Construction Contractor Incorporation in Quebec (2026): Incorporate Before the RBQ License
A construction contractor should incorporate before applying for their RBQ license: the license is not transferable, and a change of NEQ requires a full new application — fees and processing times paid twice. Incorporating your company costs $497 all-in with Incorp-Québec (the $397 government fee included); the license is then applied for in its name.
Each trade has its own rules. See our guide for the incorporated trucker and our CAE code guide to declare the right activity with the Registrar.
Why incorporate before applying for your RBQ license?
Because the RBQ license is not transferable. Moving from a sole proprietorship to a share capital company changes your NEQ in the Register of Enterprises, and the RBQ then requires a new license application, "even if you already hold one." Incorporating first saves you from paying the fees twice and going through the processing time twice.
The RBQ's Change of legal status page confirms this: it isn't a file modification, but a complete application — new fees, a bond issued in the company's name, and the full processing time.
The RBQ's own official path points the same way: choosing the company's legal form and registering it with the Register of Enterprises are steps 2 and 3 of its process, well before filing the license application. The organization itself, therefore, places incorporation before the license file.
The good news if you already hold a license as a natural person: your qualifying representative doesn't have to requalify. The RBQ recognizes competencies already demonstrated — same qualifying representative, same subcategories, no new exams. But the application itself starts from zero. Our guide When should you incorporate in Quebec? digs into the timing question; in construction, the short answer is: before the license application.
Which license subcategory applies to the general contractor or renovator?
For residential renovation, it's generally subcategory 1.2 — Small building contractor (at most 3 storeys and 600 m² of building area). The general contractor who wants to bid on projects of any size instead applies for subcategory 1.3 — Buildings of any kind. New residential construction sold under a guarantee plan additionally requires GCR accreditation.
| Subcategory | Work covered | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1.1 / 1.1.2 — New residential buildings (class I / II) | New residential buildings covered by a guarantee plan | GCR accreditation mandatory in addition to the license |
| 1.2 — Small buildings | Buildings of at most 3 storeys and 600 m² of building area | The typical subcategory for the residential renovation contractor |
| 1.3 — Buildings of any kind | Everything covered by 1.2, plus larger-scale buildings | The choice for the general contractor who doesn't want to be limited |
Your company will also need to designate a qualifying representative (répondant): an officer whose competencies the RBQ assesses in up to four areas — administration, job-site safety management, project and job-site management, and execution of construction work. Three paths lead to qualification: passing the RBQ exams ($105.27 per exam), completing recognized training, or having your experience recognized through a professional file.
When you register, you'll also declare the company's economic activity: for general contracting and renovation, the codes used are generally found in the 4011 to 4013 and 4021 to 4024 series. Our CAE code guide explains how to pick the right code the first time.
The steps in order: from the company to the first job site
The order of the steps is dictated by the organizations themselves: the RBQ wants an NEQ before the license application, and the CCQ requires an RBQ license number for registration. So you incorporate the company first, then move on. Absolute rule: the company cannot carry out any regulated work until it holds its own license.
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Incorporate the share capital company. Articles of incorporation filed with the Registrar ($397 government fee, included in our packages), NEQ, initial declaration at no charge — see our incorporation steps. Next come the business bank account, the minute book and, every year, the annual updating declaration with the Register of Enterprises, along with $106 in rights.
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Apply for the RBQ license in the company's name. A qualified representative, a license bond of $40,000 (general subcategories) or $20,000 (specialized) issued in the company's name, and a fee of $1,291.69 (general subcategories) — details in the RBQ fee schedule. Advertised processing time: 60 days, not counting time spent waiting for documents or taking exams; as of summer 2026, the RBQ was processing regular applications received in early June.
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Register with the CCQ if your work is subject to the R-20 Act. CCQ registration requires the NEQ and the RBQ license number — impossible to do before step 2 — and related fees of $350.
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Register with the CNESST. Registration is mandatory within 60 days of your first worker's first day on the job, and is possible up to 30 days in advance. Average 2026 premium rate: $1.54 per $100 of payroll; the actual rate depends on your classification unit, and is noticeably higher in construction.
