Before buying a plex in Quebec, one document deserves as much attention as the leases and the inspection: the location certificate. As a buyer or investor, knowing how to read a location certificate keeps you from inheriting an encroachment, a restrictive servitude or a unit added without a permit. At ImmoMulti, a direct buyer of multi-unit properties on the North Shore, we examine it in every transaction. This guide explains what the document contains, how to spot red flags in it, and when to demand an up-to-date version before you sign.
What is a location certificate in Quebec?
A location certificate is a document signed by a land surveyor that expresses their professional opinion on the current situation of a property relative to the titles of ownership, the cadastre, and applicable laws and regulations. It includes a written report and a plan.
According to the Ordre des arpenteurs-géomètres du Québec (Quebec Order of Land Surveyors), the location certificate is a professional's opinion on the state and situation of a property. Only a land surveyor who is a member of the Order may prepare and sign it. It is neither a mere description nor a decorative document: it is an expert opinion that engages the professional liability of its author.
For a plex, this document is crucial because an income property often involves sensitive elements: shared parking, balconies and emergency staircases that may extend over a neighbour's land, sometimes an extra unit fitted out in the basement. The location certificate is the tool that reveals whether the building's actual footprint matches the titles and the municipal regulations.
What does a location certificate contain for a plex?
A certificate is read in two parts: the plan (the drawing of the land and building) and the report (the surveyor's text). Both must be examined together. Here are the essential elements to look for.
| Element | What it reveals for a plex buyer |
|---|---|
| Lot boundaries and cadastre | The actual area, lot number and consistency with the titles. |
| Building footprint | The exact placement of the plex on the lot, with its dimensions. |
| Setbacks | The distances between the building and the boundaries; flags setbacks that don't meet zoning. |
| Servitudes | Rights of way, public-utility (Hydro, city), view or sewer servitudes that burden the land. |
| Encroachments | Fences, balconies, sheds or parts of the building extending over or from the neighbour. |
| Accessory structures | Shed, pool, parking, decks — their compliance and presence on the plan. |
| Surveyor's notes | Mentions of acquired rights, non-compliance or uncertainties to clarify. |
According to Éducaloi, the location certificate notably helps you know whether the construction complies with municipal regulations and whether servitudes or encroachments exist. Read every surveyor's note: it is often in those remarks, more than on the plan, that the real issues hide.
How to spot problems: encroachments, servitudes and setbacks
Usefully reading a location certificate means hunting for three families of problems. None should be ignored by a plex buyer.
Encroachments
An encroachment occurs when a structure extends past a lot boundary. On a plex this is common: an emergency staircase, a rear balcony, a shed or a fence biting into the neighbour's land — or the reverse. The surveyor flags it. An unresolved encroachment can block financing, require a servitude, corrective work or a written agreement. Never sign without measuring its impact.
Servitudes
A servitude is a charge burdening the land: a right of way, a public-utility, view or sewer servitude. For an income property, a servitude can reduce the use of parking, constrain the backyard or prevent a future extension — all things that affect profitability. Verify each servitude with your notary.
Setbacks and non-compliance
An insufficient setback, a unit fitted out without a permit or non-regulation parking are forms of non-compliance. Sometimes the building enjoys acquired rights; sometimes not. The municipality's planning department can confirm the situation. Zoning and planning rules fall to municipalities, whose tools are accessible through Québec.ca — Housing and territory.
Red flags you must never ignore
An unresolved encroachment, a servitude that limits parking or extensions, a unit not shown on the certificate, a non-compliant setback without confirmed acquired rights, or a certificate predating work visible on site. Each deserves a written verification before signing.
When to demand an up-to-date location certificate
The law sets no expiry date. A certificate remains valid as long as it reflects the current state of the premises. In practice, many lenders and notaries consider that a certificate older than about ten years — or one predating modifications — no longer reflects reality.
Demand an up-to-date certificate if…
- Work has been done: extension, added unit, garage, deck, pool, fence, repaved parking.
- The certificate provided is old and doesn't show structures visible on site.
- Your mortgage lender requires it as a financing condition.
- Your notary finds a discrepancy between the certificate, the titles and reality.
State in the purchase promise who provides and pays for the certificate. By custom, the seller delivers a certificate reflecting the current state; the OACIQ, the body that oversees real estate brokerage in Quebec, stresses the importance of framing these obligations clearly in transaction contracts. Put it in writing to avoid any ambiguity.
Common mistakes plex buyers make
Even seasoned buyers stumble on the location certificate. Here are the most common traps — and how to avoid them.
- Trusting the plan without reading the report. The surveyor's written notes often hold the most important issues (acquired rights, uncertainties, non-compliance).
- Accepting a certificate that's too old. A 15-year-old document that doesn't show the extension or the added unit is worthless for your due diligence.
- Confusing the certificate with the inspection. The certificate covers the land and compliance, not physical condition. Do both.
- Not validating servitudes with the notary. A harmless-looking servitude on the plan can block an extension project or reduce parking use.
- Overlooking undeclared units. A quadruplex "officially" a triplex can mean an illegal rent and a regulatory risk you inherit.
Reading a location certificate correctly protects your investment before you even pay. Always combine it with the pre-purchase inspection of the income property, the notary's title review and a rigorous analysis of the purchase-promise clauses. And don't forget the legal warranty against latent defects, which complements — without replacing — what the certificate reveals.
