Annual registration
Who can register on line?
All OIQ members can register on line.
Is the on-line registration and payment process secure?
Yes, once you have logged in to the On-line services section of the OIQ, you will be in a secure environment. During a financial transaction, information such as your credit card number and expiry date are sent to an authentication organization for the purposes of authorization. No information pertaining to your credit card is retained on the OIQ servers.
Do I have to register on line?
If you do not complete the registration process on line, you can mail us the paper annual registration form, which must be ordered in advance. If you choose to register with the paper form, you will be charged an administrative fee and will need to mail us the duly completed, signed and dated "Annual Registration" form along with a cheque for the fees.
You can obtain the documents in French or English by writing to the Customer service Department at
sac@oiq.qc.ca or calling 1 877 845-6141, ext. 2473. We will send you the documents according to your preference.
What is the deadline for my annual registration and payment?
You must submit your documents and payment by no later than March 31.
The Board of Directors will strike from the roll of the OIQ the names of all OIQ members who have not fulfilled their annual registration obligations within the allotted period of time, i.e. no later than March 31. Members must pay the full amount owed for annual registration. If your name is struck from the roll of the OIQ, it means that you are no longer allowed to use the title of Engineer or the abbreviation of this title and practice the profession. Once your name has been struck from the roll, you may submit a request to reinstate it. However, please note that in addition to your annual assessment, you will also be charged a reinstatement fee equal to 50% of the annual assessment.
If I decide not to register, what should I do?
You should send us the “Request for Withdrawal from the Roll” form available on the OIQ Web site under “Media and documentation” / “Publications” / Category: “Annual Registration.” This form should be sent by e-mail to
sac@oiq.qc.ca, by fax to 514 845-6141 or by mail to the Customer service Department.
What are the consequences if I decide not to register?
If you decide not to register, you will no longer be allowed to use the titles "engineer," "junior engineer," "engineer-in-training," or the abbreviations "Eng.," "Jr. Eng.," "EIT,", or any name, title or designation that might lead to the belief that you are an engineer or a member of the OIQ. Likewise, you will no longer be allowed to practice the engineering profession in Québec, subject to the penalties provided by the Act. Furthermore, please note that once your name is removed from the OIQ's roll, you will no longer participate at the group professional liability insurance plan. With regards to the group life insurance plan with Manulife Financial, we invite you to communicate directly with them to verify if you are still eligible.
If you have worked as an engineer in private practice in Québec or in connection with Québec, you are required to comply with the obligation set out in the applicable legislation of maintaining a valid professional liability insurance policy for five years after your last engineering act in private practice. We also ask that you notify your clients and employer that you are no longer a member, where applicable.
In addition, junior engineers who do not register will not be able to gain recognition for any experience they acquire as non-members. However, this does not affect engineers-in-training.
Unless you were employed by a physical or legal entity, company or government, you are also required to comply with the Regulation respecting the cessation of practice of a member of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec when you cease to practice your profession (available on our Web site www.oiq.qc.ca). You must fill out a form if that is your situation.
What information should I enter if my job has ended?
If you have lost or quit your job, or have retired, you must enter the date on which your job ended. You must also enter the appropriate type of activity for your current situation, i.e. "unemployed," "student", "retired," etc. You can edit your contact information at any time in your profile in the On-line services section of our Web site by clicking on the “My portal” button.
How much time do I have to inform the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec of my new contact information?
The OIQ must be notified within 30 days of any change of contact information. All members must provide the address of their primary workplace as well as that of all other places of practice.
The recent changes I made to my information on line have not yet been validated by the OIQ. Can I still complete my registration?
Yes. You must declare that your contact information is accurate subject to any changes you may have made.
Can I modify my contact information through the “Annual Registration” tab?
Yes. However, if you leave the registration form before you have completed it, the information you entered will not be saved. You will have to start the registration process over from the beginning and return to the “Annual Registration” tab.
Where can I receive e-mails from the OIQ?
You can receive e-mails from the OIQ at your choice of e-mail address, such as your home e-mail address or the e-mail address that you use at your primary workplace. You can edit your correspondence preferences at any time in your profile in the “On-line services” section of our Web site by clicking on the “My portal” button.
