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Master electrician in Québec: role and how to check
Who is allowed to do electrical work in Québec, what the RBQ licence and the CMEQ mean, and how to check a contractor.
In short
In Québec, only master electricians may carry out or have electrical work carried out, according to the Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec (CMEQ).
- The company must hold a Régie du bâtiment du Québec licence with subcategory 16, Electrical contractor.
- It’s the master electrician (or the consulting engineer) who submits the service request and the declaration of work to Hydro-Québec.
- A licence can be checked in the RBQ register, with its number.
- Working without a licence exposes you to a fine of $5,000 to $200,888.
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What a master electrician is allowed to do
The CMEQ sums it up in one sentence: only master electricians may carry out or have electrical work carried out.
The penalty is written down: a person who contravenes the Master Electricians Act and the Building Act is liable to a fine of $5,000 to $200,888, according to the CMEQ.
So it isn’t a matter of preference. The refrigeration technician who installs a heat pump, for example, doesn’t do the electrical part: it goes to an electrical contractor.
The RBQ licence and the CMEQ
For electrical installation work, the Régie du bâtiment du Québec requires a licence that includes, among others, subcategory 16, Electrical contractor.
The RBQ adds that the CMEQ is responsible for qualifying its members, as a mandatary of the Québec government.
Other subcategories are added depending on the work. STM-Électrique’s licence includes subcategory 16, as well as subcategories 11.2 and 13.5, one or the other of which Hydro-Québec’s solar rebate requires.
Hydro-Québec says so for LogisVert too: the company doing the work must hold the RBQ licences appropriate to the work to be done.
What they do with Hydro-Québec and the RBQ
With Hydro-Québec. The service request and the declaration of work are submitted by the master electrician or the consulting engineer. The declaration is sent when the installation is ready to be connected.
Hydro-Québec specifies that only a CMEQ member can submit a declaration of work.
With the RBQ. Under the 2026 Construction Code (s. 2-004), the electrical contractor declares to the Régie the construction work it has carried out, when the declaration is required, no later than the 20th day of the month following the start of the work.
Among other exceptions, that declaration isn’t required for work already listed in a service request made to an electricity distributor.
For you, it means one thing: these steps are part of the contractor’s job, not your tasks.
How to check a licence
The RBQ recommends checking that a contractor holds a valid licence before hiring them, by entering its number in the Register of licence holders.
- Find the number. It appears in the header or at the bottom of the company’s invoice.
- Look it up in the register. The record gives the name and contact details, the NEQ, the licence number, the categories and subcategories.
- Read the record to the end. It also shows the association or company providing the bond, any pending claims or compensation paid, and the responsible persons.
Why do it: hiring a contractor who holds an RBQ licence gives access to a financial guarantee in case of a dispute.
For electrical work, look for subcategory 16 on the record.
What rebate programs require
Rebates aren’t paid for work done by just anyone. A few examples:
- Écorecharge (charger): the invoice must show the electrical company’s name and its RBQ licence.
- LogisVert (Hydro-Québec): the company must be registered with Québec’s enterprise registrar and hold the appropriate RBQ licences.
- Saint-Eustache (charger): the charger must be connected by an electrical contractor holding an RBQ licence (City page read on October 22, 2026).
- Blainville (charger): the City strongly recommends having the installation done by a master electrician holding an RBQ licence; on October 11, 2026, it said its 2026 funds had run out.
So keep an invoice that shows the company’s licence number.
Can you do the work yourself?
No: according to the Régie du bâtiment du Québec, any work on an electrical installation, even in your own home, must be done by a contractor with the proper licence. The CMEQ also points out that no one may carry out electrical work of any kind, in their home or elsewhere, for others, unless they are an electrical contractor.
A concrete example, the EV charger: if it connects to the panel, its circuit requires an RBQ licence, subcategory 16. Only a charger that plugs into an existing, compliant 240 V outlet is an exception.
If in doubt, ask for a quote: it’s free, and it will tell you what falls to a master electrician.
STM-Électrique: our licence
STM-Électrique holds RBQ licence 5815-0137-01, which includes subcategory 16, and its master electricians are CMEQ members.
The company has existed since 2023 and has 21 employees. It is recommended by CAA-Québec and Sinopé certified.
Our offices are in Mirabel and our warehouse in Laval. Our about page introduces the team.
Work to have done by a master electrician?
The quote is written and free; our RBQ licence is 5815-0137-01.
Send my quote requestFrequently asked questions
How do I check an electrician’s licence?
Take the licence number from their invoice, then enter it in the RBQ’s Register of licence holders. The record shows the subcategories; for electrical work, look for 16.
Master electrician or electrician: what’s the difference?
According to the CMEQ, only master electricians may carry out or have electrical work carried out, and the company must hold the RBQ licence with subcategory 16. So check the company that signs the quote and the invoice.
What is the CMEQ?
The Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec. According to the RBQ, it qualifies its members, as a mandatary of the Québec government.
Do I need a master electrician for an EV charger?
Yes, as soon as it connects to the panel: its circuit requires an RBQ licence. And for Écorecharge, the invoice must show the electrical company’s name and licence.
Who files the declaration of work?
The contractor. The master electrician submits the declaration of work to Hydro-Québec, and the contractor declares its work to the RBQ no later than the 20th day of the month after it begins, with some exceptions.
A master electrician, with a licence you can check
Our RBQ licence number is 5815-0137-01: check it in the RBQ register before you sign.
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Sources
Consulted on November 3 and 5, 2026.