How to check a contractor's RBQ licence: step by step.
Ask the contractor for a licence number, then enter it in the Régie du bâtiment du Québec's register of licence holders. This guide explains what to read in the file and what the RBQ says the licence means.
To check an RBQ licence: ask the contractor for their licence number, enter it in the RBQ's Licence holders' repertory, read the file, then make sure the name on your contract matches the name of the company that holds the licence.
The RBQ writes that hiring a contractor who holds a licence "provides you with a financial guarantee in the event of litigation". The quotes on this page come from the RBQ's own pages, listed at the end.
Four moves before you sign.
Ask for the number
The RBQ says to ask your contractor for their licence number.
Open the register
Enter that number in the Licence holders' repertory on the RBQ website.
Read the file
Company name, licence classes and subclasses, financial guarantee, claims.
Match it to the contract
The name on the contract should be the name of the company that holds the licence.
What a file in the register contains.
According to the RBQ, the Licence holders' repertory (French only) lists "all who hold a valid licence", whether you are looking for a general contractor, a specialized contractor or an owner-builder. Each file includes:
- ·Company name(s) and contact information
- ·Québec business number
- ·RBQ licence number
- ·Licence classes and subclasses
- ·Association or company providing financial guarantees
- ·Outstanding claims or claims paid, if applicable
- ·Licence restrictions for public works purposes, if applicable
- ·List of guarantors on a licence and their field(s) of qualification
The RBQ adds that the repertory "shows the number of licence security claims made against the contractor and the compensation paid to previous clients by the contractor's guarantor over the past 5 years".
"These claims mean the contractor breached the contract and failed to refund the client."
What the RBQ says about the licence.
In Québec, according to the RBQ, "all natural and legal persons that do home renovation work for you are required to hold a Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) licence".
The RBQ's licence page, which is in French, says it issues four licence categories: general contractor, specialized contractor, general owner-builder and specialized owner-builder (our translation). See La licence.
A valid licence is not the whole story: "In addition to holding a valid RBQ licence, your contractor must have the subclasses required for the contracted work." To link a subclass to a type of work, the RBQ offers a guide to determine the required licence (French) and a keyword index.
By choosing a contractor with a valid RBQ licence, the RBQ says you are dealing with a company:
- ·that offers licence security, an amount provided to compensate clients who have suffered harm based on set criteria and amounts
- ·that has passed the RBQ's verifications
- ·whose guarantor(s) passed their professional competency evaluation
The other checks the RBQ recommends.
The RBQ does not stop at the register. Its page Choosing a contractor lists six steps, including these:
- ·The Registre des entreprises du Québec (REQ). The RBQ says it shows whether the enterprise is registered, its address, when it was created, its officers' names and whether its declarations are up to date.
- ·The Office de la protection du consommateur (OPC). Its "Get Information About a Merchant" tool shows, among other things, whether the contractor has received formal notices from customers or whether the Office has intervened.
- ·References. The RBQ suggests asking people you know, or asking several contractors for references from past customers.
- ·At least three quotes. To compare on how well each contractor understands your needs, the detail, the materials, the schedule, the cost and the guarantees.
- ·A detailed written contract. The RBQ lists what it can include, among other things the contractor's RBQ licence number and Québec business number.
On the contract itself, the RBQ advises making sure the licence is valid at the time of signing, and checking that "the name on the contract matches the exact name of the company (pay attention to the abbreviations inc., ltée, etc.) holding the licence and that the licence number is indicated". See its page Signing a renovation contract.
An example to try: our own number.
Les Constructions PRO G2 Inc. holds RBQ licence 5854-3927-01, the number shown on our website. If you want to see what a file looks like, enter it in the register. Run the same check on any contractor you consider, us included.
Planning a project? See how we run a job on our page about a general contractor in Blainville (in French), or read our guides to bathroom renovation and home extensions, and see our basement finishing page.
RBQ licence: frequently asked questions
Where do I check an RBQ licence?
In the RBQ's Licence holders' repertory, reached from the Check a contractor's licence page of the RBQ website. You enter the contractor's licence number there. The register itself is in French.
Is an RBQ licence required for home renovation work?
According to the RBQ, yes: in Québec, all natural and legal persons that do home renovation work for you are required to hold a Régie du bâtiment du Québec licence.
Which licence does my project need?
The RBQ has a guide to determine the required licence (in French), a keyword index and a list of licence subclasses. It is the contractor who must hold the subclasses required for the contracted work.
What does a contractor's file in the register contain?
The company name and contact information, its Québec business number, its licence number, its classes and subclasses, the name of its guarantor, any claims or compensation paid, a possible restriction for public works and the list of guarantors on the licence.
What should I do if I have doubts or a problem with a contractor?
For information, to file a complaint or to make a report, the RBQ points to its Contact the RBQ page or to 1-800-361-0761. It also explains your options on its Find out how to take action page.
Does Les Constructions PRO G2 Inc. hold an RBQ licence?
Yes. Our number is RBQ 5854-3927-01. You can enter it in the RBQ register.
Official sources consulted
Pages of the Régie du bâtiment du Québec read on November 3, 2026. They may have changed since.
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