Tools · Contractor rules by province

Hiring a contractor in Quebec: the rules

Quebec is the counter-example: an RBQ licence is mandatory for anyone doing construction work for others, renovations included, and the licence number must appear in advertising. The register check is the answer, and a contractor who solicits or signs at your home generally may not take any payment during your 10 day cancellation window.

Rules verified against the statute and the regulator's pages on 2026-07-17.

What applies at your job value

Pick your province and a rough job value. The requirements that apply at that value appear below, with the official source behind each one. Your signed contract governs, not the estimate.

Choose a province and a value to see the requirements that apply at that size of job.

The rules, cited

Deposit rules

No statute caps the deposit amount, but the consumer protection rules do something stronger for contracts solicited or signed at your home: the contractor is an itinerant merchant and generally may not require or accept any payment during the 10 day cancellation period. New home deposits are protected by the mandatory GCR plan up to $50,000.

Office de la protection du consommateur: terms of payment for renovations (opens in new tab) · GCR: new home deposit protection (opens in new tab)

  • The RBQ register is in French; the licence number and categories are readable without translation, and the licence number must match the contractor's advertising.
  • Work you do yourself on your own principal residence is the main exemption from the licence requirement.

Check before you pay

Check a contractor's RBQ licence (opens in new tab) is the official place to start. Then see the public evidence we hold: check the business by name or see the public register entries we have found, and browse contractors with public evidence.

Common questions

How much deposit should I pay a contractor in Quebec?

No statute caps the deposit amount, but the consumer protection rules do something stronger for contracts solicited or signed at your home: the contractor is an itinerant merchant and generally may not require or accept any payment during the 10 day cancellation period. New home deposits are protected by the mandatory GCR plan up to $50,000.

Does a contractor need a licence in Quebec?

An RBQ licence is mandatory for anyone who carries out construction work for another person, explicitly including renovation, repair and modification of residential buildings. The licence number must appear in the contractor's advertising. The register also shows bond claims over the last five years.

What are my cancellation rights in Quebec?

A contractor who solicits you or signs at your home is an itinerant merchant even if they came at your request: you can cancel within 10 days of receiving your signed copy, no reason or fee needed, and the window extends up to one year when the merchant lacked the required permit or the contract was deficient.

What protects the money if it goes wrong in Quebec?

New homes carry the mandatory GCR plan: deposits protected to $50,000 and, after acceptance, coverage up to $300,000 for a single family home, with 1 year apparent defect, 3 year latent defect and 5 year major defect coverage that transfers to later owners. Renovations fall back on the licence bond, the consumer protection rules and the courts.

This is guidance from the public rules, not legal advice. Provincial law changes and your signed contract governs the details. Check the regulator's current page before you sign or pay anything.

More ways to check who to trust

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  • Check Before You Hire

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