The RBQ’s mandatory continuing education applies to guarantors (répondants) who answer for the work itself in subclasses 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.2, 1.3, 15.1 to 15.5 and 16. They complete at least 16 hours of recognized training per 2-year period (sometimes 24 or 32) and declare them in Mon dossier de formation continue, or they lose their qualifications.
This training is not a prerequisite for the exam, a common question from future contractors.
Who has to take continuing education
The duty falls on the guarantor (répondant) for construction work, not on the business in general. It covers these subclasses (sous-catégories). See the RBQ guarantor for the role itself.
| Trade | Targeted subclasses |
|---|---|
| Building | 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.2, 1.3 |
| Heating | 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4 |
| Plumbing | 15.5 |
| Electricity | 16 |
Subclasses 15.1 to 15.5 fall under the CMMTQ and subclass 16 under the CMEQ for contractor qualification. Both corporations have their own continuing-education regulation, in addition to the RBQ’s. The system rests on three regulations whose publication in the Gazette officielle the RBQ announced on May 27, 2020. The duty has applied since April 1, 2022.
In March 2023, the RBQ estimated that nearly 30,000 guarantors were covered. That figure is dated and does not give a current count.
Who is exempt
According to the RBQ’s FAQ, these people are not covered:
- employees who are not guarantors of a business;
- guarantors who are owner-builders (constructeurs-propriétaires);
- guarantors of businesses outside Québec (interprovincial agreements);
- guarantors of subclasses that are not targeted;
- guarantors qualifying for the first time in a targeted subclass (they must comply from the following period);
- guarantors who still hold their qualifications but are not guarantors of a business with an active licence.
The last group has a condition: to become a guarantor of an active business again, they must complete all the hours missing from their file. Hours from several periods may have piled up.
How many hours, and over what period
The RBQ requires a set number of hours every 2 years. Before each period, the RBQ sends a letter stating the hours to complete by subclass and the declaration deadline. The same information is in the continuing-education file.
- Minimum of 16 hours. The training must relate to your subclasses. Elective training can be added to reach the 16-hour minimum.
- 24 or 32 hours in some cases. According to a 2020 RBQ press release, most guarantors complete 16 hours, but some complete 24 or 32 depending on how many subclasses they hold, or whether they hold subclasses covered by the RBQ, CMEQ and CMMTQ regulations at once. The RBQ’s letter remains the reference for your file.
- Each guarantor completes all the hours. A business with two covered guarantors cannot split them.
- Hours follow the trade. If you are a guarantor for several businesses in the same trade, your declared hours count for all of them.
The reference periods published by the RBQ are:
| Period | Dates |
|---|---|
| First | April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2024 |
| Second | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2026 |
| Third (current) | April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2028 |
On October 1, 2026, the RBQ states that the last period ended on March 31, 2026, with 90 days to declare hours. The Mon dossier page says the declaration window for that period is over and the tool is temporarily disabled. Check that page before you plan, because it changes.
If you completed and declared more hours than required, up to 4 surplus hours carry over to the next period.
Recognized training and declaring in Mon dossier
Finding recognized training
Only training recognized by the RBQ, the CMEQ or the CMMTQ counts. It is all in the Répertoire de la formation continue (opens in a new tab) (training directory), which you can filter by subclass, region, language or delivery mode. The "Autres sujets" (other topics) section, covering legal matters, management, human resources and health and safety, is only for elective hours.
If a course you like is not in the directory, suggest that the trainer ask the RBQ, the CMMTQ or the CMEQ to recognize it.
Each trainer sets its own price, and the RBQ publishes no price list. Delivery varies too, including distance learning for some courses. Whether or not a course includes an assessment, you receive a certificate of attendance.
The RBQ’s five steps
- Read the RBQ’s letter or check your file to learn your hours.
- Choose your training in the directory.
- Register directly with the trainer.
- Take the training and keep your proof of attendance for 4 years.
- Declare your hours in Mon dossier de formation continue.
How to declare your hours
You declare in the continuing-education file of the business you are a guarantor for, using that business’s clicSÉQUR express access code. The code is mailed to the business after it registers. Do not confuse it with clicSÉQUR Citoyens or clicSÉQUR Entreprises.