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Handle taxes and source deductions. GST/QST registration is generally mandatory once you exceed $30,000 in taxable supplies over four calendar quarters (our GST/QST calculator gives the rates), along with source deductions starting from the first salary paid — including your own.
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Get the Revenu Québec attestation when needed. It is required for public contracts of $25,000 or more and, in private subcontracting, as soon as your contracts with the same contractor reach $25,000 before taxes cumulated within the calendar year; the client must verify its authenticity with Revenu Québec.
Your construction company for $497, government fees included
A form that takes about 20 minutes, articles of incorporation prepared and verified, a direct filing with the Registrar of Enterprises — so your RBQ license application starts off on the right foot, in the name of the right entity.
CCQ: once incorporated, you become the employer — and the employee — of your company
On job sites subject to the R-20 Act, incorporation changes your status: self-employed contractor (entrepreneur autonome) status is reserved for specialized licenses and minor maintenance, repair and renovation work. An incorporated general contractor therefore operates as an employer with the CCQ — and you become an employee of your own company.
This shift is actually one of the structural advantages of incorporating in construction: a natural person cannot be an employee of their own sole proprietorship, but the director of a legal person can be an employee of their company. That's what lets you, once incorporated, pay yourself a salary and do hands-on work on your own job sites — provided you hold a competency certificate issued by the CCQ.
In concrete terms, as an employer registered with the CCQ:
- you file the monthly report (labour and hours worked by sector);
- you declare any change to your file within 30 days;
- your employees on regulated job sites hold a competency certificate (journeyman, occupation or apprentice);
- and on the CNESST side, a company officer is not automatically covered: personal protection is optional and must be requested.
How much does it cost to incorporate a construction contractor in 2026?
Incorporation is the cheapest part of getting started: $497 all-in with Incorp-Québec, the $397 government fee included. The real expense is the RBQ license: $1,291.69 at application for general subcategories, a $40,000 bond to provide through a surety, then $989.81 in maintenance each year.
| Item (2026) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Incorp-Québec — Essential (numbered company, articles of incorporation, initial declaration, $397 government fee included) | $497 all-in |
| Incorp-Québec — Complete (+ official name, GST/QST registrations and source deductions, express service) | $697 all-in |
| Name reservation (optional) | $27 |
| Annual rights payable to the Registrar (recurring) | $106 per year |
| RBQ license — new application, general subcategories | $1,291.69 ($1,698.84 for priority processing) |
| RBQ license — new application, specialized only | $849.41 |
| RBQ license — annual maintenance | $989.81 (general) or $547.53 (specialized) |
| Qualifying representative exams | $105.27 per exam |
| License bond | $40,000 (general) or $20,000 (specialized), provided by a surety — annual premium depending on the market |
| CCQ registration | $350 |
| CNESST | Premium based on payroll (2026 average rate: $1.54 per $100; higher in construction) |
RBQ amounts are not taxable and are indexed every January 1. Worth watching: two draft regulations published for comment on February 25, 2026 propose raising the license bond to $60,000 (general) and $30,000 (specialized). These are proposals — they are not in force, and no effective date has been announced. See also our incorporation cost guide and our online incorporation in Quebec page for an overview of our packages.
The pitfalls that cost incorporating contractors dearly
The costliest mistakes in construction have nothing to do with taxation: they come down to the order of the steps and the corporate structure. Here are the five most common — all avoidable by incorporating at the right time, in the name of the right entity.
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Qualifying as a natural person, then incorporating. This is the central trap of this guide: a new license application is mandatory despite your existing license. You pay the fees twice, provide a new bond in the company's name, and go back to the end of the queue. Only the qualifying representative's exams don't have to be retaken.
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Putting the company to work before it holds ITS OWN license. The natural person's license does not cover the company. Carrying out work without a license is an offence under the Building Act — fines that run into the tens of thousands of dollars, indexed annually and doubled on a repeat offence — and it can jeopardize your contractual recourses.
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Ignoring the CCQ shift. Self-employed contractor status (specialized license, minor work only) no longer applies as such once a general contractor incorporates: you become an employer, with a competency certificate and monthly reports to plan for from day one.
