That's it! You are now a broker

By checking this page, you will understand the scope of our mission and how our role in overseeing broker practices is carried out. Add the page to your favourites and present it to your clients when signing a brokerage contract or before, to make sure they understand how they are protected by the Real Estate Brokerage Act.

We also recommend that you watch this video about the role of the OACIQ.

The OACIQ’s mandate stems from the Real Estate brokerage Act. It is also this Act and its regulations that govern the real estate brokerage practice in Québec and dictate your duties and obligations.

Good to know: The By-law and Regulations  page also contains some information, such as the Regulation respecting brokerage requirements, professional conduct of brokers and advertising. Also read the article Reporting is important! It informs you that you are required to provide the OACIQ with some information immediately in order to keep your record up to date. In addition to your basic contact information, this includes situations such as bankruptcy, guardianship, protection mandate, conviction.

Even if you have just completed a basic brokerage training program, you must complete continuing education activities to maintain your right to practice.

The OACIQ Mandatory Continuing Education Program (MCEP) stipulates that every broker must complete a number of continuing education activities within a two-year cycle. This is in order to maintain and enhance your skills and ensure quality practice and protect the public.

Some training activities are mandatory and offered only by the OACIQ, while others are optional. The latter are offered by the OACIQ and by accredited providers.

Note: You earn continuing education units (CEUs) whenever you complete an accredited training course. To find out how many CEUs you need to earn before the end of the current cycle, check this document.

Good to know: Each cycle of the Mandatory Continuing Education Program lasts two years.  It begins on May 1 and ends on April 30 of odd years (2019, 2021, 2023, etc.). See this page for more details on the current cycle.

Even if your licence has just been issued to you, you will have to maintain it every year to be able to continue to practise as a broker.

The licence maintenance period starts in March and ends on April 30. During this period, you must pay your annual licence maintenance fees and update your personal information. This allows you to maintain your right to practice for the coming year (this is calculated from May 1 to April 30).

When a continuing education cycle ends at the same time, fulfilling all the obligations of the Mandatory Continuing Education Program (MCEP) is also a requirement to maintain your licence.

As mentioned above, the MCEP cycle ends on April 30 of odd years (2019, 2021, 2023, etc.).

Note: During the licence maintenance period, we will email you all the relevant details.

Failure to pay the annual licence fees by April 30 will result in the licence revocation. Failure to update personal information by April 30 or to complete the MCEP (if it is the end of a cycle) will result in the licence suspension. To find out what these terms mean, read this article.
 

• PRO@CTIVE newsletter: It is the weekly newsletter for all brokers. Reading this newsletter is mandatory, since it is used to remind you of how you are required to comply with your ethical obligations. Checking it out also helps you keep abreast of news or changes that have an impact on your practice and, at the same time, on the protection of the public.
   
• synbad.com: You are currently on synbad.com, the exclusive website for real estate brokers. It is full of information and tools necessary for your everyday practice, such as frequently asked questions, articles on various topics, standard clauses and informative videos. Visit synbad.com regularly to get information and sign up for training courses offered by the OACIQ or by accredited providers.
  
  Also click the Services tab in the navigation bar above to learn more about the various departments of the OACIQ, including the Certification Department. The Certification Department’s mandate is to maintain the Register of licence holders, and manage agency and broker licence operations.
   
• My record: Locate the My record hyperlink at the top of the synbad.com homepage. This space contains your customized information. It allows you, among other things, to manage your record and monitor your progress in the Mandatory Continuing Education Program.
   
• InstanetForms^TM: Discover InstanetForms^TM, the OACIQ electronic forms tool. To subscribe, visit this page.
   
• OACIQ guidelines: The ten OACIQ guidelines explain the regulatory framework applicable under Quebec's Real Estate Brokerage Act. They will help you support your decisions, especially in terms of compliance. Several topics of interest are covered and updated regularly.
   
• Professional Practices Guides: Available via the Tools tab on synbad.com, these guides can be used as reference sources for beginner brokers and are also useful and valuable quick reference guides for experienced brokers or seasoned agency executive officers. These guides include information on the environment, real estate leasing brokerage, co-ownership and the essential practices that must be adopted by licensees when filling out mandatory real estate brokerage forms.
   
• Professional Practices Guide - Main residential real estate brokerage forms: This guide will help you review the essential practices to be adopted by licensees when completing mandatory brokerage forms. It provides many detailed explanations on the forms that are useful in your practice. Check it out regularly, as it will be enhanced to include specific information on most mandatory brokerage forms.
   
• oaciq.com: It is the Organization’s public website. Encourage your clients to visit it! They will find various useful tools, including:
   
• The Buyer's Guide
   
• The Seller's Guide
   
• The Check a broker's record helps them ensure that you hold a valid OACIQ licence. Also referred to as the Register of licence holders, this tool contains your contact information, your photo, and a list of training activities you completed under the Mandatory Continuing Education Program.

• Your Agency Executive Officer: Consult him for any questions. It is his role to supervise the agency brokers and ensure that best practices are followed. See the Guideline – Selection and oversight of agency licensees and employees for more information.
   
• Info OACIQ: It is OACIQ’s information centre. Its information agents answer questions from the public, as well as your questions about all the aspects of your professional practice. For more information, consult Info OACIQ.

The Fonds d’assurance responsabilité professionnelle du courtage immobilier du Québec (FARCIQ) is responsible, in particular, for compensating the public in case of  fault, error, negligence or omission committed by a real estate broker or agency in the course of their professional activities.

Check out the document titled FARCIQ: 2023-2024 Professional Liability Insurance Policy for details or log in to the Licence Holders Area on farciq.com to read your insurance policy as well as a letter from the Fonds d’assurance responsabilité professionnelle du courtage immobilier du Québec (FARCIQ).
 

The Québec Act respecting drug insurance requires that all Quebecers be covered by a prescription drug insurance. It also requires that people under 65 years old adhere to a private prescription drug insurance when such option is available.

Click here to learn more about the options available to you.