To apply for an RBQ licence, fill in the form for your type of business, attach the required documents (photo ID, the original licence bond unless an exception applies, a cheque) and file everything by mail or in person in Montréal. An incomplete application is returned. The RBQ states a 60-day processing delay for a complete application.
The checklist follows the order in which you will need each item.
Before you file: form, guarantor, bond
The right form. The RBQ publishes one form for a contractor licence and another for an owner-builder licence (constructeur-propriétaire). Each comes in three versions: individual (personne physique), legal entity (personne morale) and partnership (société). The RBQ also has separate contractor forms for businesses domiciled in Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador that meet the conditions of an interprovincial agreement. Get them on the RBQ forms page (opens in a new tab) (in French).
A guarantor ready for the exams. The business’s guarantor (répondant) sits the exams. The RBQ recommends that the guarantor be ready to sit them when the application is filed. The article on the RBQ guarantor covers the role and the exams.
Subclasses. Your application targets subclasses from schedule I (general) or schedules II and III (specialized). That choice changes the duties you pay.
The bond. Attach the original licence bond document to a contractor application. Two cases are exceptions: an owner-builder application does not include a bond (section 12.2 of the regulation), and no bond is required when only subclasses 1.1.1 and 1.1.2 are requested (section 26). The article on the RBQ licence bond gives amounts and providers.
The documents of a complete application
Section 12 of the Regulation respecting the professional qualification of contractors and owner-builders (B-1.1, r. 9) sets what the applicant must provide. The RBQ repeats it under "Documents à joindre" on its forms. The regulation is current to 1 May 2026 on LégisQuébec (opens in a new tab). A few items in section 12 (some details on shareholders, trustees and officers of shareholders) are marked as in force on 1 January 2029, so follow the list on the current form.
| Document | When it is required |
|---|---|
| Original form, with original signatures | Always. Section 12.3 adds a signed attestation that the information is true |
| Government-issued photo ID | One copy for an individual applicant, or one per officer (dirigeant) for a legal entity or partnership |
| Original licence bond document | Contractor applications, apart from the exceptions above |
| Cheque for the exact amount | Always (see the fees section) |
| Copy of the certificate of constitution, shareholders' agreement or partnership contract | Legal entity or partnership with no NEQ (Québec enterprise number) |
| Annex 1, lender declaration | If the business has lenders other than banks, caisses, insurers and trust companies |
| Copy of the absolute discharge certificate | For each officer (or the applicant) who went through a personal bankruptcy |
| Signed explanatory letter | For each officer who led a company in the 12 months before it stopped its contractor activities: company name, licence number, reason |
| Diploma | For each request to have training recognized |
| Professional-file documents (dossier professionnel) | If you ask for assessment by professional file |
An owner-builder (individual) attaches this list: the signed original form, a valid NEQ if the name used in Québec is not your full first and last name, a cheque, the diploma (if training is to be recognized), the professional-file documents, the explanatory letter and the photo ID.
What the RBQ will publish in the register
The RBQ publishes part of what you write on the form. On the individual form, you tick the contact details (telephone, email) you agree to have shown in the licence-holder register. On the legal-entity form, the head-office address, telephone number and email entered in section 2.1 appear there. A valid licence shows in the register the day after it is issued.
Duties and fees 2026: new licence
The total for a new licence is made up of duties (droits, the price of the licence) and processing fees (frais) for the application. Section 12.3 of the regulation requires the application to come with the duties and fees set by section 53.
| New licence (2026 fee) | Regular processing | Priority processing |
|---|---|---|
| General, or general and specialized (2026 fee) | $884.54 duties + $407.15 fees = $1,291.69 | $1,698.84 |
| Specialized only, schedules II and III (2026 fee) | $442.26 duties + $407.15 fees = $849.41 | $1,256.56 |
These are the RBQ’s 2026 fee amounts. They are not taxable, so the amount shown is the amount you pay, and they are indexed every 1 January. For a figure that fits your situation, use the RBQ licence fee calculator.
