19.09.2025 TRANSLATION
A Complete Guide to Quebec Language Laws and Compliance Requirements
Quebec's Bill 96 and the Charter of the French Language: Learn how the law affects French, which is Quebec's official and common language.
Quebec has one of the strongest language laws in North America, which governs the use of French in business, the law, and the public sector. These regulations are applicable to businesses in Quebec of every scale, whether they have physical locations, sell goods and services online, or interact with customers in the province. The Charter of the French Language (Bill 101), which makes French the official language of Quebec, is at the heart of this plan. Bill 96 (An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec) was passed by the National Assembly on May 24, 2022, and assented to on June 1, 2022; it amends the Charter to strengthen French language requirements for businesses and public life.
The Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) is in charge of making sure that the rules are followed and can inspect, issue compliance orders, and impose fines. These laws are not only a matter of following the rules; they also show Quebec's cultural and linguistic identity. Businesses that follow the rules demonstrate their care for the province's history and ensure they meet the needs of the majority of people who speak French.
This article offers a comprehensive overview of Quebec’s language laws, recent amendments, and key compliance requirements. It is designed to help business leaders, lawyers, and operational managers understand their needs and implement the necessary steps to ensure successful implementation.
We are ready to help you translate any documents and business materials you need to work in Quebec. Contact us for a quote.
The Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) is in charge of making sure that the rules are followed and can inspect, issue compliance orders, and impose fines. These laws are not only a matter of following the rules; they also show Quebec's cultural and linguistic identity. Businesses that follow the rules demonstrate their care for the province's history and ensure they meet the needs of the majority of people who speak French.
This article offers a comprehensive overview of Quebec’s language laws, recent amendments, and key compliance requirements. It is designed to help business leaders, lawyers, and operational managers understand their needs and implement the necessary steps to ensure successful implementation.
We are ready to help you translate any documents and business materials you need to work in Quebec. Contact us for a quote.
An Overview of the Language Laws in Quebec
The Charter of the French Language
The Charter of the French Language (Bill 101), adopted in 1977, establishes French as the sole official language of Québec. It governs the use of French in government, the legislature, courts, public administration, education, and commercial communication.
Under the Charter, most public services, official documents, and signage must be in French, with certain exceptions for health and safety, Indigenous languages, and situations where another language is necessary for communication. Under Canadian law, citizens can still use federal institutions in either English or French. However, the Charter makes sure that provincial institutions mostly use French to protect and promote Québec's linguistic and cultural identity.
Under the Charter, most public services, official documents, and signage must be in French, with certain exceptions for health and safety, Indigenous languages, and situations where another language is necessary for communication. Under Canadian law, citizens can still use federal institutions in either English or French. However, the Charter makes sure that provincial institutions mostly use French to protect and promote Québec's linguistic and cultural identity.
Significant Historical Amendments
Lavergne Law (1910) – Required public utilities and transportation companies in the province of Quebec to provide documentation in both French and English. This was an early step toward ensuring accessibility of essential information for speakers of both languages.
Bill 86 (1993) – Amended the Charter of the French Language to permit the use of other languages on public signs and commercial advertising, provided that French is markedly predominant in size and visibility.
Bill 115 (2010) – Clarified and tightened the rules for attending English-language public schools in Québec. It set specific eligibility requirements, mostly limiting access to kids whose parents had gone to school in Canada and learned English, while also closing some legal loopholes that had previously made it easier for more people to get in.
Bill 86 (1993) – Amended the Charter of the French Language to permit the use of other languages on public signs and commercial advertising, provided that French is markedly predominant in size and visibility.
Bill 115 (2010) – Clarified and tightened the rules for attending English-language public schools in Québec. It set specific eligibility requirements, mostly limiting access to kids whose parents had gone to school in Canada and learned English, while also closing some legal loopholes that had previously made it easier for more people to get in.
Bill 96 and the Modernized Charter
What Bill 96 Changed
Bill 96 is an Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec (passed May 24, 2022; assented June 1, 2022), and modernizes the Charter of the French Language. The changes make it easier for people in both the public and private sectors to use French more often in commerce and business. It affects many areas, including internal company communications, contracts, digital platforms like websites and apps, customer service, and employee training. Businesses must now make sure these are available in French, even if they also use another language other than French.
