The Quebec building code in force is Chapter I, Building (Bâtiment), of the Construction Code, based on the National Building Code of Canada (NBC) 2020 as amended for Québec, since 17 April 2025. The previous text stays allowed for work that started before 17 October 2027. Chapter V, Electricity, follows the same deadline.
This article goes through the code chapter by chapter and shows you where to read the official text without paying for it or copying it.
Which code is in force in Quebec in 2026
The Construction Code (Code de construction) of Québec is a regulation made under the Building Act (Loi sur le bâtiment). Its citation is B-1.1, r. 2 in the Québec statute collection (RLRQ). It is divided into chapters, one for each area of work.
Chapter I, Building, uses the NBC 2020, with Québec’s own amendments added. Under article 1.01 of the chapter, the "code" is the NBC 2020, incorporated by reference, subject to the amendments in article 1.09. The amendments came into force on 17 April 2025. They replace the version of the chapter that had applied since January 2022.
Under article 1.02, the chapter applies to construction work on a building and on equipment intended for public use. The equipment covered is designated in article 1.03, and the exemptions are in article 1.04 of the Construction Code.
A caution before you quote the RBQ
On 1 October 2026, the RBQ page on the Building chapter including the NBC 2020 still showed the transition end date from before the extension. For the current date, rely on the RBQ news item of 26 August 2026 and on the decrees published that day in the Gazette officielle. The transition section below summarizes them.
The chapters of the Construction Code
The consolidated text on LégisQuébec lists these chapters:
| Chapter | Official title |
|---|---|
| I | Building (Bâtiment) |
| I.1 | Energy efficiency of buildings (Efficacité énergétique du bâtiment) |
| II | Gas (Gaz) |
| III | Plumbing (Plomberie) |
| IV | Elevators and other lifting devices (Ascenseurs et autres appareils élévateurs) |
| V | Electricity (Électricité) |
| VII | Ski lifts and similar mechanical lifts (Remontées mécaniques) |
| VIII | Installation of petroleum equipment (Installation d’équipements pétroliers) |
| IX | Games and rides (Jeux et manèges) |
| X | Swimming areas (Lieux de baignade) |
The titles tell you most of what each chapter covers. We detail only chapters I and V, because their reference edition changed recently and we checked it on official pages: the NBC 2020 for Chapter I, the Canadian Electrical Code for Chapter V. The English chapter titles above are our translations of the French titles.
Chapter V, Electricity
Chapter V incorporates the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, 25th edition (CSA C22.1:21), with Québec’s amendments in article 5.05. The RBQ calls it the "Code canadien de l’électricité 2021 (modifié Québec)". The text of Chapter V that applied before 26 March 2026 can still be used for electrical installations if the work began before 17 October 2027 (decree 1352-2026).
Do not confuse it with the Safety Code
The Safety Code (Code de sécurité) is a separate regulation. Its Chapter VIII, Building, is based on the National Fire Code of Canada (NFC) 2020 and has also been in force since 17 April 2025. This article covers the Construction Code only.
The successive editions of the Building chapter
Many searches are for "Quebec construction code 2015" or "2020". The number is the year of the NBC the chapter is based on. The table gives the dates it came into force in Québec.
| NBC edition, amended for Québec | In force in Québec | Replaced by |
|---|---|---|
| NBC 2010 | June 2015 | NBC 2015, in January 2022 |
| NBC 2015 | 8 January 2022 | NBC 2020, on 17 April 2025 |
| NBC 2020 | 17 April 2025 | Edition in force today |
The Québec "2015 code" took effect only in 2022. The "2020 code" has been in force since April 2025, with a transition period that runs to October 2027.
Transition period to 17 October 2027
On 26 August 2026, the RBQ announced that regulations published in the Gazette officielle extend the transition period by one year. They have been in force since 10 September 2026.
- Chapter I, Building: the text that applied before 17 April 2025 can be used to build or alter a building if the work began before 17 October 2027 (decree 1351-2026).
- Chapter V, Electricity: the text that applied before 26 March 2026 can be used for an electrical installation if the work began before 17 October 2027 (decree 1352-2026).
The date the work starts determines which text applies. During the transition, two texts therefore coexist on job sites. The RBQ still encourages designers to use the NBC 2020 as amended for Québec for buildings, and the Canadian Electrical Code 2021 as amended for Québec for electrical installations, to benefit from the latest advances.
The 2025-2027 regulatory calendar keeps these dates next to the other changes of the period.
Where to read the official code
You do not have to buy the code to read it. There are three official sources:
- The NRC (National Research Council of Canada). It publishes "Quebec Construction Code, Chapter I Building, and National Building Code of Canada 2020 (amended)" as a free PDF in the NRC Publications Archive, in two volumes. This is the document that shows the NBC with Québec’s amendments. The 2015 edition is also free on the same site. The NRC sells print copies, which is optional.
- LégisQuébec. The consolidated text of the Construction Code (B-1.1, r. 2) has official value. On 1 October 2026 it read "à jour au 1er mai 2026" (current to 1 May 2026). Check the Gazette officielle for newer decrees. The LégisQuébec page links to an English version (opens in a new tab) of the regulation.
- The RBQ. Its chapter pages explain the changes in each edition and link to the texts.
The NRC also publishes an English edition (publication number NRCC-CONST-56761E).
This article does not copy the code or quote any extract. The national codes are protected by NRC copyright, and reproducing them for commercial redistribution requires prior written permission. Read the text at the source. It is also the only way to be sure of the edition.
What the RBQ exam takes from it
The code also matters to RBQ exam candidates. The information sheet (fiche d’information) for the Project and Site Management exam (December 2024) lists Chapter I, NBC as amended 2015, among the documents provided. The competency profile for that exam refers to Chapter I and Part 9 without naming an edition.
The RBQ has not published which edition is on the table on exam day, and we do not guess. The article Which Building Code Is Used on the RBQ Exam? tracks that question, sheet by sheet.
To practise for the Project and Site Management exam, you can try the timed practice exam from RBQexam. RBQexam is not affiliated with the Régie du bâtiment du Québec.
FAQ
Which building code is in force in Quebec in 2026?
Chapter I, Building, of the Québec Construction Code, based on the NBC 2020 as amended for Québec, in force since 17 April 2025. The earlier text remains allowed for work that started before 17 October 2027.
Can you still use the 2015 Quebec building code?
Yes, within the transition. The chapter based on the NBC 2015 applied from 8 January 2022. Its text, as it read before 17 April 2025, can be used if the work began before 17 October 2027 (decree 1351-2026). After that date, only the 2020 edition applies.
Where can I find the Quebec building code as a free PDF?
In the NRC Publications Archive, which offers Chapter I, Building, with the NBC 2020 as amended, as a free PDF. The official consolidated text can also be read on LégisQuébec.
Is the Quebec building code available in English?
The NRC publishes an English edition of Chapter I, Building, with the NBC 2020 as amended (publication NRCC-CONST-56761E). LégisQuébec also links to an English version of the regulation.
Does Chapter V, Electricity, follow the same transition date?
Yes. Chapter V, based on the Canadian Electrical Code (CSA C22.1:21), allows the old text, the one in force before 26 March 2026, for work that began before 17 October 2027 (decree 1352-2026).
Information current to 1 October 2026. Editions and transition dates are to be rechecked at every update of the Code.