What is the professional domicile?
All members must elect their professional domicile, which is primarily used when the Disciplinary Council or Board of Directors must publish a decision concerning a member. Such notices include the name and professional domicile address of the member in question. According to section 60 of the Professional Code: “A professional shall elect domicile by informing the secretary of the order of which he is a member of the place where he principally practices his profession or, if he does not practice, his place of residence or principal place of employment, within 30 days after he begins to practise; the domicile thus elected shall constitute his professional domicile. He must also inform the secretary of all the other places where he practises his profession.”
I practice in two places and I am asked to select a single professional domicile, either my primary workplace or my other place of practice. Why?
According to the Professional Code, “A professional shall elect domicile by informing the secretary of the order of which he [or she] is a member of the place where he [or she] principally practices his [or her] profession…” Depending on your case, you could principally practice the profession of engineer in either one of these places of practice.
Why do I have to provide the name of the engineer who is supervising and directing my work?
Junior engineers, engineers-in-training or holders of a temporary restrictive engineer’s permit may only engage in professional activities reserved under the Engineers Act if they are under the immediate supervision and direction of an engineer (professionally speaking).
Can I complete my registration if I don’t know the member number of the engineer who is directing and supervising my work?
We ask for the member number of the engineer who is directing and supervising your work to facilitate identification, which is why it is preferable to include it. However, if you can’t get this number, simply provide the engineer’s name.
What is "occasional private practice" in accordance with the Regulation respecting professional liability insurance for the members of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec?
Members who render professional services alone and for their own account for fees equal to or less than $10,000 for all projects they complete during a year (March 31 to March 31 in the following year) engage in occasional private practice of the engineering profession and are therefore covered by the basic group professional liability insurance plan of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec. The concept of “alone and for their own account” applies to members who practice in their own name or through a sole proprietorship, and not in partnership or for a legal person (e.g. an incorporated company).
However, junior engineers, engineers-in-training or holders of a temporary restrictive engineer’s permit may only perform professional activities reserved by the Engineers Act under the immediate control and supervision of an engineer (professional guidance and supervision). They are not covered by the basic group professional liability insurance plan (occasional private practice) when they provide services that are reserved for engineers since they do not practice alone and are required to subscribe to the group supplementary professional liability insurance plan.
Furthermore, members who receive more than $10,000 in fees for all projects they complete during a year must subscribe to the group supplementary professional liability insurance contract entered into by the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec by contacting the OIQ's exclusive broker. They cannot be covered by the basic group professional liability insurance plan.
To find out the details of the basic group professional liability insurance plan of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, please read the insurance policy, which can be found on the OIQ's Web site (www.oiq.qc.ca) under "Media and documentation” / “Publications" in the Category: "Professional liability insurance.”
Members who occasionally practice engineering in private practice (moonlighting) must declare one place of practice for their occasional private practice. This place of practice could be, for example, their place of residence.
What does the term private practice mean?
Under the second paragraph of section 3 of the Regulation respecting professional liability insurance for members of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, a member is working in private practice if he renders professional services for his own account, or for the account of another member or partnership, to clients that are not his employer. The fields concerned by this definition are mainly those of the kinds of works and acts set out in sections 2 and 3 of the Engineers Act.
Members are usually considered to be working in private practice when:
• they work for a consulting engineering firm;
• they provide professional engineering services to an external clientele (e.g.: self-employed consultants, building and other inspectors, members who work in an analytical laboratory and any other expert who gives advice on works of the kinds that constitute the field of practice of an engineer).
The insurance contract may be held by members themselves or by the company that employs them. However, the obligation of being insured lies with members; in the event that their employer does not subscribe to insurance that complies with the Regulation on their behalf, members are required to do so.
Does the OIQ’s basic group plan cover me if I work in private practice?
No. The basic group insurance plan does not cover private practice (consulting engineering). For that reason, members who practice engineering in private practice must also take out professional liability insurance that complies with the Regulation respecting professional liability insurance for members of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec. The basic group professional liability insurance plan for OIQ members provides coverage:
• for general practice;
• for occasional private practice, i.e. moonlighting (certain conditions apply);
• and after the five-year period in which members who worked in private practice are required to maintain coverage for the acts they performed in private practice.
