How to Check If a Home Builder Is Licensed in Alberta

Signing a contract with a builder is one of the biggest commitments you will make. Before you do, it is worth knowing whether the builder is actually allowed to build the home and whether the home will carry the warranty Alberta requires.

Alberta keeps two public registries for this. This article explains what each one shows, how licences work, a few situations where the rules differ, and who to contact if something does not add up.

This article covers the law of Alberta.

Why builders need a licence

All residential builders in Alberta must have a licence to obtain permits for constructing new homes. When a builder applies for a new home building permit, they must present the Certificate of Licence and the Approved New Home Registration.

Licensing began on December 1, 2017. Only permits issued after that date require a licensed builder, so a home built or permitted before then was not built by a licensed builder. That matters if you are buying an older home and wondering why a builder does not appear in the registry.

How a licence works

• A licence is valid for one year from issue unless the Registrar specifies otherwise.
• A licence is not transferable.
• Each separate legal entity, such as a numbered company, needs its own licence.
• There are two classes: general contractor, typically for single-family or multi-family homes up to 4 dwelling units, and developer, for projects needing a coordinating registered professional, typically 5 or more units such as condominiums.

The fees are $600 for a new licence and $500 for a renewal, plus $95 per residential unit to register each property. These are the amounts shown on alberta.ca and may change.

The general contractor class is typically for up to 4 units, and the developer class is typically for 5 or more units. If your project sits near that line, which class applies depends on your situation, so it is worth confirming with a lawyer.

Searching the Builder Registry

The public Builder Registry is on the residentialprotection.alberta.ca site. You can search by builder name, person in control, builder ID, licence ID, builder location or location of homes built.

The registry shows licence status and class, persons in control, enforcement actions under the New Home Buyer Protection Act, the number and locations of homes built since February 1, 2014, and previous licences.

Pay attention to what is not there. The registry excludes builders without a current Alberta licence, builders with applications under review, and builders whose applications were denied. Suspended or cancelled builders still appear, with that status. A builder who does not appear is not shown as licensed.

Confirming the home itself in the Property Registry

A licensed builder is only half the picture. The Property Registry shows the address, warranty provider and contact details, builder name, whether the home has warranty coverage and when coverage started. You can search by civic address, lot/block/plan or builder.

This matters because a home covered by the New Home Buyer Protection Act cannot be sold, offered for sale or listed without warranty coverage and registration in the New Home Buyer Protection System. The program can issue a Compliance Order requiring removal of listings and signs, and non-compliance is an offence. The Act applies to homes where the building permit was applied for on or after February 1, 2014.

Builders must also make sure the home is enrolled with a warranty provider, that the coverage meets the legislated requirements, and that the home under warranty is registered.

Exceptions and upcoming changes

• Renovators generally do not need a builder licence or warranty unless the renovation makes up 75% or more of the home as new construction. A relocated home that is 75% or more new construction is treated as a new home.
• An owner builder with a valid Owner Builder Authorization needs no builder licence or warranty for the home named in it. Qualifying homes are single-family, site-built homes for the owner's personal use, kept for at least 10 years. Duplexes, 4-plexes and factory-built homes do not qualify.
• Within the 10-year protection period an owner builder cannot sell or offer to sell the home unless the required warranty has been purchased. For authorizations issued without warranty on or after December 1, 2025, a caveat is registered on title. The fee is $95 with warranty and $750 without.
• The Act does not cover dormitories, care facilities, work camps or hotels, and does not apply to homes on federal lands such as First Nations reserves and National Parks. Multi-family rentals kept for at least ten years do not require warranty.

From January 1, 2027, builders applying for a new licence or renewing one must confirm competency in four core areas: construction safety and quality; customer experience and satisfaction; construction supervision and project management; and contract and contractor management.

What to do next

• Search the builder, and any numbered company named in your contract, in the Builder Registry.
• Check the licence status, class, enforcement actions and homes built.
• Search the specific address or lot/block/plan in the Property Registry to confirm warranty coverage.
• Ask the builder to explain any gap, such as a different company name on the contract.
• Have a lawyer review the purchase contract before you sign.

If something in the registries does not match what you were told, you can contact the Residential Protection Program at 780-644-1010 or 1-866-421-6929.

Frequently asked questions