 1.x — general contractor classes (building construction, civil engineering, etc.).
- Higher subcategories — specialized trades (for example structural work, foundations, roofing, and other trades).
The practical rule for a homeowner: make sure the class on the licence matches your project. A licence that's valid but for the wrong type of work doesn't protect you for the job you're hiring.
Where to look it up
The official source is the RBQ's Licence Holders' Repertory on rbq.gouv.qc.ca, where you can search by company name or licence number and confirm status directly with the regulator. Always treat this as the final word.
If you want a faster, plain-English lookup — or you're comparing contractors across provinces — you can also search the free directory at CheckContractors.ca. It puts official licence data for Quebec (RBQ) and Ontario (HCRA) in one place: search by business name or licence number, see status and city, and jump to the official registry to confirm. No account, no paywall.
Whichever tool you use, the rule is the same: confirm the current status on the official RBQ repertory before you sign a contract or pay a deposit.
Red flags
- The contractor can't or won't show a licence number.
- The number doesn't return a valid, in-good-standing record.
- The licence class doesn't cover your type of work.
- They pressure you to pay large sums in cash up front.
Any one of these is a reason to slow down and verify independently.
The five-minute checklist
- [ ] Get the 10-digit RBQ licence number (
XXXX-XXXX-XX) - [ ] Confirm the licence is valid and in good standing
- [ ] Check the class covers your project
- [ ] Match the licensed name to the company on your contract
- [ ] Confirm on the official RBQ Licence Holders' Repertory before paying
Five minutes now can save you months of grief later.
For developers and agencies
If you're building a proptech tool, a lead-gen product, or an AI agent that needs Canadian contractor-licence data, you don't want to re-scrape registries by hand. The same Quebec (RBQ) and Ontario (HCRA) licence data behind CheckContractors.ca is available as a structured feed — JSON or CSV, or over MCP for AI agents — via the Canada Contractor Licence Scraper on Apify.
This article is for general information and is not affiliated with the RBQ or any government body. Licence data comes from official open sources; always confirm final status on the official registry before hiring or signing a contract.
Top comments (0)