How to Become a Lawyer in Quebec
Do you need a licence?
Licence required
You must be registered with Barreau du Québec to work as a lawyer in Quebec or to use a protected title.
- Protected titles
- Not listed in the sources checked
Show the source
“This type of permit is issued to foreign lawyers or jurists who wish to become members of the Barreau du Québec and be authorized to practice law in Quebec in all areas of law.”
From barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/foreign-lawyer-jurist/permanen..., checked October 10, 2026.
At a glance
- Licence status
- Licence required See the source
- Routes
-
- Licensed in another province: 9 steps
- Trained outside Canada: 2 steps
- Annual fees
- Not stated by the regulator Check with Barreau du Québec
Your roadmap
Tick each step as you finish it. Your ticks are kept in this browser only.
Licensed in another province
0 of 9 done
- 9 steps without a listed fee
- Listed time: 1 month (only 1 of 9 steps state a time)
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You submit a completed application for a permit under the Regulation along with the application for admission and other required documents.
Source
“the duly completed application for a permit under the Regulation;”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi... -
Once the application is complete, you contact the École du Barreau to register for the knowledge exams and pay the applicable fees.
Source
“Once the application is complete, applicants must contact the École du Barreau to register for the knowledge exams of the Barreau du Québec and pay the applicable fees.”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi... -
You must pass the civil law I, civil law II, and the legislation, regulations and ethics exams.
Source
“proof that you have passed the following exams:”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi... -
The Board of Directors decides whether you have passed the knowledge exams and notifies you by email within 30 days.
Time: 30 daysTime source
“notifies the applicant of its decision by email within 30 days”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi...Source
“The Board of Directors of the Barreau du Québec then decides whether the applicant has met the condition of passing the knowledge exams of the Barreau du Québec and notifies the applicant of its decision by email within 30 days.”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi... -
The application for admission is referred to the Committee for Access to the Profession, which examines whether you have the moral character, conduct, skills, knowledge and qualifications required to practice.
Source
“the application for admission to the Barreau du Québec is referred to the Committee for Access to the Profession, which, pursuant to section 45 of the Act respecting the Barreau du Québec, must examine whether the applicant has the moral character, conduct, skills, knowledge and qualifications required to practice the profession.”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi... -
Upon receipt of the committee's eligibility decision, the Board of Directors issues a permit to you.
Source
“Upon receipt of the decision of the Committee for Access to the Profession declaring the applicant eligible to practice the profession, the Board of Directors issues a permit to the applicant.”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi... -
You pay the full amount of the annual membership dues for the current year to be entered on the Roll of the Order.
Source
“You must pay the full amount of the annual membership dues for the current year to be entered on the Roll of the Order.”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi... -
You must take out professional liability insurance for members of the Barreau du Québec with coverage of $10 million.
Source
“You must take out professional liability insurance for members of the Barreau du Québec. You will be covered for $10 million.”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi... -
Before being entered on the Roll of the Order, you must take an oath or pledge allegiance.
Source
“Before being entered on the Roll of the Order, you must take an oath or pledge allegiance.”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi...
Listed fees for this route
No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with Barreau du Québec
9 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.
Trained outside Canada
0 of 2 done
- 2 steps without a listed fee
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You apply for recognition of equivalence to the Equivalences Committee of the Barreau du Québec.
Source
“To obtain this type of permit, you must apply for recognition of equivalence to the Equivalences Committee of the Barreau du Québec.”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/foreign-lawyer-jurist/permanen... -
The Equivalency Committee may require you to complete courses in Quebec law in its decision.
Source
“The Equivalency Committee may, in its decision, require you to complete courses in Quebec law.”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/applying-equivalence/admission...
Listed fees for this route
No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with Barreau du Québec
2 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.
Other listed fees
The regulator lists these without tying them to one step, so they are not in the route totals above. Check which apply to you.
- Permit application fee: $175 (payable online by credit card)
Source
“The permit application fee is $175, payable online by credit card (Visa or MasterCard).”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi... - Permit application fee: $248
Source
“The permit application fee is $248.”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/special-authorization-practice...
Requirements
Education
You must hold a legal authorization to practice law in another province or a territory of Canada.
Source
“To obtain a full permit, you must hold a legal authorization to practice law in another province or a territory of Canada.”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi...
Experience
Law professors must have been teaching law full time for at least three years in a recognized law faculty or department of legal studies.
Source
“for professors who have been teaching law full time for at least three years in a law faculty or a department of legal studies recognized under section 184 of the Professional Code”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi...
Police check
You must provide Canadian police clearance as part of the application for admission.
Source
“all documents that must be submitted with the application for admission (listed in schedules 1 and 2 to the application for admission), including proof of identity, Canadian police clearance and documents attesting to your knowledge of French;”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi...