The law also gives the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) more power to enforce the rules. The OQLF can inspect businesses, check for compliance, and issue fines or penalties if the requirements are not met. These penalties are designed to be proportionate to the size of the violation, but can still be damaging to a company's reputation and expensive. This enforcement further supports the province’s language rights by ensuring consistent application of French as the official language of Quebec in day-to-day operations.
The law also gives the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) more power to enforce the rules. The OQLF can inspect businesses, check for compliance, and issue fines or penalties if the requirements are not met. These penalties are designed to be proportionate to the size of the violation, but can still be damaging to a company's reputation and expensive. This enforcement further supports the province’s language rights by ensuring consistent application of French as the official language of Quebec in day-to-day operations.
Regulatory Clarifications (“Final Regulation”)
The most recent regulations provide more details on how Bill 96 should be applied in specific areas. These include rules for product labelling, trademarks, public signage, and adhesion contracts (standard contracts where one party sets the terms). For example, businesses must make sure product information and safety details are in French, even if the product is sold in other markets.
From June 1, 2025, a “recognized” trademark may appear in another language on products if it meets the regulation’s criteria. This includes some registered and certain unregistered trademarks. Generic/descriptive terms must still appear in French. Products made before June 1, 2025, can remain on the market until June 1, 2027, if no French version of the trademark was registered in Canada as of June 26, 2024.
From June 1, 2025, a “recognized” trademark may appear in another language on products if it meets the regulation’s criteria. This includes some registered and certain unregistered trademarks. Generic/descriptive terms must still appear in French. Products made before June 1, 2025, can remain on the market until June 1, 2027, if no French version of the trademark was registered in Canada as of June 26, 2024.
Key Compliance Areas for Businesses: Meeting French Language Requirements
Commerce & Customer Interactions
Bill 96 says that people in Québec have the legal right to get services and information in French. This includes all of the documents that customers see, like contracts, invoices, product manuals, and service guides. Businesses can offer bilingual versions, but to protect consumers' language rights, the French text must be just as clear, complete, and correct.
Contracts & Legal Documents
Adhesion contracts—standard contracts where the terms are set by one party—must be presented in French first. A version in another language can only be provided if the customer requests it, and only after reviewing the French version. This requirement has applied since June 1, 2023, and a language clause alone is no longer sufficient. This ensures that French remains the primary language in legal agreements, in line with the Act respecting French as the official and common language of Quebec.
Advertising, Signage & Publications
Signs, ads, and publications intended for the public must be in French. You can have versions in both languages, but French must be "markedly predominant" in size and placement. There are some special rules for big outdoor ads and displays related to culture or events. Brochures, catalogues, and digital publications must also present French as either the most prominent language or equal to any other language used, reinforcing French as the official language of Quebec in commerce and business.
Product Labelling & Trademarks
In Québec, product labels and inscriptions must be in French, even if the product comes from outside the province, unless the label is permanently affixed and produced elsewhere. Safety information must always appear in French, regardless of origin. For trademarks, the final regulation allows recognized trademarks without a French version only under specific conditions. However, any generic or descriptive terms that appear alongside the trademark must still be provided in French.
Internal Communications & Employment
Bill 96 requires that internal communications—such as emails, HR documents, memos, and training materials—be in French. Other languages may be used only if French remains the dominant language. Employment contracts, policies, and job postings must also prioritize French. An employer can require a second language only if it is clearly necessary for the job and cannot reasonably be avoided.
Francization Programs
Businesses with 25 or more employees must register with the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) and follow the francization rules established by Bill 96, effective June 1, 2025. This includes implementing a francization program, submitting progress reports every three years, and promoting the daily use of French in workplace training, documentation, and operations.
Contact us if you need help localizing your business for Quebec. We will not only translate all the necessary materials into the French variant used in Canada, but also adapt any content you may need, and help you pass the Francization process with the OQLF and get the Francization certificate in Quebec.
Contact us if you need help localizing your business for Quebec. We will not only translate all the necessary materials into the French variant used in Canada, but also adapt any content you may need, and help you pass the Francization process with the OQLF and get the Francization certificate in Quebec.
