Quebec home inspector certificate: what the RBQ regulation requires by October 1, 2027

The rules come from the Regulation respecting the regulation of residential building inspectors for inspections in the context of a real estate transaction, known in French as the REIBH (chapter B-1.1, r. 3.1). It stems from the law passed in December 2019 that gave the RBQ the power to regulate building inspection. This guide summarizes what the regulation requires of you, citing the relevant section each time; the regulation and the RBQ's own pages are authoritative.

Key dates

Class 1 or class 2?

The certificate carries a class, which sets the buildings you may inspect (s. 4). Most residential pre-purchase inspections fall under class 1.

Two paths to the certificate

The regular path: an ACS based on the standard

The permanent path requires an attestation of college studies (ACS) in building inspection based on Standard BNQ 3009-500, of at least 600 hours, with a theoretical and a practical component (s. 5). On its certificate page, the RBQ publishes the list of training programs that meet the regulatory requirements (in French).

The transitional path, until August 2, 2027

For practising inspectors who do not have that ACS, the regulation provides a transitional path (ss. 44 and 45). It closes on August 2, 2027.

• You began an ACS in building inspection in 2020 or later: pass the refresher training.
• You have no ACS, or began it before 2020: pass the refresher training and show at least 3 years of experience in the last 5 years for class 1, or 5 years in the last 8 years for class 2.
• For class 2: the specialized ACS in large building inspection is required in every case; with an ACS begun in 2020 or later, you also need 2 years of insurance coverage since completing it.

The key point: experience is not declared, it is proven with insurance certificates — general liability or errors and omissions — that specifically cover your duties as a residential building inspector. If your past certificates are buried in old emails, that is the first file to rebuild.

The refresher training lasts at least 30 hours: 20 hours on the requirements of Standard BNQ 3009-500 and a certificate holder's obligations, and 10 hours on writing inspection reports that comply with the standard. It is offered by a CEGEP, a private college or a building inspectors' association headquartered in Quebec (s. 44).

You are accredited in another province

A valid accreditation from another Canadian province or territory replaces the ACS, provided you pass an RBQ examination on the rules that apply in Quebec — and a second examination on large buildings for class 2 (s. 5).

Insurance: two policies, minimum amounts

The certificate requires two insurance policies in force for its whole validity period, covering among other things your duties as a residential building inspector (s. 5):

• general liability insurance;
• professional liability errors and omissions insurance.

Each must provide at least $1,000,000 per claim for class 1, and $2,000,000 for class 2; if the policy has an annual cap, it must be at least equal to those amounts. Each policy must also state that the insurer cannot cancel or change it without notifying the RBQ in writing at least 60 days in advance. The RBQ provides an insurance certificate template (in French) to give to your insurer or broker.

What the certificate costs (2026 fees)

The RBQ publishes its fees, indexed every January 1. The amounts are not taxable.

For an issue, priority processing doubles the fees (s. 11). An application is deemed received only if it is signed, complete and accompanied by the duties and fees payable (s. 8): one missing document delays everything. Amounts taken from the RBQ's fee page on September 29, 2026.

What changes in your practice

The certificate is not just an entry formality. Chapter III of the regulation sets obligations that apply to every file.

The service contract: the elements required by section 25

The contract must include, at a minimum:

1. the client's name, address, phone number and, where applicable, email address;
2. the name of each inspector who is a party to the contract, their certificate number, the statement that they hold a certificate issued under the Building Act, and the contact details of the establishment where they practise;
3. the name and contact details of the business, partnership or legal person on whose behalf the contract is made, where applicable;
4. the name of each insurer, for general liability and for errors and omissions;
5. the full address of the building inspected (and of the private portion) and the owner's name at the time of the inspection;
6. the category of the residential building inspected;
7. the applicable edition of Standard BNQ 3009-500 and a reminder of the obligation to comply with it at every step, including signing the report;
8. a reminder of the obligation to disclose any appearance of conflict of interest;
9. in a divided co-ownership, the client's decision on whether to inspect the common portions;
10. a reminder that an inspector who brings in another certificate holder keeps direction of and responsibility for the inspection, takes an active part in it, and signs the report.

The contract also states that the inspector and, where applicable, the business on whose behalf they contract are solidarily liable for its obligations. Any clause inconsistent with the regulation, or with the Consumer Protection Act where it applies, is null (s. 24).

