Guide · Homeowners and notaries

When do you need a new location certificate?

A location certificate has no official expiry date. What matters is whether it still accurately describes the property, and whether your notary and lender accept it.

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In brief

Short answer

You need a new location certificate as soon as something has changed on the ground or in the cadastre since the last document: a sale, an extension, a new structure, a lot subdivision or a modified servitude. Without any change, an existing certificate may still be accepted: it's the notary or lender who decides.

Validity period: No fixed date, depends on the property's condition
Who produces it: A land surveyor who is a member of the OAGQ
Common triggers: Sale, refinancing, new structure
Lead time to plan: As soon as the offer to purchase is accepted

Situations that call for a new one

In each of these situations, the existing document no longer reflects reality or will not be accepted by the parties to the transaction:

You're selling and the certificate on file predates work done or a cadastral change.
You've added or altered a structure: extension, garage, shed, pool, patio, fence, driveway.
The lot has been subdivided, consolidated or gone through a cadastral renovation.
A servitude has been created, modified or extinguished since the last certificate.
Your lending institution requires a recent document for a refinancing.
There's doubt about the position of a boundary, fence or encroachment with a neighbour.

What the notary checks

The notary looks at whether the plan matches the current state of the property, whether it was prepared for the lot in question, and whether it flags any irregularities: encroachment, zoning non-compliance, or an undeclared servitude. A single discrepancy between the site and the plan is enough to block the signing.

Who can produce it

Only a land surveyor who is a member of the Ordre des arpenteurs-géomètres du Québec can prepare, sign and seal a location certificate. They bear professional responsibility for the content of the document.

Location certificates: the grey areas

My certificate is 12 years old. Is that too old?

Age alone doesn't disqualify it. If nothing has changed on the ground or in the cadastre, it may still be usable. As soon as a structure has been added, it needs to be redone.

How much lead time should I plan for?

Plan for it as soon as the offer to purchase is accepted. We confirm a firm date upon receiving the request and prioritize files with a set notarial signing date.

Can the notary refuse an existing certificate?

Yes, if it no longer reflects the current state of the property or omits a change to the cadastre or title. The notary, or the lending institution, has the final say on whether it is accepted.

Have your location certificate prepared

Send us the address and your targeted signing date: we confirm the timeline and price in writing.

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Next steps

Location certificateThe full service, timelines and deliverables.How much it costsThe factors that move the price.Legal surveyingProperty-limit staking, subdivision and official plans.