RBQ Exam Changes in 2026: What Is New for Candidates
Indexed fees, the 4-month retake rule, a repealed prevention regulation, the code transition and a bond draft: the 2025-2026 changes, dated and sourced.
RBQ exam and licence guides
Dated, sourced guides in English on the RBQ exams and licence.
34 articles, updated October 2, 2026
The exam
RBQ Exam Format: Duration, Pass Mark and Language (2026)
RBQ exams: 3 h for Administration, 1 h 30 for Safety, 3 h for Project Management and each trade exam. 60% pass mark, multiple choice, French or English.
RBQ Exam in English: Rules, Official Names and Key Terms
Taking the RBQ exam in English: the language must be on your convocation, or notify the RBQ 7 days before. Official English exam names and key terms.
RBQ Exam Pass Rates: The Only Published Figures
72% on the management exams, 56% on construction work: the only published RBQ pass rates (Auditor General, 2018 to 2020), plus 2024-2025 RBQ data.
RBQ Exam PDF With Answers: What Actually Exists
There is no official RBQ exam PDF with answers. Here is what the RBQ does publish, why leaked copies go stale fast and where to practise instead.
RBQ Exam Registration: Convocation, Exam Day and Results
There is no online RBQ exam booking: the RBQ writes to you. Photo ID, what is allowed in the room, computer exam access and results by mail.
RBQ Exam Retake Rules: The 4-Month Wait Explained (2026)
Failed an RBQ exam? You get one retake, requested within 30 days, then a 4-month wait since March 1, 2026. Current fees, deadlines and sources.
RBQ Exams for a General Contractor: Which Ones to Take
RBQ exams for a general contractor: Administration, safety, project management and one execution exam per subclass. Table by licence type, 2026 fees.
The licence
Become a General Contractor in Quebec: Steps and Costs
Become a contractor in Quebec: RBQ licence, exams or exemption, bond, costs (2026 fee), timelines and what official sources say about contractor income.
Buy or Rent an RBQ Licence? What the Law Says
Can you buy or rent an RBQ licence? No: it cannot be transferred (s. 56) and using a prête-nom is an offence. 2026 fines and lawful ways to go faster.
CCQ Card or RBQ Licence: Which One Do You Need?
CCQ card or RBQ licence? The card (competency certificate) lets you work on a site; the licence lets you run a construction business. Who needs which.
General vs Specialized Contractor in Quebec (RBQ)
General vs specialized contractor in Quebec: what separates the two RBQ licences, plus owner-builders, Schedules I to III, exams and the licence bond.
How Long Does It Take to Get an RBQ Licence? (2026)
RBQ licence timeline: 60-day stated processing, the current dated backlog, exam convocation, results, and 4 more months after a failed retake.
RBQ Guarantor (Répondant): Role and Exams
The RBQ guarantor (répondant) takes the exams for the business. Who can be one, which exams by licence type, the 5-year exemption and 2026 fees.
RBQ Licence 1.2 or 1.3: Which Subclass Should You Choose?
RBQ 1.2 or 1.3: how many licences hold each, one shared construction work profile, the three extra skills for 1.3 and the documents handed out at the exam.
RBQ Licence Application: Documents, Fees and Payment 2026
RBQ licence application: forms, documents to attach, duties and fees (2026 fee), filing by mail or in person, payment and the 60-day processing delay.
RBQ Licence Bond: 2026 Amounts and Who Is Exempt
RBQ licence bond in 2026: $40,000 with any general subclass, $20,000 for specialized only. Who is exempt, the proposed increase and old amounts to ignore.
RBQ Licence Renewal: Annual Maintenance and 2026 Fees
RBQ licence renewal: no expiry date, but yearly fees to pay. 2026 fee: $989.81 (general licence), $547.53 (specialized). Due date and late payment.
RBQ Licence Subclasses: Schedules I, II, III and Exams
Schedules I, II and III explained: which RBQ licence subclasses need a construction work exam, which have none, and which go through the CMEQ or CMMTQ.
RBQ Licence Without the Exam: Exemptions in 2026
How to get an RBQ licence without sitting an exam: recognized training, guarantor experience, the 2014 certificate rule, and exams that do not apply.
RBQ Number: Find Your Licence Number and Read It (2026)
Your RBQ number has 10 digits (Licence RBQ: XXXX-XXXX-XX). Where to find it, where to display it and how to read a record in the RBQ’s official register.
Work That Does Not Require an RBQ Licence (2026)
Work that does not require an RBQ licence: non-construction activities, owner-builders, personal-use homes, and electrical and gas exceptions.
RBQ Continuing Education: Who, Hours, How to Declare
RBQ continuing education is mandatory for some guarantors: 16+ hours per 2-year period, recognized training, declaration in Mon dossier, and penalties.
RBQ Licence by Trade: Subclass and Exam (2026)
There is no RBQ licence by trade: plumbing 15.5, electrical 16, painting 9, roofing 7, excavation 2.5. A table of the subclasses and the exams they need.
Passing the exam
Construction Bid Template Quebec: Example and Licence Line
Construction bid template Quebec: the sections to fill in, a table to adapt, and the 'Licence RBQ: XXXX-XXXX-XX' line the Building Act requires.
Free RBQ Training: What Is Actually Free in 2026
Free RBQ training: the official sample questions and sheets, what still costs money, and the verified aid, including for women in construction.
How to Prepare for the RBQ Exam: A Study Plan by Module
An RBQ exam study guide built on the official competency profiles: modules, documents handed out, timed practice and three ways to prepare.
Is the RBQ Exam Hard? 10 Common Mistakes to Avoid
A $108 fee, a 25-worker threshold, a 75% pass mark, a 6-month wait: ten outdated beliefs that cost points on the RBQ exam, checked in 2026.
Sustainable Development on the RBQ Exams: What to Know
In 2024-2025, 100% of RBQ exams administered had a sustainable development question. Where the topic sits in the profiles and how to prepare for it.
BSDQ Quebec Bid Depository: Contractor Guide (2026)
BSDQ guide: when to file a bid with the Quebec bid depository, what the Code de soumission says, the RBQ licence you need, free training and the 2026 fees.
Law and safety
Penalty for Working Without an RBQ Licence (2026)
Penalty for working without an RBQ licence: $7,051 to $211,465 (2026 fee), doubled on a repeat. Stop-work orders, contract risks and next steps.
Quebec Building Code: Which Edition Applies in 2026
The Quebec building code is based on the NBC 2020 since 17 April 2025. See the chapters, the transition to 2027 and where to read the official free PDF.
Site Prevention Program in Québec: 10 and 20 Workers
Québec site prevention program: drawn up from 10 workers (LSST s. 198), sent to the CNESST from 20 (s. 200). Regulation S-2.1, r. 10 is repealed.
Which Building Code Is Used on the RBQ Exam?
Québec’s code has been based on the NBC 2020 since April 2025, yet RBQ exam sheets still list older editions. What is confirmed and how to prepare.
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