Checking an RBQ licence in the registry: step by step, and what "valid" does not tell you

What the registry record shows

The Licence Holder Registry is the public tool of the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ), Quebec's building authority. You can search it by company name or by licence number, a 10-digit number that the contractor must be able to give you. According to the RBQ, a company without a licence does not appear in it.

According to the RBQ, the registry lists the holders of a valid licence. It also shows the number of claims against the bond and the compensation paid over the last five years. Here is how to read the main elements:

Checking a licence in six steps

For bond amounts, licence fees and the list of subcategories, see our article on subcategories and bonding. This guide focuses on reading the record.

What "valid" does not tell you

• That the licence covers your work. A valid licence may not include the subcategory you need.
• That the person in front of you is the holder. Hence the comparison between the name on the contract and the one in the registry.
• That the contractor is insured. A licence and liability insurance are two different things. The RBQ's model renovation contract contains a clause where the contractor confirms its policy, with the insurer's name and the policy number. The RBQ's page on the amendments to the Building Act also presents a liability insurance requirement as "upcoming", tied to a regulation not yet adopted as of the date consulted.
• That the work will be done well. The licence reflects exams, a bond and financial probity assessed by the RBQ, not the quality of a specific job.
• That the other paperwork is in order. Revenu Québec, the CNESST and the CCQ have their own checks: see a subcontractor's documents.
• That a new home is protected. For new residential construction, accreditation with Garantie de construction résidentielle (GCR) is mandatory and can be checked in its directory of accredited companies.

When to check, depending on your situation

You are a homeowner

• Before requesting quotes, to rule out unlicensed candidates from the start.
• Just before signing, with the record open in front of you.
• For a job lasting several months, before a large payment, because a status can change along the way.

You are a general contractor

• Before assigning a work package: the RBQ requires you to check the subcontractor's categories and subcategories in the registry.
• For every new contract, even with a regular subcontractor.
• On an ongoing basis: the RBQ offers a newsletter on restricted, suspended or cancelled licences.

You hold a licence

• Each year, pay the maintenance fees: a licence whose fees are not paid by the due date ceases to have effect, and the RBQ sends a notice of assessment 60 days before the due date.
• Keep your file up to date: failing to notify the RBQ of changes exposes you to suspension or cancellation.
• Display your number everywhere the law requires it, including your quotes. Check that your software's quote template, whether SubmitX or another tool, includes it.

Three additional free checks

• The Quebec Enterprise Register shows the NEQ, the registration status, the names used, the addresses of establishments and the directors. According to the RBQ, a contractor working alone may not have a file there: consult it for free.
• The Office de la protection du consommateur's "Get information about a merchant" tool shows some of the Office's interventions, formal notices sent and permits held. It does not cover all merchants: open the tool.
• The GCR directory, for a new house or condo: it shows the accreditation status, the number of job sites, the non-compliances found and the claims on file. See the GCR website.

For the next steps of a residential project, our article on the risks of dealing with a contractor without an RBQ licence explains why this step matters.

Where SubmitX Network fits in

SubmitX Network is a construction network for Quebec: a directory of profiles searchable by region, trade and radius. It also relies on this registry. The licence number entered in a profile is compared with the RBQ's public registry of active licences: a number that exists is shown as "found in the registry". The "verified" label only appears if the sign-up email is the company's email in the registry or an address on its domain.

This is neither an RBQ approval nor a quality guarantee: even once a region opens, redo the checks above. For the difference between the two labels, see verified or found in the registry. To date, none of the 17 regions is open: the waiting list is active. If you have a construction or renovation project, you can sign up for free: an individual sees the profiles and chooses who to contact.