Complete and strategic guide: passing the RBQ 1.1.1 exam — Contractor — new residential buildings covered by a guarantee plan, Class I

1. What is the RBQ 1.1.1 licence and who needs it?

The RBQ 1.1.1 licence, Contractor — new residential buildings covered by a guarantee plan, Class I (Entrepreneur en bâtiments résidentiels neufs visés à un plan de garantie, classe I), is the general-contractor subclass for new residential construction covered by a guarantee plan in Québec. Anyone who carries out or offers to carry out such work for others must hold an RBQ licence, must enrol in an approved guarantee plan, and the guarantor (répondant) behind the licence must pass the qualification exam of the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ). This guide from Prof-RBQ.ca maps exactly what that exam covers.

2. Scope of the licence: what work does it authorize?

The 1.1.1 licence covers new residential buildings designed under Part 9 of the Construction Code: a detached, semi-detached or row single-family home, and a multifamily building from duplex to quintuplex. It requires enrolment in a guarantee plan (r. 8). The trade fields run from the legal framework through foundations, wood-frame structure, envelope, fire protection and mechanicals, to architectural components and sustainable development. Renovation of existing buildings (Part 10), larger or Part 3 buildings, and work reserved to specialized licences, fall outside the 1.1.1 scope.

3. Format of the RBQ exam: what to expect

• Question type: multiple choice (QCM), single answer
• Duration: 3 hours (180 minutes)
• Passing grade: 60 %
• Languages: French or English
• Assessed content: 50 competency elements and 171 skills, including calculation skills
• Cognitive level: from comprehension of the code to application on realistic building scenarios

4. Documentation at the exam: open book vs recommended reading

Documents provided at the exam (open book)

• Regulation respecting the professional qualification of contractors and owner-builders (RQPECP) — CQLR, c. B-1.1, r. 9: licences, subclasses and the guarantor.
• Construction Code, Chapter I — Building — CQLR, c. B-1.1, r. 2, adopting the amended National Building Code (NBC) 2020.
• Regulation respecting the guarantee plan for new residential buildings — CQLR, c. B-1.1, r. 8: core subject matter of the 1.1.1.

Recommended reading (know the content — not provided)

• Building Act — CQLR, c. B-1.1: the objects of the Act, the Régie du bâtiment du Québec and the licence system.
• Safety Code for the construction industry (CSTC) — CQLR, c. S-2.1, r. 4: worker health and safety on site.
• Sustainable Development Act — CQLR, c. D-8.1.1: the principles behind the energy and environmental rules.

5. The 9 modules of competency

Prof-RBQ.ca organizes the 50 competency elements into 9 modules and 24 lessons:

Module 1 — Legislative and regulatory framework and guarantee plan

The Building Act, the RBQ, the Construction and Safety Codes, the qualification system (RQPECP) and the Regulation respecting the guarantee plan for new residential buildings (r. 8).

Module 2 — Building design

Reading the objective-based code, areas and spaces, dwelling adaptability and sanitation.

Module 3 — Excavation and building foundations

Excavation, backfill, water management, footings, foundation walls and soil-gas (radon) protection.

Module 4 — Building structure

Loads, deflection, wood-frame strength, notching and drilling limits, and structural execution.

Module 5 — Building envelope

Heat, air and moisture control, vapour barriers, attic venting and envelope execution.

Module 6 — Fire protection and means of escape

Fire-resistance ratings, compartmentalization, limiting distance, egress and firefighter access for new residential buildings.

Module 7 — Building mechanicals

Ventilation, depressurization, HVAC and the electrical and mechanical fields of a residential building.

Module 8 — Architectural and functional components

Stairs, ramps, handrails, guards, doors and windows, partitions and interior finishes.

Module 10 — Sustainable development

Energy efficiency (Part 9.36), the Sustainable Development Act, and environmental protection on the jobsite.

6. Key skills and technical requirements (official context)

The guarantee plan for new residential buildings

This is the signature of the 1.1.1. The exam assesses your knowledge of the Regulation (r. 8): what is covered (completion of the work, non-apparent poor workmanship for 1 year, latent defects for 3 years, and design and soil defects for 5 years), the exclusions, the financial caps (deposits, relocation, completion) and the role of the plan manager.

Reading an objective-based Construction Code

The exam tests your ability to find and apply the right article of Chapter I (amended NBC 2020): the structure in Division A (definitions, objectives), Division B (acceptable solutions) and Division C, and the Part 9 scope for new residential buildings.

Structural calculations for wood framing

Expect to compute a specified snow load with S = Cb × Ss + Sr, check joist deflection against L/360, and verify bearing and notching limits. These calculation skills are where many candidates lose marks.

Building science of the envelope

You must place the control layers correctly — rain, air, vapour and thermal — and know that the vapour barrier goes on the warm side, and that roof spaces are vented (Parts 9.25 / 9.19).

Residential fire protection and spatial separation

The exam probes fire-resistance ratings, the required exits of a residential building, and the way limiting distance to the property line governs the allowable area of unprotected openings.

Energy efficiency and thermal bridging

Section 9.36 requires an effective thermal resistance that accounts for thermal bridging through the studs: continuous exterior insulation raises the effective RSI more than the same value placed in the cavity.

7. Preparation strategy and tips to succeed

Prepare module by module: for each rule, learn the article of the code or of the regulation (r. 8) behind it. Drill the calculations until they become automatic, and practise under the real conditions — 3 hours, 60 % to pass, single-answer multiple choice. Because the exam is partly open book, focus your effort on where to find each provided rule quickly, and on memorizing the recommended-reading essentials.

8. Why Prof-RBQ.ca

Prof-RBQ.ca is built around the real 1.1.1 competency profile: 24 structured lessons, more than 100 anchored practice questions (including a lesson and questions dedicated to the guarantee plan), a visual quiz on the key diagrams, and flashcards tied to the exact articles of the Construction Code, the guarantee plan and related Quebec laws. Every explanation cites its source, so you always know why an answer is correct.

Frequently asked questions