In Québec, construction work done for others requires an RBQ licence, renovation included. There is no category of "minor work". The exceptions cover activities that are not construction, an owner-builder (constructeur-propriétaire) under $20,000 (2026 fee), personal use, and a few cases in the regulation. Electrical, gas and petroleum work stay reserved.
The general rule: work for others needs a licence
The Building Act (Loi sur le bâtiment, B-1.1) forbids acting as a construction contractor (entrepreneur), using that title or leading others to believe you are one without a valid licence (s. 46). Section 7 defines a contractor as a person who carries out construction work for others, or bids on it. According to the RBQ, a person who does this work for others, for their own profit, is a contractor and must hold the licence.
Section 9 counts foundation, erection, renovation, repair, maintenance, modification and demolition work as construction. According to the RBQ, a natural person who does renovation, repair or maintenance for an owner, for profit, always needs a contractor licence in the applicable subclass or subclasses, even where the CCQ rules do not apply to them.
- No threshold for contractors. Neither the Act nor regulation B-1.1, r. 9 uses the words "minor work" or "small work" (texts checked on 1 October 2026). The only licence threshold based on the estimated cost of the work in the regulation (s. 11.1) is for the owner-builder, not for a contractor working for a client. No official page we checked publishes an amount under which a contractor is exempt from a licence.
- No unlicensed subcontracting. Section 46 also forbids a contractor from using the services of another contractor who does not hold the required licence.
Activities that are not construction work
The RBQ cites activities that are not construction work and so do not need a contractor licence. Among them:
- concrete pumping;
- professional consulting;
- de-icing and snow removal;
- delivery of materials;
- tree felling;
- inspections of all kinds;
- grass cutting, including along public roads;
- rock excavation in a quarry;
- temporary water supply;
- work at a mobile asphalt, concrete or crushing plant.
More examples are on the RBQ page Travaux ne nécessitant pas de licence (opens in a new tab). If your activity is not on it, check with the RBQ.
Cleaning and janitorial work that is mainly about keeping a building clean, such as washing walls or waxing floors, does not need a licence either (RBQ FAQ).
Exclusions in the Act and exemptions in the regulation
Section 42 of the Act excludes six cases from the licence chapter:
| Excluded case | Condition |
|---|---|
| Construction work on a farm | A farm usually developed by the operator or by fewer than three continuously hired employees |
| Maintenance or repair | Done by employees who usually do it or who work in production at an establishment, hired directly by an employer that is not a contractor |
| Municipal works | Water, sewer, sidewalk and paving work done by municipal employees |
| Mining work | Done by the mine’s employees |
| Forestry work | Done by the forestry company’s employees |
| Power transmission lines | Done by the electricity distributor’s employees |
Regulation B-1.1, r. 9 also has a section of exemptions (ss. 11.1 to 11.10), added by decree 38-2026. Among these exemptions:
- certain public bodies may act as contractors in defined cases, such as emergencies for a municipal body or teaching and research for a college or university; in an emergency, a municipal body may not, however, do work on an electrical, gas or petroleum equipment installation (s. 11.4);
- a local municipality, an MRC or a metropolitan community that builds a road, street or path (s. 11.5);
- a contractor who finishes or corrects work at the request of the administrator of an approved guarantee plan does not need subclass 1.1.1 or 1.1.2, if they hold the subclass required for a building not covered by a guarantee plan (s. 11.7);
- a bankruptcy trustee or liquidator who has the work finished by a contractor holding the right licence (s. 11.8).
Owner-builders and the $20,000 threshold (2026 fee)
An owner-builder (constructeur-propriétaire) does construction work on their own account (s. 7). They normally need an owner-builder licence (s. 48), except in the cases below. See also the owner-builder licence page.
Renovation, repair or maintenance: the project threshold
Section 11.1 of the regulation exempts the owner-builder for renovation, repair or maintenance of their own property estimated at less than $20,000 (2026 fee). According to the RBQ:
- the $20,000 threshold (2026 fee) applies to each construction project;
- if labour is volunteer or materials are free, you must estimate their dollar value in the calculation;
- one building can have several independent projects under the threshold in the same year, but you cannot split a project;
- the exemption covers renovation, repair and maintenance, and excludes modification work such as moving a wall;
- it does not cover electrical, gas or petroleum equipment installations;
- an owner-builder, licensed or not, must declare any plumbing work.
