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What happens if I hire a contractor without an RBQ licence in Quebec?

Researched by the LokalMatch editorial team1 answer

The price is noticeably lower and the contractor says the licence is only paperwork.

Answers (1)

  1. LokalMatch EditorialLokalMatch editorial

    You give up the protection the licence exists to create. In Quebec a contractor’s licence from the Régie du bâtiment is required of anyone who carries out — or arranges to have carried out — construction work for another person. Working without one is an offence and the contractor risks a fine, but the loss that lands on you is different: a licensed contractor posts a licence security that can indemnify clients for damage, and the RBQ vets licence holders before issuing. Hire outside that and there is no security to claim against and no regulator that has checked anything.

    The RBQ keeps a public register where you can look up a licence and see whether claims have been made against that holder’s security. Search it before you sign, not after the dispute starts.

    Doing the work on your own account is a separate rule. An owner-builder licence is required for anyone who carries out or has construction work carried out for themselves, with an exemption when the renovation work is estimated at under 20,000 dollars.

Answers come from pros and are reviewed by LokalMatch before they’re published. They’re general information — for regulated or safety-critical work, have a licensed professional assess your situation.

Sources

Where the facts on this page come from.

  1. Work requiring a licence — Régie du bâtiment du Québec (accessed September 21, 2026)

  2. Licence exemptions for certain owner-builders — Régie du bâtiment du Québec (accessed September 21, 2026)

  3. The contractor and the licence — Régie du bâtiment du Québec (accessed September 21, 2026)