Working without the RBQ licence you need is an offence under the Building Act. Under the 2026 fee schedule, the fine runs from $7,051 to $105,734 for an individual and from $21,148 to $211,465 for a legal person, depending on whether a subclass or the whole licence is missing. Amounts double, then triple, for repeat offences.
The Act text read on LégisQuébec is current to 10 June 2026.
What an unlicensed contractor risks
The Act bars anyone from acting as a construction contractor, using the title, or giving the impression of being one, without a licence in force (s. 46, Building Act (opens in a new tab)). The same section bars a contractor from using another contractor who lacks the right licence to carry out work. Section 48 applies the same rule to an owner-builder (constructeur-propriétaire). A licence lists the categories and subclasses of work its holder may do (s. 68), so a valid licence covers only that work.
An unlicensed contractor can face several measures at once:
- Penal prosecution and a fine, under the schedule below.
- An administrative monetary penalty imposed directly by the RBQ.
- A stop-work order. The RBQ may order work stopped when the person doing it has no licence or lacks the right subclass, and it cannot resume without the RBQ’s authorization (s. 124.1).
- Remedies for your client, described below.
According to the RBQ’s citizen FAQ, a contractor working without a licence is at all times at risk of a fine, because that contractor commits an offence.
Fine schedule, 2026
Fines are calculated under section 196.3 of the Act, indexed every 1 January, and not taxable: the amount shown is the amount payable. The RBQ publishes them on its Amendes (fines) page (opens in a new tab) (tab Tarification 2026). The amounts below are the minimum and maximum of the 2026 fee schedule. Recheck them before 1 January 2027.
| Situation | Individual | Legal person | Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence lacks the right category or subclass, or using someone who lacks it (s. 197.1, para. 1) | $7,051 to $35,244 | $21,148 to $105,734 | 2026 fee |
| No licence at all, or using someone with none (s. 197.1, para. 2) | $14,098 to $105,734 | $42,292 to $211,465 | 2026 fee |
| Transferring a licence, or using another person’s name or licence number (s. 196.1.1) | $14,098 to $105,734 | $42,292 to $211,465 | 2026 fee |
| Prête-nom (nominee): being one, calling on one, or having one among the officers (s. 197.2) | $14,098 to $105,734 | $42,292 to $211,465 | 2026 fee |
| False statement or omission to obtain a licence, or false statement in a prescribed document (s. 196.1) | $3,523 to $17,623 | $10,572 to $52,868 | 2026 fee |
A few details:
- Repeat offences. For each of these offences, the minimum and maximum are doubled for a first repeat and tripled for each later one. The Act does not give dollar figures for repeats under sections 197.1 and 197.2, so remember "double" and "triple".
- Every day counts. An offence that lasts more than one day counts as one offence for each day (s. 201.1).
- Officers are exposed too. When a partnership or legal person commits an offence, its officer is presumed to have committed it unless the officer shows he or she took all necessary precautions (s. 201.0.2).
- Helping counts. Someone who helps another person commit the offence is guilty as if they had committed it, if they knew or should have known their act would probably help (s. 200). The time limit to prosecute is in the FAQ.
- Beware of old figures. The 2026 fee schedule replaces the 2025 one, which ran from $13,823 to $103,671 for an individual with no licence at all. An article that repeats the 2025 schedule shows out-of-date numbers.
The administrative monetary penalty
The RBQ does not need a court to impose an administrative monetary penalty. The amounts set in the Act for 2026 are:
- $3,000 for an individual and $7,500 for others, 2026 fee, for a licence lacking the right category or subclass (s. 159.5);
- $5,000 for an individual and $10,000 for others, 2026 fee, for having no licence at all (s. 159.6).
Each day the breach continues counts as a separate breach (s. 159.10). Before imposing the penalty, the RBQ serves a notice of non-compliance saying the breach may lead to a penalty or to penal prosecution (s. 159.11). According to the RBQ, the person concerned can ask it to re-examine the penalty within 30 days of notification of the notice of claim.
Transferring a licence and the prête-nom
Transferring a licence or using someone else’s falls under the schedule. The licence belongs to the RBQ and its holder may not transfer it (s. 56, para. 2), and using another person’s name or licence number to carry out work is an offence (s. 194, para. 5). A prête-nom, a person who qualifies as a company’s guarantor without taking part in its management, is covered by section 197.2. According to the RBQ, the company and its officers then become accomplices and risk suspension or cancellation of their licence. See also lending, renting and selling an RBQ licence.
