How to Check a Builder's Licence Before You Buy in Alberta

You have found a new home you like and the builder is ready to send a contract. Before you sign, it is worth taking a few minutes to confirm that the builder is licensed and that the home is properly registered.

Alberta keeps public registries for exactly this purpose. This article explains what a builder licence is, who needs one, and how to search for a builder and a home.

This article covers the law of Alberta.

What a residential builder licence is

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

Builder licensing began on December 1, 2017. Only permits issued after that date require a licensed builder, so homes built or permitted before it were not built by a licensed builder.

A licence is valid one year from issue unless the Registrar specifies otherwise. It is not transferable, and each separate legal entity, such as a numbered company, needs its own licence. So a licence held by one company does not automatically cover another company with a similar name.

Who needs one, and who does not

There are two licence classes. General contractor is typically for single-family or multi-family homes up to 4 dwelling units. Developer is for projects needing a coordinating registered professional, typically 5 or more units such as condominiums. The unit threshold between the classes is described inconsistently in the official material, so the Residential Protection Program can confirm which class applies to a project.

There are exceptions to the licence requirement:

• 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 that 10-year protection period, an owner builder cannot sell or offer to sell the home unless the required warranty has been purchased, and for authorizations issued without warranty on or after December 1, 2025, a caveat is registered on title.
• The Act does not cover dormitories, care facilities, work camps or hotels, or homes on federal lands such as First Nations reserves and National Parks.

Searching the Builder Registry

To check a builder, search the Builder Registry on the residentialprotection.alberta.ca public registry. 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 Act, the number and locations of homes built since February 1, 2014, and previous licences.

Pay attention to what is missing. 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.

Checking the home itself

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 it by civic address, lot/block/plan or builder.

This matters because the warranty rules apply to homes where the building permit was applied for on or after February 1, 2014. Homes covered by those rules cannot be sold, offered for sale or listed without warranty coverage and registration in the New Home Buyer Protection System. Which rules apply to a particular home depends on its details, so it is worth confirming with a lawyer. If a new home you are considering cannot be found, ask the builder to explain before you sign.

What to do next

• Get the builder's exact legal name, including any numbered company, from the draft contract.
• Search the Builder Registry and note the licence status, class and any enforcement actions.
• Search the Property Registry by address or lot/block/plan.
• Confirm the warranty provider and coverage start details.
• Have a lawyer review the contract before you sign, especially if something does not match the registries.

From January 1, 2027, builders applying for a new licence or renewing one must confirm competency in four core areas. Licence fees and rules can change, so confirm current details with the Residential Protection Program.

Frequently asked questions