Do engineers who work in private practice outside QC and exclusively for clients outside QC on projects that are entirely carried out, built or manufactured outside QC have to take out a prof. liability ins. contract that complies with the OIQ's reg.?
No. These engineers, however, must make sure that they comply with the legal framework for practicing in the jurisdiction where they work.
In addition, engineers must have insurance coverage that meets the requirements of the jurisdiction where they provide professional services, as necessary.
What is the minimum coverage required by the OIQ’s regulation for all professional liability insurance contracts of members who work in private practice?
The minimum coverage amounts provided for an individual who works alone in private practice are $500,000 per loss and $1,000,000 for all losses during the coverage period. However, these minimum coverage amounts are $1,000,000 per loss and $2,000,000 for all losses during the coverage period in the event that the insurance is taken out by a member or a company (partnership) for members whom it employs or who are directors, officers, shareholders or partners.
I work in private practice and plan to retire or cease practicing. Do I still have to keep my professional liability insurance coverage?
Yes. For at least five years after the last act you performed. However, the premium paid for the supplementary plan covers members against any professional liability claim that may be filed against them in the five years after they provide their final service. Therefore, when members who are covered by the supplementary plan cease to work in private practice, they do not have to continue to pay a premium for the next five years.
If I am an employee of a consulting engineering firm, do I have to have my own professional liability insurance coverage?
No, you are not required to take out your own insurance if the company that you work for has insurance coverage complies with the Regulation respecting liability insurance for members of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec that covers you for the professional services you render. However, the obligation of being insured lies with members. Therefore, in the event that your employer does not take out insurance for you that complies with the Regulation respecting liability insurance for members of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, you are required to do so.
Some time ago, I was an employee of a consulting engineering firm. Am I automatically covered for the 5-year period that follows my departure from that company?
Not necessarily. For every year of those 5 years, engineers are responsible for checking with their former employers to make sure that they are actually covered by their former employer’s contract. However, the premium paid for the supplementary plan covers members against any professional liability claim that may be filed against them in the five years after they provide their final service. Therefore, if their former employer subscribed to the supplementary plan, the members’ acts will still be covered for five years and they will not have to continue to pay a premium for the five years after they ceased to work in private practice.
I already have a professional liability insurance plan for the services I render in private practice. Do I have to pay the premium for the basic group professional liability insurance plan?
All OIQ members, except members who qualify for the lifetime member status (a status that has not been granted since 1993) and the permanently disabled member status, must pay the premium for the basic group professional liability insurance plan. This payment must be made as part of the annual registration process.
I was found guilty for impaired driving. Do I have to declare that during the annual registration process?
Yes. As required by the Professional Code (section 59.3), you have to declare any criminal offence of which you have been found guilty.
I am currently being prosecuted for a criminal offence. Do I have to declare this even though I have not been found guilty?
No. However, if you are eventually found guilty, the Professional Code (section 59.3) requires you to notify the Secretary of the OIQ within ten days of the date on which you were informed of the decision.
I was found guilty of a criminal offence that I believe is not in any way connected to the practice of the profession. Do I have to notify the Secretary of the OIQ of this?
Yes. The Professional Code (section 59.3) requires members to declare any decision rendered by a court that finds them guilty of a criminal offence. The Board of Directors will determine if there is a connection with the profession and the administrative or disciplinary measures that may be required, as needed.
I have to answer “yes” to one or more of the declarations (judicial or disciplinary): What documents do I have to provide to the OIQ?
You must submit the appropriate document for your situation, i.e. the “Criminal Offence Declaration Form,” the "Disciplinary Decision Declaration Form” or the “Penal Decision Declaration Form,” which are available on the Web site (www.oiq.qc.ca) under “Media and documentation” / “Publications” / Category: “Annual Registration,” as well as a copy of the requested documentation (criminal information, judgment), etc.)
I was the subject of a judicial or disciplinary decision stipulated in the Professional Code a long time ago (not last year) and I did not declare it. Do I have to declare it now?
Yes. Any judicial or disciplinary decision stipulated in the Professional Code must be declared to the Secretary of the OIQ within ten days of the date on which you were informed of the decision.