Important Dates to Watch
June 1, 2022 – Bill 96 was assented to, beginning a staged rollout of major changes to Québec’s language requirements.
June 1, 2023 – Adhesion contracts must provide a French version before any other language is offered. A non-French version can be given only after the corresponding French version appears and has been reviewed by the party involved.
July 2024 – Regulatory amendments were published to clarify specific applications of the law, including rules for labelling, signage, and contractual terms presented exclusively in a language other than French.
June 1, 2025 – Major changes take effect covering product labelling, public signage, trademark rules, internal communications, and the francization threshold (25 employees).
June 1, 2027 – Grace period ends for certain products manufactured before June 1, 2025, that meet the trademark registration cut-off condition.
June 1, 2023 – Adhesion contracts must provide a French version before any other language is offered. A non-French version can be given only after the corresponding French version appears and has been reviewed by the party involved.
July 2024 – Regulatory amendments were published to clarify specific applications of the law, including rules for labelling, signage, and contractual terms presented exclusively in a language other than French.
June 1, 2025 – Major changes take effect covering product labelling, public signage, trademark rules, internal communications, and the francization threshold (25 employees).
June 1, 2027 – Grace period ends for certain products manufactured before June 1, 2025, that meet the trademark registration cut-off condition.
Office Québécois de la langue française: Compliance Guidance for Businesses
Audit Your Materials
Review your packaging, signs, contracts, and publications to ensure they comply with Québec’s French language rules. All required information should appear in French, and it should be easy for customers to find and read. Permanent non-French inscriptions on products manufactured outside Québec generally don’t need to be translated into French, except for safety information, which must always be in French.
Example: If a product box lists instructions only in English, add a French version that is just as detailed and visible.
Example: If a product box lists instructions only in English, add a French version that is just as detailed and visible.
Adapt Marketing & Websites
Your marketing materials and websites should have French content that is just as clear, complete, and easy to access as any other language version. French text should be equally prominent, whether it’s on print ads, social media posts, or online pages.
Example: If your homepage highlights a sale in English with large banners, the French version should use the same size, colour, and placement.
Example: If your homepage highlights a sale in English with large banners, the French version should use the same size, colour, and placement.
Review Trademark Usage
If you use a non-French trademark, you may do so only if no French version of that mark is registered. However, any generic or descriptive terms that appear with the mark must still be shown in French (on the product itself or a permanently attached medium). This helps you follow the law and ensures French-speaking customers can understand what you offer.
Example: If your trademarked name is “Sunny Fields Granola,” and “Granola” is considered a generic term, you would need to add the French term “céréales granola” alongside it.
Example: If your trademarked name is “Sunny Fields Granola,” and “Granola” is considered a generic term, you would need to add the French term “céréales granola” alongside it.
Train Teams & Document Processes
Make sure your HR, legal, and marketing teams understand Québec’s French language rules. Keep track of compliance decisions, such as changes to contracts, signs, or labels. If you have clear documentation, it's easier to stay organized and prove that you followed the rules.
Example: Keep a dated log showing when you replaced old packaging with versions that include French text.
Example: Keep a dated log showing when you replaced old packaging with versions that include French text.
Know Penalties & Enforcement
Non-compliance with the Charter can result in fines ranging from $700 to $7,000 for individuals and $3,000 to $30,000 for businesses. Repeat offences lead to doubled or tripled fines, and ongoing offences are considered separate violations for each day they continue.
Example: A store could be ordered to remove all non-compliant signs immediately, even before a fine is issued.
Example: A store could be ordered to remove all non-compliant signs immediately, even before a fine is issued.
Need Translation Services That Keep You Quebec-Compliant?
To meet Quebec's French language requirements, you need to do more than translate text. You need to provide content that is accurate, culturally appropriate, and in compliance with the rules. We don't just translate; we also adapt your contracts, product labels, websites, and marketing materials to fit the laws, customs, and expectations of the Quebec market. We ensure every word is precise, compliant, and ready for its purpose—so you can avoid costly penalties and build lasting trust with your French-speaking customers.
Contact us today for tailored, compliance-focused translation services that help your business succeed in Quebec with confidence.
Contact us today for tailored, compliance-focused translation services that help your business succeed in Quebec with confidence.
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