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Believing the Revenu Québec attestation threshold is "per contract." It's a $25,000 cumulative amount per calendar year with the same client. Once the threshold is crossed, every subsequent contract between the same two parties is covered, regardless of its amount.
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Forgetting that the company is a new legal person. The officer is not automatically covered by the CNESST (personal protection is optional). And the legal hypothec on immovables for construction is neither better nor worse with incorporation: it protects the entity that signed the contract. Your contracts must therefore be in the company's name — and the notice, registered in the land register within 30 days of the end of the work, is a strict deadline.
FAQ — Construction contractor incorporation in Quebec
Is my RBQ license transferable to my new company?
No. The RBQ is clear: a change of legal status triggers a change of NEQ, and you must then submit a new license application, even if you already hold one. That is why you incorporate the company first, then apply for the license in its name.
Does my qualifying representative have to retake their exams after incorporation?
No. The RBQ recognizes competencies already demonstrated: if the same qualifying representative qualifies for the same subcategories, they do not have to retake the exams. The new license application, with its fees and full processing time, remains mandatory, however.
How much does the RBQ license cost in 2026?
$1,291.69 for a new application covering general subcategories ($849.41 for specialized subcategories only), plus $105.27 per exam for the qualifying representative and a license bond of $40,000 or $20,000 provided by a surety. Annual maintenance then costs $989.81 (general) or $547.53 (specialized).
How long does it take to get the RBQ license?
The RBQ advertises a 60-day processing time, which excludes periods spent waiting for documents and exams. In practice, as of summer 2026, it was processing regular applications received in early June — so plan on several months between incorporating the company and your first job site.
Which license subcategory applies to residential renovation?
Generally subcategory 1.2 (small buildings: at most 3 storeys and 600 m² of building area). Subcategory 1.3 covers buildings of any kind. Subcategories 1.1.1 and 1.1.2 apply to new residential construction under a guarantee plan and additionally require GCR accreditation.
Do I need to register with the CCQ if I work alone on my job sites?
Yes, as soon as your work is subject to the R-20 Act. Self-employed contractor status is reserved for specialized licenses and minor work: an incorporated general contractor operates as an employer, becomes an employee of their own company, and must hold a competency certificate.
Once incorporated, can I pay myself a salary and work on my own job sites?
Yes. This is actually an advantage specific to incorporation: the director of a legal person can be an employee of their own company, which is impossible for a sole proprietorship. For work subject to the R-20 Act, you need a competency certificate issued by the CCQ.
When do I need the Revenu Québec attestation?
For any public contract of $25,000 or more, and for private subcontracting as soon as your contracts with the same contractor reach $25,000 before taxes, cumulated within the same calendar year. Once that threshold is crossed, every subsequent contract with that client is covered.
Do I need civil liability insurance to obtain the RBQ license?
No. The RBQ requires a license bond ($40,000 for general subcategories, $20,000 for specialized ones), not liability insurance. In practice, clients commonly require it by contract anyway — it's a commercial requirement, not a condition for issuing the license.
How much does it cost to incorporate a construction contractor in 2026?
At minimum $397 in government fees if you do it yourself. With Incorp-Québec, $497 all-in (government fees, articles of incorporation, initial declaration, numbered company) or $697 with an official name, GST/QST registrations and source deductions, and express service. After that, $106 in annual rights payable to the Registrar. Details in our cost guide.
Ready to structure your construction business?
The winning sequence fits in one line: company first, license second. That way you pay the license fees only once, and your bond as well as your bids carry the right name. We prepare the documents for the first step — the rest of the path is yours.
Your construction contractor incorporation — $497 all-in
A form that takes about 20 minutes, articles of incorporation, initial declaration with the REQ, and the $397 government fee included. Your company and its NEQ, ready for your RBQ license application.
Incorp-Québec is an incorporation document preparation service: our role is to prepare and file your company's articles of incorporation ($497 all-in). The steps with the RBQ, the CCQ, the CNESST and Revenu Québec are carried out by you; for questions about licensing, qualification or taxation, consult the relevant organizations or a professional.