Are the confirmations and declarations that I make on line the same ones as those that I will have to make on the paper registration form?
Yes. A false declaration, failure to report information or the submission of false, altered or fraudulently obtained documents may result in disciplinary sanctions.
What payment methods are accepted for on-line registration?
You may pay by credit card, direct payment through a banking institution (Web-based payment), or by cheque.
Which credit cards are accepted?
Visa and MasterCard.
What is direct payment?
Direct payment through a banking institution involves making your payment through your banking institution’s Web site. Only Web-based payments will be accepted. Payments cannot be made via ATM or over the counter at your banking institution.
How can I make a direct payment over the Internet?
Direct payment is a two-step process. First, note the invoice number on the invoice issued when you complete the registration process on line. Then, proceed to your banking institution’s Web site to pay the invoice. Go to the bill payment section and select “ORDRE DES INGÉNIEURS DU QUÉBEC” from the list of available payees.
Which banking institutions provide this service?
You can pay your invoice on the Web sites of the following banking institutions:
• National Bank of Canada
• Bank of Montreal
• Royal Bank of Canada
• TD Canada Trust
• Caisse Populaire Desjardins
• Scotiabank
• CIBC
Can I pay at an ATM or over the counter at my local bank?
No. You cannot pay this invoice at your local bank.
Can I pay by cheque?
Yes. You can complete your registration on line, print the invoice at the end of the on-line registration process and return it with your cheque by no later than March 31 to the address below. Do not forget to write your member number on your cheque.
Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec
Windsor Station, Suite 350
1100 avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal
Montreal, Quebec H3B 2S2
I am a junior engineer or engineer-in-training. Why am I required to pay full assessment?
Junior engineers and engineers-in-training do not pay annual assessment the first time that they register. The second time that they register, they pay a prorated amount of dues based on the number of months that have elapsed since the date of their first registration on the membership roll. The prorated amount of dues is calculated so that junior members pay no dues for one full year. However, junior engineers who have been registered for less than a year still have to pay the OPQ contribution and the group professional liability insurance premium. After their first year, they must pay the full amount of annual assessment in addition to the other amounts mentioned above.
Can my employer pay my annual assessment?
Your employer may pay your annual assessment for you. However, you must make sure that you complete the annual registration process, print out a copy of the “Summary” page and give it to your employer. This page includes a detailed invoice. Then, your employer has to send the copy of that page and your payment to the OIQ. Please note that is your responsibility to make sure that your employer sends the payment to us by no later than March 31.
What are the eligibility conditions for "retired" status?
To be eligible for "retired" status, you must meet the following conditions:
• Be currently retired (zero employment income).
• Have been entered on the roll for a number of years that when added to your age equals to or greater than 80.
• Have been entered on the roll, without interruption, under any combination of membership categories, for the five years preceding the year in which you apply for "retired" status.
I am retired. Why was I invoiced as a regular member?
Retired status is not assigned automatically. If you meet the eligibility conditions for retired status (see above) and wish to be entered on the roll as such, you must take the following steps:
• Fill out and return the “Application form for retired member status ” available on the OIQ Web site under “Media and documentation” / “Publications” / Category: “Annual Registration” by e-mail to
sac@oiq.qc.ca so that we can change both your status and the amount of your invoice;
• You may then register on line.
What if, over the course of the year, I no longer meet the eligibility requirements for retired status?
If at some point during the OIQ's financial year (April 1 to March 31), you no longer satisfy the requirements for being entered as retired on the roll, you will have to pay the difference between the annual assessment you paid and the full dues. This difference is not pro-rated.
I already have a professional liability insurance plan for the services I render in private practice. Do I have to pay the premium for the basic group professional liability insurance plan?
All OIQ members, except members who qualify for the lifetime member status (a status that has not been granted since 1993) and the permanently disabled member status, must pay the premium for the basic group professional liability insurance plan. This payment must be made as part of the annual registration process.
Why does my invoice have a zero on the line for the supplementary assessment?
The $0 amount displayed on this line is shown for the purposes of transparency.
Am I required to pay the contribution to the Office des professions du Québec (OPQ)?
Yes. All members of the OIQ without exception must pay a contribution to the Office des professions du Québec (OPQ).
