Yes, you can get a licence from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) without sitting a given exam, but only in the two cases set out in section 20 of the regulation: you completed an RBQ-recognized training program for that subject, or you acted as a guarantor (répondant) in the same field in the 5 years before your application. Since January 2023, only training certificates issued from 2014 onward are accepted. There is no general exemption for "experience" or for a diploma the RBQ does not recognize.
Here is how each route works, and the cases where an exam simply does not apply to your licence.
Two ways to be exempted from an exam
Section 20 of the Regulation respecting the professional qualification of contractors and owner-builders (CQLR, c. B-1.1, r. 9) provides two exemptions:
- An RBQ-recognized training program tied to the subject of the exam and, for the carrying out of construction work, to the subclass (sous-catégorie) you are requesting.
- Guarantor experience in the matching field during the 5 years before the application.
The same section says an exemption obtained through a false statement is cancelled, with a one-year bar.
Exemptions work exam by exam. Being exempted from the Administration exam does not exempt you from Safety Management or from Project and Site Management.
Recognized training programs (APCHQ, ACQ, APECQ)
The RBQ publishes the list of programs it recognizes. As of September 2026, the list includes programs from the ACQ, the APCHQ and the APECQ, plus the AMQ (online programs for Administration, Safety Management and Project Management, added in June 2025). The associations themselves market these courses as a way to be exempted from the RBQ exams.
Before you enrol, check three things on the RBQ recognized programs page (opens in a new tab):
- the program replaces the exam you need (Administration, safety, project management or carrying out of construction work);
- for the carrying out of work, it matches your subclass;
- you will receive a certificate (attestation) when you finish.
To compare recognized training, prep courses and practice exams, see our guide to RBQ courses in English.
What recognition of a training program costs (2026 fee)
Having a training program recognized is not free on the RBQ side. The 2026 fee table sets $105.27 per training program to recognize, the same amount as an exam. This is on top of what you pay the association for the course.
Only certificates issued from 2014 count
Since January 2023, the RBQ only accepts certificates issued from 2014 onward, whatever the program code or the expiry date printed on the certificate. A 2012 or 2013 certificate no longer exempts you, even if it looks valid.
This rule comes from the RBQ’s recognized programs page. It is not written in section 20.
Guarantor in the same field within 5 years
The second route is for people who have already acted as guarantor for a licence. "Guarantor" is the official English term for répondant: the person who qualifies the business. If you were a guarantor in the matching field during the 5 years before your application, you are exempted from that field’s exam.
Two points:
- The field has to match. Being a guarantor for administration does not cover safety.
- The 5 years are counted back from the date of the application.
No exemption for a single module of the safety exam
Some ASP Construction courses used to exempt candidates from one module of the safety exam. According to the RBQ FAQ, that ended with the current regulation: there is no longer any exemption by module. You need a complete recognized program.
One nuance: the second paragraph of section 20, on guarantor experience, still provides for an exemption from an exam or a module. The FAQ’s end of module exemptions is about training.
Filing a certificate without waiting 4 months
After failing a retake, you normally wait 4 months before you can be admitted to the same exam again (see the RBQ exam retake rules). The RBQ FAQ says a certificate from a recognized program can be filed without waiting that period, and it then exempts you from the exam.
This is worth knowing if you have failed twice and would rather take the program than wait.
Careful: a certificate on its own is not kept
A passed exam stays valid for 5 years, even if no licence is issued. A training certificate gives no acquired right if it is filed and no licence is issued, according to the RBQ. File it with an application you intend to complete.
Exams that do not apply to your licence
Some people search for "no exam" when the exam does not apply to them anyway:
| Situation | Exam not required | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Schedule III subclasses (annexe III) | No carrying-out-of-work exam | B-1.1, r. 9, s. 11.9 (opens in a new tab) and RBQ list (opens in a new tab) |
| Owner-builder (constructeur-propriétaire), general or specialized | No Administration exam | B-1.1, r. 9, s. 11.2 (opens in a new tab) |
| Specialized owner-builder | No Project and Site Management exam | B-1.1, r. 9, s. 11.2 (opens in a new tab) |
| Complete recognized training | The matching exam | Recognized programs (opens in a new tab) |
| Guarantor in the field within the last 5 years | That field’s exam | B-1.1, r. 9, s. 20 (opens in a new tab) |
A contractor (entrepreneur), general or specialized, still has to pass, or be exempted from, Administration, Safety Management and Project and Site Management. To see which exams apply to your case, read the general contractor, specialized contractor or owner-builder pages.
For the other shortcuts offered online, such as buying or renting a licence, see what is allowed and what is not.
What about the professional file?
The RBQ fee table lists another type of competency assessment, the professional file (dossier professionnel), at $877.49 per management field or per subclass (2026 fee). It is not one of the two section 20 exemptions, and we do not cover its conditions here. Ask the RBQ before choosing that route.
FAQ
Can I get an RBQ licence with no exam at all?
Only if every exam your licence requires is covered by an exemption (recognized training, or guarantor experience within 5 years) or does not apply to you, such as the carrying-out-of-work exam for Schedule III subclasses.
Is my 2013 certificate still good?
No. Since January 2023, the RBQ only accepts certificates issued from 2014 onward, whatever expiry date is printed on them.
Does an ASP Construction course exempt me from one module?
No. According to the RBQ FAQ, there is no longer any exemption by module; you need a complete recognized program.
What does recognition of a training program cost?
$105.27 per program in 2026, on top of the course price. RBQ fees are indexed every January 1.
After two failures, do I have to wait 4 months to file a certificate?
No. According to the RBQ FAQ, a certificate from a recognized program can be filed without waiting the 4 months.
If you sit the exam instead of taking a recognized program, you can check your level with RBQexam’s free timed practice exam. 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.