Have these ready:
- the business’s clicSÉQUR express code;
- the training number or title and the provider’s name;
- the date of the training;
- your proof of attendance.
If you are a guarantor for several businesses, one code is enough: complete the file in one account and the others update. The RBQ accepts no method other than clicSÉQUR express and cannot declare for you. It does not send a confirmation when your obligation is met, so check the file yourself to confirm that no hours remain.
If you make a mistake in a declaration, write to the RBQ with your file number, the number of the training to delete and details of the error.
Penalties and loss of qualification
According to the RBQ, if you do not declare your hours before the deadline, you lose your qualifications and can no longer act as a guarantor. The business may then lose the right to do work in your subclass, and even its licence. The FAQ speaks of withdrawal of the subclass(es) or cancellation of the licence, as the case may be.
To get a withdrawn subclass back, you must file a new licence application or a modification request, then complete the required hours. The RBQ’s document on special cases adds that a former guarantor must attach attendance certificates to the application, otherwise it is incomplete.
The RBQ’s pages describe this penalty as a loss of qualification without calling it a fine. Watch your own file: it is your best protection. For the yearly cost of keeping a licence, see RBQ licence renewal and annual fees.
Continuing education vs training for the exam
They serve different audiences:
- Continuing education is for guarantors who already qualified. You declare it in Mon dossier and pick it from the training directory.
- Training for the exam is for licence applicants. The RBQ’s pages present the exam as a way of checking competence and list no prerequisite course. A recognized training program can, however, exempt you from the matching exam.
The list of programs that exempt you is on the RBQ’s recognized-programs page, a different page from the continuing-education directory. Only certificates issued from 2014 onward are accepted. Exemptions are detailed in RBQ licence without the exam, and course options in the RBQ courses guide.
Adding a subclass: new exams
Holding a licence does not qualify you for every subclass. To add one that the RBQ itself qualifies, you need a construction-work (exécution) exam for each subclass requested, unless an exemption applies. For subclasses 15.1 to 15.5 and 16, you apply to the CMMTQ or the CMEQ, to which professional qualification has been transferred.
Section 20 of the Règlement sur la qualification professionnelle des entrepreneurs et des constructeurs-propriétaires (opens in a new tab) (the qualification regulation) provides two exemptions: a recognized training program, or having been a guarantor in the same field during the 5 years before the licence application.
Adding a subclass carries a fee of $105.27 (2026 fee) and each exam costs $105.27 (2026 fee). These fees are indexed every January 1. To see which subclass belongs to which schedule, read RBQ licence subclasses.
If the subclass you add is covered by continuing education, the FAQ provides an exemption for first-time qualification. It also says the duty applies from the following period. For a specific case, ask the RBQ.
FAQ
Which continuing education is recognized by the RBQ?
Any training approved by the RBQ, the CMEQ or the CMMTQ and listed in the Répertoire de la formation continue is recognized. It must relate to your subclasses, except for elective hours. A course outside the directory does not count unless its trainer gets it recognized.
How do I declare my mandatory continuing education to the RBQ?
Log in to Mon dossier de formation continue with the clicSÉQUR express code of the business you are a guarantor for. Enter the training title, the trainer’s name and the date, and keep your proof of attendance for 4 years. The RBQ cannot declare for you.
How many hours of continuing education does the RBQ require?
The RBQ requires a set number of hours every 2 years, with a minimum of 16 hours. According to a 2020 press release, some guarantors complete 24 or 32 hours, depending on how many subclasses they hold and whether the RBQ, CMEQ and CMMTQ regulations all apply to them. Your RBQ letter and your file show the exact number.
Do I need training to take the RBQ exam?
The RBQ’s pages list no prerequisite course for the exam. A recognized training program can, however, exempt you from the matching exam. Continuing education only applies to guarantors who already qualified.
What happens if I do not declare my hours?
You lose your qualifications and can no longer act as a guarantor. The business may lose the right to do work in that subclass, or even its licence. To recover the subclass, you need a new application or a licence modification, and you must complete the required hours.
To see which RBQ exams RBQexam covers, visit the exams page. RBQexam is not affiliated with the Régie du bâtiment du Québec.
Information current as of October 1, 2026. Fees: 2026 rates. The periods and the Mon dossier page should be rechecked at every update.