Yes, you can take the exams of the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) in English. The exam titles must be written in English on your convocation notice (avis de convocation). If they are not, you must notify the RBQ at least 7 days before the exam date. The pass mark (60%) and the time limits are the same in both languages.
Here are the rules for sitting the exams for your RBQ licence in English, the official English names of the exams, and the terms you need to know.
The exams are offered in French and English
Each RBQ exam information sheet (fiche d’information) says the exam can be written in French or English. The RBQ’s French and English pages give the same rule for getting an exam in English.
The pass mark is 60%, and time limits do not change with the language: 3 h for Administration, 1 h 30 for Safety Management, 3 h for Project and Site Management, and 3 h for each carrying-out-of-work exam. Details in the RBQ exam format.
Get English on your convocation (or notify 7 days before)
There is no online booking system. The RBQ sends you a written convocation with the date, time and place. That notice is what you need to check.
- When it arrives, read the title of each exam on the convocation notice.
- If the titles are in English, your exam will be in English.
- If they are in French and you want English, notify the RBQ at least 7 days before the exam date.
Do not miss that deadline. The RBQ accepts no postponement except for a serious reason, so a language mix-up discovered the day before will not get you a new date.
A note on the RBQ’s English pages
The RBQ’s English web pages carry a notice: their English content is intended for people covered by the exceptions in the Charter of the French language and its regulations. The exams themselves are offered in French or English. We cannot tell you whether you are covered by those exceptions. Read the notice on the RBQ English instructions page (opens in a new tab) and, if needed, ask the RBQ.
Official English names of the exams
The official English version of the regulation (B-1.1, r. 9, ss. 21 to 24) names the exams as follows:
| French name | Official English name | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Administration | examination of knowledge in administration | 21 |
| Gestion de la sécurité | examination of knowledge in safety management on construction sites | 22 |
| Gestion de projets et de chantiers | examination of knowledge in project and site management | 23 |
| Exécution des travaux de construction | examination of knowledge in the carrying out of construction work | 24 |
Watch the safety exam: you often see "construction site safety management", but the official name is "safety management on construction sites". And a retake is a "supplemental examination" (reprise) in the English version of section 18.
Our exam pages: Administration, Site Safety Management and Project and Site Management.
Terms to know: contractor, owner-builder, guarantor, subclass
If you study in English, learn the regulation’s official terms. Prep sites and forums sometimes use other words.
| French term | Official English term |
|---|---|
| entrepreneur | contractor |
| constructeur-propriétaire | owner-builder |
| répondant | guarantor |
| sous-catégorie | subclass |
| annexe III | Schedule III |
| examen de reprise | supplemental examination |
| revenu net retenu (A-3.001) | weighted net income |
The last example comes from the Act respecting industrial accidents and occupational diseases (A-3.001, s. 45): the income replacement indemnity is 90% of the "weighted net income" (revenu net retenu). Search the English version for "net income" alone and you may land on the wrong section.
For more definitions, see our RBQ glossary.
English competency profiles: check the date
The RBQ publishes English versions of its competency profiles (profils de compétences) on its English preparation page. For the carrying-out-of-work profile covering 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.2 and 1.3, be careful: the French profile was revised on January 19, 2026. Before you study from an English profile, check the date printed on the document. If it is older than that revision, it does not reflect it.
When in doubt, rely on the French profile and compare the two before you study.
Preparing in English
A few places to start if you study in English:
- the RBQ’s English competency profiles and instructions page;
- the official English version of the statutes and regulations on LégisQuébec, to get used to the exact terms;
- courses offered in English, compared in our guide to RBQ courses in English.
For the full licence path in English, see how to get an RBQ licence in Quebec, the RBQ exam retake rules and how long it takes to get an RBQ licence.
FAQ
Can I take the RBQ exam in English?
Yes. The RBQ information sheets say exams can be written in French or English. The exam titles must be in English on your convocation notice.
What if my convocation is in French?
Notify the RBQ at least 7 days before the exam date to ask for English.
Is the pass mark different in English?
No. It is 60%, and the time limits are the same.
What is a répondant in English?
A guarantor. An entrepreneur is a contractor, a constructeur-propriétaire is an owner-builder, and a sous-catégorie is a subclass.
Can I get an RBQ licence in English?
The exams are offered in English. For how the RBQ’s English content applies to you, read the Charter notice on its English pages and ask the RBQ if you are unsure.
To practise before the exam, you can try RBQexam’s free timed practice exam. RBQexam is not affiliated with the Régie du bâtiment du Québec.
Information current as of September 26, 2026.