What is the Office des professions du Québec?
The Office des professions du Québec (OPQ) sees to it that each professional order ensures the protection of the public.
Accordingly, the OPQ:
• ensures that the orders have the appropriate means to fulfill their mandate;
• advises the government on how the professional system can be continuously improved;
• oversees amendments to the laws that regulate the professional system;
• promotes efficiency in the procedures established by the orders;
• ensures that the public is informed and represented within the orders.
When can I expect to receive my receipts?
Once the cashing of the payment is done, you can access your official receipts any time in the On-line services section of our Web site under the tab “Receipts and declarations”.
How do I get a membership card?
To obtain a membership card, you will have to pay the fee. Then, you will have to fill out and return the “Bon de commande pour carte de membre et permis” form available only in French on the OIQ Web site under “Media and documentation” / “Publications” / Category: “Forms.” Juniors engineers, engineers-in-training and holders of a temporary restrictive engineer’s permit cannot obtain one. Please also note that membership cards do not constitute proof of registration on the roll of the OIQ.
What are the consequences if I decide not to register?
If you decide not to register, you will no longer be allowed to use the titles "engineer," "junior engineer," "engineer-in-training," or the abbreviations "Eng.," "Jr. Eng.," "EIT,", or any name, title or designation that might lead to the belief that you are an engineer or a member of the OIQ. Likewise, you will no longer be allowed to practice the engineering profession in Québec, subject to the penalties provided by the Act. Furthermore, please note that once your name is removed from the OIQ's roll, you will no longer participate at the group professional liability insurance plan. With regards to the group life insurance plan with Manulife Financial, we invite you to communicate directly with them to verify if you are still eligible.
If you have worked as an engineer in private practice in Québec or in connection with Québec, you are required to comply with the obligation set out in the applicable legislation of maintaining a valid professional liability insurance policy for five years after your last engineering act in private practice. We also ask that you notify your clients and employer that you are no longer a member, where applicable.
In addition, junior engineers who do not register will not be able to gain recognition for any experience they acquire as non-members. However, this does not affect engineers-in-training.
Unless you were employed by a physical or legal entity, company or government, you are also required to comply with the Regulation respecting the cessation of practice of a member of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec when you cease to practice your profession (available on our Web site www.oiq.qc.ca). You must fill out a form if that is your situation.
Is there a reinstatement fee?
Yes. A reinstatement fee equal to the half of the annual assessment, plus tax, will be charged in addition to your annual assessment.
I paid for reinstatement on the roll of the OIQ. However, you sent me a tax receipt for less than the full amount of my payment. Why?
The amount you paid for reinstatement included the reinstatement fee, which is equal to the half of the annual assessment, and not tax deductible.
If I wish to be reinstated after an absence of several months or several years, what steps should I take?
To be reinstated, you must send a duly completed and signed copy of the annual registration form and pay the dues for the current year, as well as a reinstatement fee equal to the half of the annual assessment, plus tax. If you have been absent from the roll of the OIQ for a period of more than three years, you must also submit a résumé and your file will be forwarded to the Practice Supervision Department. This is the procedure currently used by the OIQ. However, the conditions for reinstatement may be subject to change without prior notice.
For more information :
For more information, please call the customer service Department of the OIQ at 1 877 845-6141 and select one of the following extensions:
In this text, the term “member” refers to an engineer, a junior engineer, an engineer-in-training and a holder of a temporary restrictive engineer’s permit.
Why was a "Consents" section added to the registration process?
This consent request is made in accordance with the Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information, the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector, and Canadian anti-spam legislation which came into force on July 1, 2014. We would like to take the opportunity provided by the annual registration process to ask you to reconfirm your choices. If you have already answered the consent request, you can change your answers if you wish. However, your consent is required again for two of the items because their wording has changed (networking activities and mutual funds). Finally, if you have not already answered the consent request, this is your opportunity to do so.
Why do I have to provide you if I plan to perform a professional activity (1) in the next 12 months or if I have performed a professional activity (1) in the last three years in some fields?
The OIQ invite you to specify your fields of practice in order to improve the knowledge of OIQ member’s practice..