Your preparation checklist before August 2, 2027

1. Choose your class. Houses, plexes and private portions of condominiums: class 1. All residential buildings, large ones included: class 2.
2. Choose your path: an ACS based on the standard, or the transitional path if you already practise.
3. Rebuild your proof of experience: insurance certificates covering at least 3 of the last 5 years for class 1, for your duties as an inspector.
4. Complete the 30-hour refresher training with a recognized provider.
5. Have your insurer fill out the RBQ's insurance certificate template, at the amounts for your class.
6. File a complete application, duties and fees included: an incomplete application is not deemed received (s. 8).
7. Update your documents: contract template (section 25), reports, website and advertising, with your certificate number and the required statement (s. 38).
8. Organize your files so they are kept at least 6 years and can be found on request (s. 40), and plan your 20 hours of continuing education.

The certificate is renewed every year. The challenge is not only getting it in 2027: it is keeping what it requires up to date, file after file — insurance, contract, signed report, records.

What DomiSpect does, and what it does not

Software does not certify you and does not make an inspection compliant: you are the one who undertakes to follow the standard (ss. 7 and 17). It can, however, keep the information current and prevent costly oversights. In DomiSpect:

• The RBQ profile of the company and of each inspector — certificate number, class, validity — is verified by a manager in your organization; without a verified profile, report signing is blocked. See RBQ verification.
• E&O and liability insurance carry a status — active, expiring within 60 days, expired — with a dashboard alert.
• The contract is signed by link, with frozen text, and field mode stays locked until it is signed (a setting on by default). Check that your contract text contains the elements of section 25.
• The report follows the Quebec Residential pack (10 sections, 66 components), whose reference is Standard BNQ 3009-500; pre-signature checks verify required sections, attached photos and documented limitations. The inspector's certificate is frozen into the report, with a timestamped signature and a SHA-256 fingerprint.
• The client receives the report in a portal whose link you can revoke; the signed contract and the invoice reach them through their own secure links.

DomiSpect does not query the RBQ's registers: profile verification is administrative, done by your organization. DomiSpect is an independent platform; it is not approved, certified or sponsored by the RBQ or the BNQ. This guide provides general information and is not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions about the RBQ inspector certificate

When does the RBQ home inspector certificate become mandatory?

On October 1, 2027. Until September 30, 2027, you can still practise without a certificate (s. 43). The RBQ has been issuing certificates since October 1, 2024.

What is the deadline for the transitional path?

August 2, 2027. After that date, applications follow the regular path: an ACS in building inspection based on Standard BNQ 3009-500, or an accreditation from another province plus the RBQ examination.

Do home inspectors need an RBQ licence or a certificate?

A certificate. The RBQ licence is for contractors who carry out construction work; the residential building inspector certificate, created by the regulation, is for people who perform an inspection under Standard BNQ 3009-500 for a real estate transaction. For licences, see how to run an RBQ licence check.

How much does the inspector certificate cost?

In 2026, $942.69 to issue a class 1 certificate and $1,157.41 for class 2, then $632.65 or $847.37 per annual renewal. The amounts are not taxable and are indexed every January 1.

What insurance do I need to get the certificate?

General liability insurance and professional liability errors and omissions insurance, each of at least $1,000,000 per claim for class 1 and $2,000,000 for class 2, in force for the certificate's whole validity period.

Can an inspector from another province get the certificate?

Yes, with a valid accreditation from another Canadian province or territory: they must pass an RBQ examination on the rules that apply in Quebec, and a second examination on large buildings for class 2.

Can software make my business compliant with the regulation?

No. Compliance rests with the inspector, who undertakes to follow Standard BNQ 3009-500 at every step. Software can keep your profile and insurance current, require a signed contract before fieldwork and block a signature without a verified profile; it replaces neither your professional judgment nor the RBQ.

Official sources

• Regulation respecting the regulation of residential building inspectors for inspections in the context of a real estate transaction (B-1.1, r. 3.1) — LégisQuébec
• Obtaining a residential building inspector certificate — RBQ
• Fees for residential building inspectors — RBQ
• Pre-purchase inspection and the residential building inspector repertory — RBQ
• Standard BNQ 3009-500, explained for inspectors — our guide

Sources consulted on September 29, 2026.

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