A subcontractor's documents: Revenu Québec attestation, CNESST and insurance

Why you are asked for these documents

Each document protects someone against a risk that the law or the contract has clearly identified:

• RBQ licence. Giving work to an unlicensed subcontractor exposes the contractor to prosecution, the RBQ (Régie du bâtiment du Québec) warns. See how to check a licence in the registry.
• Revenu Québec attestation. For the construction contracts covered, it is a legal obligation on both sides, with penalties for non-compliance.
• CNESST compliance. An employer who hires another employer could have to pay the premium the latter did not pay.
• CCQ. The status letter (lettre d'état de situation) helps assess the risk of a joint and several liability claim for wages owed to workers (section 54 of the R-20 Act).
• Liability insurance. It covers damage the work might cause; the RBQ's renovation contract template expressly provides for it.

The table at a glance

The Revenu Québec attestation, step by step

Revenu Québec announces that starting in November 2026, a hyperlink will be included in the attestation to make verification easier. The contract must be covered: performed in Quebec, for work requiring an RBQ licence, and reaching $25,000 (taxes not included) on its own or combined with contracts already signed between the same parties. An emergency involving the safety of people or property is an exception. Check with Revenu Québec.

The CNESST: three services, three moments

• Before the contract: compliance validation. The contractor immediately obtains proof that their insurance file is compliant, usable for a bid. If the file is not compliant, they know the reasons and the steps to take right away. Only the contractor can use this service.
• During the contract: compliance status follow-up. The principal employer and the contractor receive any changes in compliance.
• At the end of the contract: certificate of compliance. It releases the principal employer from any liability to pay the premium owed by the contractor. If the principal employer requests it, the contractor has 14 days to approve the contract details or object to them.

A compliant file requires, among other things, filing the Statement of Wages before March 15, making periodic payments and paying the premium when due or respecting a payment agreement.

An employer must register with the CNESST within 60 days of their first worker's first day of work. If you hire another employer or a self-employed worker for part of the contract, keep the documents used for the request. Check with the CNESST.

Liability insurance and the CCQ

On insurance, the RBQ states that licence applicants will have to hold liability insurance whose nature and coverage will be set by regulation; its page presents this requirement as "upcoming" and says it will come into force when the regulation is adopted. In the meantime, contracts are what require it: the RBQ's renovation contract template has the contractor confirm that they hold civil liability insurance adequate for the work, covering subcontractors and the client, with the insurer's name and the policy number. Ask your insurer or broker for an up-to-date certificate and confirm what the policy covers for your trade.

On the CCQ side, two tools come in. A construction employer must hire workers who hold a competency certificate issued by the CCQ (Commission de la construction du Québec): see our guide on the CCQ competency card. The status letter, for its part, is a service for registered employers. The CCQ specifies that it is only a service and in no way constitutes a waiver of the remedies provided by law.

Simple tracking so you are never caught off guard

1. Create a single digital folder, with one file per document, named with its end date.
2. Put each end date in a calendar with a reminder one month before, wherever you plan your job sites: a calendar, a spreadsheet or project management software such as SubmitX.
3. Attach the complete folder to each bid, so the general contractor doesn't have to ask for it again.
4. Replace each document as soon as it is renewed, in the shared folder too.
5. On the contractor's side, keep a record of each verification, with its date: Revenu Québec lets you consult the mandatory verifications of the last three years in My Account.
6. Review the folder before each new contract: what was valid for the last one may no longer be.

Where SubmitX Network fits in

SubmitX Network, a construction network for Quebec, does not store these documents and does not replace any of these checks. Its role is to make the connection easier: a directory of profiles (companies, subcontractors, suppliers and others) searchable by region, trade and radius. A profile's RBQ licence number is compared with the public registry of active licences, which is not the same as an approval by the RBQ. To find and choose a subcontractor, read our guide.

None of the 17 administrative regions is open yet; the waitlist is active. Sign-up is free and requires no SubmitX account. You can join the waitlist and prepare your profile; the paperwork in this article is still exchanged directly between partners.