(1) Performing a professional activity means, for example, providing an opinion, preparing a report, making calculations, executing plans and specifications, carrying out a study, attesting to compliance.
The OIQ is looking for volunteers who are willing to support certain members in their professional development. Members who show interest by answering “yes” will be contacted as needed.
For the purpose of protecting the public, when the Executive Committee feels that an engineer does not possess sufficient competencies to provide quality professional services in a specific field, it may sometimes require that engineer to take refresher training. In such a case, another engineer may act as a tutor and supervise a fellow engineer whom the Executive Committee has required to complete a practical training period as part of the refresher training. This supportive measure is intended to help the engineer regain the full right to practice in his or her desired field.
Due to the work he or she performs in supervising a fellow engineer, an engineer who acts as a tutor may be credited with continuing education hours once the refresher training has been completed to the full satisfaction of the OIQ.
Yes. Section 62.2 of the Professional Code stipulates that “a professional must, in accordance with the terms and conditions determined by the board of directors, inform the order of which he is a member of any professional liability claim against him filed with his insurer and of any notice of loss he files with his insurer with respect to professional liability.”
Accordingly, the Board of Directors of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec requires its members to declare all legal recourses (lawsuits or originating applications) that have been brought against them or that they have declared to their insurer since April 1, 2015. To comply with this requirement, members must:
• inform the OIQ during the annual registration period, from February 1 to March 31, of all legal recourses by answering the question referring to the declaration of legal recourses (lawsuits or originating applications) that have been brought against them or that they have declared to their insurer with respect to professional liability insurance;
• inform the OIQ at the latest 30 days of the notification of any legal recourse (lawsuit or originating application) that has been brought against them or that they have declared to their insurer with respect to professional liability insurance.
You must submit the “Legal Recourse Declaration Form concerning Professional Liability Insurance” as well as a copy of the lawsuit or original application. This form is available on the OIQ’s Web site (www.oiq.qc.ca) under “Media and documentation” / “ Publications” / Category: “Annual registration”.
No, only legal recourses (lawsuits, originating applications, etc.) concerning members must be declared.
We have to ask for your consent so that we may disclose your personal information to third parties and send you any message that is commercial in nature.
Yes. You can change your choices at any time in your "On-line services" profile on the OIQ's Web site by clicking on "My portal" button.
All members must declare it if they practice engineering. The field of practice and the acts that constitute engineering practice are set out in sections 2 and 3 of the Engineers Act.
The Regulation does not stipulate a minimum age for retirement. The OIQ considers members retired when they have ceased or reduced their professional activities with the goal of ending their working life, the period of their lives in which they spend most of their time on their career and work.
No. Since June 5, 2014, not only engineers with retired member status on the OIQ's roll, but all retired engineers, regardless of their status on the OIQ’s roll, may be exempted from the continuing education requirements. However, the exemption granted to these engineers is only valid if they do not practice engineering.
To be considered retired members under the Regulation, members must meet the following criteria:
• have ceased or reduced their professional activities due to their age;
• not have a full-time job (30 or more hours per week on a regular basis).
Since February 2nd, 2015, retired members who meet these conditions and do not practice engineering may request an exemption from the continuing education requirements in their profile or during the annual registration process of the OIQ from the “My portal” section of the OIQ’s Web site.
For their first annual dues payment, holders of a temporary restrictive engineer’s permit pay a prorated amount that varies according to the number of months remaining in the year ending. For their second annual dues payment, they pay the full amount.
Generally speaking, this means that members must have worked less than 1,560 hours during a year.
The OIQ is looking for volunteers who are willing to support certain members in their professional development. Members who show interest by answering “yes” will be contacted as needed.
The Sponsorship Program is an optional activity in which junior engineers may participate during the Junior Engineer Program. This program is designed to help junior engineers successfully enter the profession by allowing them to converse with an experienced volunteer engineer about the rights and obligations inherent in the status of an engineer and the fundamental values of the profession, which are competence, responsibility, ethics and social commitment. Sponsorship involves a series of six meetings lasting a minimum of 75 minutes each.
Furthermore, the Engineer who is sponsoring the Junior Engineer will also obtain a continuing education credit of 7.5 hours once the Sponsorship Program has been completed to the full satisfaction of the OIQ.