If you fail an exam set by the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ), you get one retake (reprise), which you must request within 30 days of the notice you receive, paying $105.27 per exam (2026 fee). If you also fail the retake, or do not show up for it, you must wait 4 months after the RBQ’s decision before you can be admitted to that exam again. The 4-month wait has applied since March 1, 2026. Before that, it was 6 months.
Here is the full rule, with a source for each point.
One retake, requested within 30 days
Section 18 of the Regulation respecting the professional qualification of contractors and owner-builders (CQLR, c. B-1.1, r. 9) allows only one supplemental examination (reprise) for each exam you fail. "Supplemental examination" is the term used in the official English version of the regulation. Most people just say "retake".
You have 30 days to request it. The starting point is not stated the same way everywhere. The regulation and the RBQ exam FAQ count from the prior notice (préavis). The RBQ page on failures and absences counts from when you receive your failure or absence confirmation. The RBQ has not settled this publicly. The safe approach: file your request within 30 days of the notice you receive, and do not leave it to the last week.
How to request it
- Fill out the RBQ form "Demande de reprise d’examen".
- Include full payment for the exam or exams you are retaking. A request without payment is not complete.
- The RBQ then writes to you with the session date.
Fail the retake: a 4-month wait
Three situations lead to the same 4-month wait:
- you fail the retake;
- you do not show up for the retake;
- you do not request the retake within the 30 days.
In each case, you cannot be admitted to that same exam, on another application, until 4 months after the date of the RBQ’s decision. If there is no decision because the application was withdrawn, the 4 months run from the withdrawal. The RBQ FAQ also says a withdrawal triggers this 4-month wait.
The wait applies to the exam you failed. Exams you passed are not affected (see below).
A no-show counts as a failure
Not showing up for an exam session counts as failing it. This is in the third paragraph of section 18. So missing your first attempt leaves you with the retake, and missing the retake starts the 4 months.
The RBQ accepts no postponement except for a serious reason. If something serious comes up, contact the RBQ before the exam date.
What changed on March 1, 2026
Order in council 38-2026 (décret 38-2026) amended section 18. The new version has been in force since March 1, 2026. Three changes matter to candidates:
- 6 months became 4 months. The 2012 version set a 6-month wait after a failed retake. If you still see 6 months somewhere, that is the old rule. The RBQ’s current French and English FAQ both say 4 months.
- No new application to get around the wait. Since March 1, 2026, the RBQ FAQ says you can no longer file a new licence application or modification request to retake an exam.
- No abbreviated application after an absence. That option also closed on the same date.
What a retake costs (2026 fee)
| Item | Amount or rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Retake after a failure | $105.27 per exam (2026 fee) | RBQ fees (opens in a new tab) |
| Exam, first attempt | $105.27 per exam (2026 fee) | RBQ fees (opens in a new tab) |
| Sales tax | Amounts are not taxable | RBQ fees (opens in a new tab) |
| Refund of exam fees | None, per the FAQ | RBQ exam FAQ (opens in a new tab) |
| Deadline to request the retake | 30 days from the notice you receive | Failure or absence page (opens in a new tab) |
| Wait after failing or missing the retake | 4 months from the decision (since March 1, 2026) | B-1.1, r. 9, s. 18 (opens in a new tab) |
RBQ fees are indexed every January 1. The $105.27 amount is for 2026, so check the fee table again before you pay in 2027. To total your own application, use the RBQ licence fee calculator.
Contesting a failure: a review request
If you think your failure is a mistake, the RBQ failure page says you can file a review request (demande de révision) within 30 days of the date of the decision. A review is not a retake: one challenges the result, the other has you sit the exam again. Ask the RBQ which fee applies to your case before you file.
Exams you passed stay valid for 5 years
A failure does not cancel your other exams. Under section 17 of the regulation (version in force since February 12, 2026), a passing mark stays valid for 5 years. The RBQ explains how the 5 years are counted:
- if a licence was issued and has ended: 5 years after the licence end date;
- if no licence was issued: 5 years from the date the exam was marked;
- a recognized training attestation filed without a licence being issued gives no acquired right.
So if you pass Administration and Project and Site Management but fail Safety Management, you only retake Safety Management.
Another route during the wait: recognized training
According to the RBQ FAQ, a certificate from an RBQ-recognized training program can be filed without waiting the 4 months, and it exempts you from the matching exam. Details are in our article on getting an RBQ licence without the exam.
Two common mix-ups
- The 3-month wait. The RBQ instructions page mentions 3 months, but for the home-inspector certificate exam. For contractor and owner-builder (constructeur-propriétaire) licence exams, it is 4 months.
- Cheating. An exam cancelled for fraud, plagiarism or cheating is not an ordinary failure. Section 19 then bars you from any exam for one year.
Getting ready for the retake
The pass mark is still 60%. Review the RBQ exam format, then focus on the exam you failed (the published figures on success are in RBQ exam pass rates):
- Administration
- Site Safety Management
- Project and Site Management
If you plan to write in English, read how to take the RBQ exam in English first: the language has to be right on your convocation.
FAQ
How many times can I retake an RBQ exam?
Once within the same application. If you fail the retake, you wait 4 months after the RBQ’s decision before you can be admitted to that exam again.
When does the 30-day window start?
The regulation and the FAQ count from the prior notice; the RBQ failure page counts from receipt of the failure confirmation. File within 30 days of the notice you receive, and do not wait.
Is the wait still 6 months?
No. Since March 1, 2026, section 18 sets 4 months. The 6 months came from the 2012 version.
Can I get a refund if I miss the exam?
No. The RBQ FAQ says the regulation provides no refund of exam fees, and a no-show counts as a failure.
Can I file a new licence application to retake sooner?
No. Since March 1, 2026, that option is closed, as is the abbreviated application after an absence.
To check where you stand before the retake, you can try RBQexam’s free timed practice exam, built with original questions. RBQexam is not affiliated with the Régie du bâtiment du Québec.
Information current as of September 26, 2026. Fees: 2026 rates, to be rechecked on January 1, 2027.