The Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) Administration exam lasts 3 hours, requires 60% to pass and is taken with five documents provided. Every business holding a general or specialty contractor licence must be qualified in administration through a respondent, who may be exempted from the exam in the cases set out in the regulation. Here is who must take it, the 4 modules, the documents provided and those you must know in advance, common pitfalls and a study plan, based on the RBQ's official exam information sheet (March 2025 update, checked November 3, 2026).
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Quick answers
How long is the RBQ Administration exam?
3 hours, with a passing mark of 60%. It is a multiple-choice exam, offered in French or English, and five documents are provided on site.
Who must take the RBQ Administration exam?
Every business holding a general or specialty contractor licence must have a respondent qualified in administration. RBQ-recognized training, or qualifying experience as an RBQ respondent within the 5 years preceding the application, may exempt a person from the exam, subject to the conditions set by regulation.
What does the RBQ Administration exam cover?
Four modules: financial management, management, labour relations regime, and legislation and regulations.
Source: RBQ Administration exam information sheet (March 2025), checked November 3, 2026.
Who must take the Administration exam?
To obtain a general or specialty contractor licence, the business must have respondents qualified in the three management areas (administration, construction site safety management and project and construction site management) and in work execution for each Schedule I or II subclass requested. A legal person or partnership may present more than one respondent. RBQ-recognized training, or qualifying experience as an RBQ respondent within the 5 years preceding the application, may exempt a person from the exam, subject to the conditions set by regulation.
Passing the three management exams allows a business to apply for a specialty contractor licence for Schedule III subclasses, with no work execution exam. See our guide RBQ license 2026: types, exams, costs and steps.
The Administration exam at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Passing mark | 60% |
| Format | Multiple-choice questions (the official sheet gives neither the number of questions nor the weighting of the modules) |
| Language | French or English |
| Materials | Calculator, ruler, paper and pencil provided on site; only the documents and materials handed out by the invigilator are allowed |
| Official sheet | Administration exam information sheet, March 2025 update |
The 4 exam modules
The RBQ competency profile lists 24 competency elements grouped into 4 modules:
- Financial management: financial statements, accounting and budgets, accounts receivable and payable (including GST and QST), payroll and source deductions, remittances to agencies (CCQ, CNESST, Revenu Québec, etc.), budget variances and financial ratios.
- Management: planning, organizing, directing and controlling; business plan; objectives, pricing and resources; leadership; dashboards.
- Labour relations regime: Act R-20 and the role of the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ), apprenticeship and vocational training, competency certificates, hiring and mobility, register and monthly report, collective agreements.
- Legislation and regulations: legal forms of business, the Building Act and licences, contracts and liability under the Civil Code, the contractor's legal responsibilities, a healthy and inclusive work climate.
Documents provided and documents to know
| Document | Provided at the exam |
|---|---|
| Building Act (B-1.1) | Yes |
| Act respecting labour relations, vocational training and workforce management in the construction industry (R-20) | Yes |
| Regulation respecting the professional qualification of contractors and owner-builders (B-1.1, r. 9; listed as B-1.1, r. 1.01 on the RBQ sheet) | Yes |
| Regulation respecting the vocational training of the workforce in the construction industry (R-20, r. 8) | Yes |
| Regulation respecting the issuance of competency certificates (R-20, r. 5) | Yes |
| Act respecting labour standards (N-1.1) | No: recommended reading |
| Act to modernize the occupational health and safety regime (2021, c. 27) | No: recommended reading |
| Act respecting the Québec sales tax (T-0.1) | No: recommended reading |
| Regulation respecting the register, monthly report, notices from employers and the designation of a representative (R-20, r. 11) | No: recommended reading |
| Civil Code of Québec | No: recommended reading |
| Regulation respecting the hiring and mobility of employees in the construction industry (R-20, r. 6.1) | No: recommended reading |
Texts that are recommended but not provided must be studied in advance: knowledge of contracts, labour standards, taxes and obligations toward the CCQ can be tested without those texts being handed out.
5 common pitfalls
1. Assuming everything is provided
Six of the eleven documents on the sheet are not provided, including the Civil Code and the Act respecting labour standards. Study them first: these are the questions where you cannot look up the answer.
2. Opening the wrong document
Before flipping pages, ask yourself whether the question is about the licence (Building Act and qualification regulation), the construction workforce (Act R-20 and its regulations) or a topic that is not provided and must be known.
3. Mixing up financial ratios
Working capital is a difference (current assets minus current liabilities); the current ratio is a quotient (current assets divided by current liabilities). Answer choices often play on this confusion.
4. Overlooking obligations toward the CCQ
The register, the monthly report and remittances to the CCQ fall under a regulation that is not provided (R-20, r. 11). Deadlines and employer obligations must be known in advance.
5. Managing time poorly
The sheet does not give the number of questions. Answer the ones you know first, flag calculations and long searches, and come back to them.
4-week study plan
- Week 1: financial management (financial statements, budgets, payroll, taxes, ratios), with calculation exercises.
- Week 2: management (business plan, planning, directing, control).
- Week 3: labour relations regime (Act R-20, competency certificates, apprenticeship, hiring and mobility, monthly report, collective agreements).
- Week 4: legislation (legal forms, Building Act, Civil Code, labour standards), then fast look-up practice in the five documents provided and timed quizzes at the pace of a 3-hour exam.
The other two management exams
| Exam | Duration | Passing mark | Modules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project and construction site management | 3 hours | 60% | Management of construction activities, plans and specifications, estimating and bidding, quality control, legislation |
| Construction site safety management | 1 h 30 | 60% | Prevention management, compensation files, assessment, legislation, sustainable development |
Fees and retakes
In 2026, each RBQ exam costs $105.27, and a retake after a failure costs $105.27 per exam. After a failure, only one retake is possible: it must be requested within 30 days of the notice sent by the RBQ. After failing the retake, or if the retake is not requested in time, you must wait 4 months from the RBQ's decision (or, failing that, from the withdrawal of the application) before being admitted again to the same exam, as part of another licence application. Missing the exam counts as a failure. Details: RBQ license cost 2026.
FAQ
How many questions are on the Administration exam?
The official sheet does not say. It gives a duration of 3 hours and a passing mark of 60%.
Is the Civil Code of Québec provided?
No. It is recommended reading only, like the Act respecting labour standards and the Act respecting the Québec sales tax.
Is Act R-20 provided?
Yes. Act R-20 is provided, with its regulations on vocational training (r. 8) and on the issuance of competency certificates (r. 5). The regulation on the register and monthly report (r. 11) and the one on the hiring and mobility of employees (r. 6.1) are not.
Can I take the exam in English?
Yes, the exam is offered in French or English.
Do I need accounting training?
No accounting diploma is required to take the Administration exam. It does, however, test financial management concepts: reading financial statements, budgets, payroll, taxes and ratios.
Prepare with Prof-RBQ
Our RBQ Administration course follows the 4 modules of the competency profile, with lessons and quizzes with explained answers. The first lessons are free. The two other management courses: Safety management and Project management.
Save with a path
Our paths bundle the exam-preparation courses generally required for a licence, with 15% to 25% off and 6 months of access. The three management courses are bundled in the Specialized Contractor path. Compare them on the Choose my path page.
Official sources
- RBQ – Administration exam information sheet (March 2025, in French)
- RBQ – Administration competency profile (in French)
- LégisQuébec – Regulation respecting the professional qualification of contractors and owner-builders (B-1.1, r. 9), ss. 18 and 20
- Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ)
Last checked: November 3, 2026. The RBQ is the authority. French version of this guide: Examen RBQ Administration.