Priority processing. Section 55 of the regulation doubles the processing fees: at the 2026 fee, $407.15 becomes $814.30. But the RBQ does not offer priority processing when competencies must be assessed by exam or by professional file. For a new contractor assessed by exam, it does not apply.
If the RBQ refuses the licence. It refunds the duties but keeps the processing fees. The decision can be contested.
Filing and paying
You can file in two ways. Either way, the address is the same: Régie du bâtiment du Québec, Service à la clientèle, 255, boulevard Crémazie Est, local 040, Montréal (Québec) H2M 1L5.
| By mail | In person | |
|---|---|---|
| What to send | Original form, payment and all documents | The same documents |
| Accepted payment | Cheque or money order payable to the Minister of Finance or the RBQ | Debit card, credit card, cash, cheque or money order |
| Refused | Postdated cheques and cash | Not specified by the RBQ |
You pay the full amount when you file. The RBQ forms and steps pages read on 1 October 2026 describe no online filing and no online payment for a new application. Online payment exists for the annual maintenance of a licence, which is a later step.
What the RBQ does next
Processing. Under section 13 of the regulation, an application is deemed received only if it has all the required information and documents, the duties and fees, and documents that agree with each other and with the Québec business register (REQ). The RBQ then states a 60-day delay. That delay mainly excludes the periods when it waits for information from you and the period between the exam notice and the exam.
The convocation letter. The guarantor receives a letter with the date, time and regional office for the exam.
The backlog to watch. On 1 October 2026 the RBQ said its delays were longer than usual: it was processing priority applications received on 22 September 2026 and regular applications received on 31 August 2026. This status changes often. The article on how long it takes to get an RBQ licence has the details.
After issue. The licence number must appear on your estimates, bids, contracts, statements of account and invoices (section 57.1 of the Building Act and the RBQ page "Afficher votre licence"), in the format "Licence RBQ : XXXX-XXXX-XX". Maintenance duties and fees are then due once a year, on the anniversary of the licence’s issue date (section 15 of the regulation).
Incomplete application: the 15-day and 21-day delays
If your application is incomplete or non-compliant, two delays apply:
- The RBQ contacts the business within 15 days of receiving the application to ask for what is missing.
- It then writes to the applicant and allows 21 days to send the missing documents or information.
If the RBQ does not receive the items in time, it keeps the processing fees and refunds the duties. You then have to file a new application with new fees. The contractor forms warn that an incomplete application is returned. Check the list above before you send, and keep a copy of the whole package. For the rest of the path, see the guide to getting an RBQ licence.
FAQ
What documents do I need for an RBQ licence application?
The signed original form, photo ID (one per officer for a business), the original bond for a contractor, and a cheque for the exact amount. Depending on your situation, you add the certificate of constitution if there is no NEQ, the lender annex, the bankruptcy discharge certificate, an explanatory letter, a diploma or professional-file documents.
Can I apply for an RBQ licence online?
The RBQ forms and steps pages read on 1 October 2026 describe only mailing and filing in person in Montréal. They mention no online filing for a new application. Check the forms page before you send, in case that changes.
How do I pay for an RBQ licence application?
By mail, with a cheque or money order payable to the Minister of Finance or the RBQ; postdated cheques and cash are refused. In person, you can pay by debit card, credit card, cash, cheque or money order. The full amount is payable with the application.
How long does the RBQ take to process an application?
It states 60 days for a complete application, not counting the time it waits for documents from you or the time between the exam notice and the exam. On 1 October 2026 it said its delays were longer than usual and was processing regular applications received on 31 August 2026.
What happens if my application is incomplete?
The RBQ contacts you within 15 days and allows 21 days to send what is missing. After that, it keeps the processing fees, refunds the duties, and you must file a new application with new fees.
To be ready when the application is filed, the guarantor can gauge their 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. Processing delays are those published by the RBQ on that date and change often. Fees are the 2026 tariff.