Insurance
Members must hold professional liability insurance with coverage limited to $10 million.
Source
“they must comply with the Code of Professional Conduct of Lawyers and hold professional liability insurance with coverage limited to $10 million.”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi...
Good character
You must provide a certificate from a Canadian Bar attesting that you are legally authorized to practice and have not been disbarred or had your right to practice limited or suspended.
Source
“a certificate issued by a competent officer of a Canadian Bar, attesting that you are legally authorized to practice law and that you have not been disbarred or that your right to practice law has not been limited or suspended;”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi...The Committee for Access to the Profession must examine whether the applicant has the moral character, conduct, skills, knowledge and qualifications required to practice the profession.
Source
“must examine whether the applicant has the moral character, conduct, skills, knowledge and qualifications required to practice the profession.”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi...
Other
You must provide documents attesting to your knowledge of French.
Source
“including proof of identity, Canadian police clearance and documents attesting to your knowledge of French;”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi...The Barreau du Québec may request proof of good conduct for all places where you have resided for six months or more since the age of 18.
Source
“The Barreau du Québec reserves the right to request proof of good conduct in Canada or elsewhere. You must be able to provide such proof on request for all places where you have resided for a period of six months or more since the age of 18.”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyerYou must remain a member of your own Bar even after the Barreau du Québec issues you a solicitor permit.
Source
“You must remain a member of your own Bar even after the Barreau du Québec issues you a permit.”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi...Members must comply with the Code of Professional Conduct of Lawyers.
Source
“They have the same duties and obligations as other members of the Barreau du Québec: they must comply with the Code of Professional Conduct of Lawyers”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi...
Already licensed in another province?
Extra steps
Canadian lawyers must pass the Barreau du Québec knowledge exams, including civil law I, civil law II and the ethics exam, before a full permit is issued. Source
“proof that you have passed the following exams:”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi...
Processing time: Not stated by the regulator Check with Barreau du Québec
Credential assessment
Not stated by the regulator Check with Barreau du Québec
Exams
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Civil law I and related proceedings exam
Source
“the civil law I and related proceedings exam (Droit civil I et procédures afférentes), which may include topics such as persons, family (including matrimonial regimes and divorce) successions, property, obligations (including extracontractual civil liability) and the Consumer Protection Act;”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi... -
Civil law II and related proceedings exam
Source
“the civil law II and related proceedings exam (Droit civil II et procédures afférentes), which may include topics such as nominate contracts, evidence and procedure, business, prescription, prior claims and hypothecs, publication of rights and private international law;”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi... -
Exam on legislation, regulations and ethical aspects of the practice of law in Quebec
Source
“the exam on legislation, regulations and ethical aspects of the practice of law in Quebec (Législation, réglementation et aspects déontologiques liés à l’exercice de la profession d’avocat au Québec);”
barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi...
Language tests
Not stated by the regulator Check with Barreau du Québec
Canadian experience
Not stated by the regulator Check with Barreau du Québec
Supervised practice
Not stated by the regulator Check with Barreau du Québec
Demand and pay
| Where | Low | Median | High | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quebec | $29.81 | $51.28 | $84.13 | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Canada | $30.22 | $59.76 | $107.14 | — |
Lawyers in other provinces and territories
- British Columbia Licence required
- Alberta Licence required
- Saskatchewan Licence required
- Manitoba Licence required
- Ontario Licence required
- New Brunswick Licence required
- Nova Scotia Licence required
- Prince Edward Island Not confirmed yet
- Newfoundland and Labrador Not confirmed yet
- Yukon Not confirmed yet
- Northwest Territories Not confirmed yet
- Nunavut Not confirmed yet
Sources checked
- Full permit for foreign lawyers or jurists barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/foreign-lawyer-jurist/permanen... · fetched October 10, 2026
- Full permit for Canadian lawyers barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi... · fetched October 10, 2026
- Admission Quotas for International Students | Barreau du Québec barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/applying-equivalence/admission... · fetched October 10, 2026
- I am a Canadian lawyer barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer · fetched October 10, 2026
- Solicitor permit (Canadian lawyer or law professor) barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/canadian-lawyer/permanent-mobi... · fetched October 10, 2026
- Special authorization to practice in Quebec barreau.qc.ca/en/prospective-members/special-authorization-practice... · fetched October 10, 2026
Frequently asked questions
2
Do you need a licence to work as a lawyer in Quebec?
Yes. Registration with Barreau du Québec is required to practise in Quebec.
Which exams are required?
Civil law I and related proceedings exam, Civil law II and related proceedings exam, Exam on legislation, regulations and ethical aspects of the practice of law in Quebec.
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