Single-family house or structure for personal use
Section 49 of the Act gives two cases where no owner-builder licence is required: the person has the work done by a licensed contractor whose main activity is organizing or coordinating work done by others, or they are a natural person doing work on a single-family house or a structure for personal or family use.
According to the RBQ, this second exemption covers a natural person only. The house must shelter that person or their family, with no business, no lodging and no income. If you build to sell, you are presumed to be a contractor and need a contractor licence. If you build to rent, you need an owner-builder licence.
Other cases, according to the RBQ
- An owner-builder whose work is all done by a general contractor holding a valid licence needs no licence.
- An owner-builder needs no licence for work in the schedule III subclasses (annexe III).
- Maintenance or repair done in your own building by employees who usually do it is exempt whatever the amount, but not for electrical or gas work.
Exceptions: electrical, gas and petroleum work
This work stays under licence even when an exemption applies elsewhere:
- Electrical. Section 42 keeps the licence chapter for work on an electrical or gas installation, except for mine and power-line employees. According to the RBQ, only electrical contractors (subclass 16) may do this work with their qualified staff. A general or specialized contractor cannot have its own employees do it, even if they hold the electrical competency card.
- Plumbing and heating. According to the RBQ, only master pipe mechanics (subclasses 15.1 to 15.5) may do work on a plumbing or heating system with their qualified staff. Qualification for these subclasses is handled by the CMMTQ, and for subclass 16 by the CMEQ (see the glossary).
- Gas, petroleum and electrical work by an individual. Section 49 of the Act forbids a natural person from doing work on a gas, petroleum equipment or electrical installation unless they are a contractor.
- Petroleum. Installing petroleum equipment is subclass 1.8. The RBQ publishes a few exemptions from subclass 1.8 for contractors and owner-builders: erecting an outdoor above-ground tank not piped to an appliance or another tank, with a capacity under 2,500 L (gasoline, fuel ethanol, aviation fuel) or under 5,000 L (diesel, biodiesel, heating oil); erecting or removing an outdoor factory-built unit within the same limits; and assembling, maintaining, repairing or modifying an appliance that is part of a petroleum installation.
Should you get licensed anyway?
If you work for clients, you need one, apart from the non-construction activities above. There is no "renovation" subclass: renovation falls under the subclass for the type of work or building. Under the regulation, the licence is general if your main activity is organizing, coordinating or having work carried out (s. 4), and specialized if it is carrying out work in the specialized subclasses (s. 7). The full comparison is in the difference between a general and a specialized contractor.
| If you do | Subclass | Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Painting, floor, wall and ceiling coverings | 9, finishing work | III |
| Insulation, waterproofing, roofing, exterior cladding | 7 | III |
| Excavation and earthwork | 2.5 | III |
| Finish carpentry | 6.2 | III |
| Wood structures | 6.1 | II |
| Plumbing | 15.5 | II |
| Electricity | 16 | II |
The schedule III subclasses have no execution exam, but the other exams of the contractor path still apply. Details are in the article on subclasses and exams.
An RBQ licence does not replace a CCQ card. The RBQ states that workforce competence is the CCQ’s responsibility, not its own.
Steps, costs and exams: how to become a general contractor in Québec. Full path: RBQ licence guide.
FAQ
Can you do renovation or painting without an RBQ licence?
For a client, no: renovation is construction work and painting falls under subclass 9. On your own property you may be exempt, for example under the owner-builder threshold of $20,000 (2026 fee), on the conditions described above.
Is there an amount under which a contractor does not need a licence?
No official page we checked publishes one. The only licence threshold based on the estimated cost of the work in the regulation, $20,000 (2026 fee), applies to an owner-builder working on their own property, not to a contractor working for a client.
Who needs an RBQ licence?
A contractor who carries out or has carried out construction work for others, and an owner-builder who does it on their own account, unless an exemption applies.
Can a homeowner do their own electrical or gas work?
No. Under section 49 of the Act, a natural person cannot do work on an electrical, gas or petroleum equipment installation unless they are a contractor. For plumbing, an owner-builder must declare the work to the RBQ.
What is the risk of working without a licence?
The Act forbids acting as a contractor without a valid licence. We cover penalties in the article penalties for working without an RBQ licence.
If you decide to get licensed, you can gauge your level with the free timed practice exam on RBQexam. RBQexam is not affiliated with the Régie du bâtiment du Québec.
Information current to 1 October 2026 (Building Act current to 10 June 2026, regulation B-1.1, r. 9 current to 1 May 2026). Thresholds and amounts: 2026 fee.