Other consequences: contract, hypothec, future licence
The client can ask to cancel the contract
A person who is not a contractor and who signed a construction contract with a contractor lacking the right licence may apply to have the contract cancelled (s. 50, para. 1). The owner of an immovable burdened by a legal hypothec of construction registered by a contractor without the right licence may also apply to have it struck (s. 50, para. 2). These remedies fall away if it is established that the applicant knew the contractor did not hold the right licence (s. 50, para. 3).
The licence security: the RBQ does not say
The RBQ explains that licence holders must hold a licence security (cautionnement), meant in particular to compensate clients harmed by partial payments, unfinished work, poor workmanship or defects found within one year after the work. The RBQ consumer pages we read do not say whether that security applies to work done by an unlicensed contractor. Do not assume it does. This is one reason the RBQ tells clients to check the licence and the subclasses before signing, and to demand a detailed written contract.
Your future licence
The Act lets the RBQ suspend or cancel the licence of a holder found guilty of an offence under the Building Act, if the seriousness or frequency of the offences justifies it (s. 70). It can also do so when the holder acted as a contractor while the licence was suspended or cancelled. For a new applicant, the RBQ may refuse a licence if the applicant cannot show good moral character and the ability to act with competence and integrity, given past conduct (s. 62.0.1). Lying or omitting facts to obtain a licence is a ground for refusal (s. 58, para. 8.5, and s. 62.0.3) and a separate offence (s. 196.1).
How to get your situation in order
The RBQ does not publish a "regularization" procedure that would erase an offence already committed, and we found no official page saying that getting a licence afterwards ends a prosecution. If you already received an RBQ notice or a prosecution, talk to a lawyer. For what comes next:
- Stop any work that requires a licence you do not hold. Each day can count as a separate offence.
- Check whether your work requires a licence. Some work does not: see work that does not need an RBQ licence. An individual does not need an owner-builder licence to build a single-family house or a structure for personal or family use (s. 49), but a person who is not a contractor may not do work on a gas-use, petroleum equipment or electrical installation.
- Pick the right subclass. A licence covers only the subclasses written on it. The guide to getting an RBQ licence explains the path.
- File a complete application. The RBQ states a 60-day processing time for a complete and compliant application, followed by the guarantor’s (répondant) exams, and says the guarantor should be ready to sit them when the application is filed. Real timelines are in how long it takes to get an RBQ licence.
- Once licensed, tell the RBQ in writing within 30 days of any change to your legal structure, including a merger, sale or cession (s. 67). The holder may not transfer the licence.
FAQ
What is the penalty for working without an RBQ licence in 2026?
Under the 2026 fee schedule, an individual with no licence at all faces $14,098 to $105,734, and a legal person $42,292 to $211,465 (s. 197.1, para. 2). If the licence exists but does not cover the right subclass, the 2026 fee schedule sets $7,051 to $35,244 for an individual and $21,148 to $105,734 for a legal person.
Can a homeowner do the work without a licence?
For a single-family house or a structure for personal or family use, an individual does not need an owner-builder licence (s. 49). Work on a gas-use, petroleum equipment or electrical installation still requires a contractor.
Is a contract with an unlicensed contractor valid?
A client who did not know the contractor lacked the right licence may apply to cancel the contract (s. 50). The client loses that remedy if it is established that he or she knew. The Act speaks of an application to cancel: the contract is not cancelled automatically.
How long after unlicensed work can someone be prosecuted?
A prosecution must start within 3 years of the offence coming to the prosecutor’s knowledge, and no later than 7 years after the offence (s. 212).
How do I report an unlicensed contractor?
The RBQ accepts a complaint about work without a licence from a person who dealt with a contractor who had no licence at the time of the work or when the contract was signed. It provides a form called "Plainte concernant du travail sans licence" and the number 1 800 361-0761. The RBQ specifies that this complaint is made without compensation.
If your goal is to get the licence, you can gauge your level with the free timed practice exam from RBQexam. RBQexam is not affiliated with the Régie du bâtiment du Québec.
Information current to 1 October 2026. Fines are the 2026 fee schedule, to be rechecked before 1 January 2027. This article explains the law and is not legal advice.