HBE - HOMEOWNER PROTECTION ACT QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE 2026
An owner builder must not build a new home other than - Answers (a) a detached dwelling unit under
one legal title, or
(b) a single dwelling unit in or attached to
(i) a pre-existing building, or
(ii) a new non-residential building that does not have another single dwelling unit in or attached to it.
(2) Subject to local bylaws, the new home referred to in subsection (1) may include a secondary suite.
Minimum standard of coverage - materials and labour - Answers 2 year
Minimum standard of coverage - building envelope - Answers 5 years
Minimum standard of coverage - structural - Answers 10 years
When you work full time, how do you manage your house building project?
A. You remotely manage your house building project
B. You engage sub-trades personally, come on the job site to supervise the work whenever you can
C. You hire a relative to manage the project
D. Other - Answers B
Can an owner-builder construct a duplex?
A. Under no circumstance
B. Only if permitted by municipal by-laws
C. Only with permission from HPO
D. Other - Answers A. (secondary suite if bylaws allow)
How many years lease, for permission to be an owner builder - Answers 15
After building your second homeowner house, how long do you have to wait to build your third?
A. 18 months
B. 3 years
C. 5 years
C. No wait - Answers B
Under what conditions can an owner builder apply for reduced occupancy requirements to rent out
an owner built house?
A. Upon payment of a fee
B. Under financial hardship - Answers B.
Why must an owner builder be onsite during an inspection?
A. To meet regulations
B. The owner builder is responsible for any defects/issues - Answers B.
Why should inspections be scheduled in advance - Answers To avoid delays to schedule
What is the maximum monetary penalty under the HPS
A. $50,000
b. $10,000
C. $5,000
D. $25,000 - Answers D
When can an owner-builder built home be rented out? - Answers Not within the first year of
occupancy
Can the title of an owner-builder built home be transferred to a family member? - Answers Not within
the first year, unless special authorization is applied
What penalty can be imposed if you make false claims or do something wrong with your owner
builder permit?
A. Monetary penalty
B. Cancel owner builder authorization permit
C. Other - Answers B
Can you build an attached residential building to a new multi-unit residential building - Answers No
When does the 10-year warranty start? - Answers Occupancy permit or when you occupy the home,
whichever is earliest
What information must be included on an owner builder disclosure notice?
A. A detailed set of all blueprints and specifications noting any changes during construction
B. A statement declaring the full, itemized cost of construction for warranty purposes
C. A detailed list of any construction deficiencies noted during each building inspection
D. A statement declaring whether the home is covered by home warranty insurance - Answers D
, What date is the second owner builder application based on?
A. First application approval date
B. Date of house sale
C. Occupancy date
D, Other - Answers C.
What is not within the authority of a compliance officer when conducting a site visit?
A. Question any person about the cost of materials and labour
B. Question any person about any matter that relates to licensing
C. Question any person about the work performed by construction workers
D. Question any person about the qualification of workers - Answers A
How does the Licensing & Consumer Services branch know the initial occupancy date? - Answers
Owner builder must advise the date and this will be confirmed should the property be sold within 10
years of occupancy
Define which of the following is an acceptable scope of work that a single subcontractor can perform
on an owner-built home?
A. Manage and complete all the structural components of a newly built home
B. Manage and pay all the sub trades involved in the construction of the owner-built home
C. Complete the entire build if they have provided their references and have proven experience
D. To complete the foundation, framing, roofing, cladding, windows and doors but not the interior -
Answers A
What does the Owner Builder Authorization disclose? - Answers The notice informs buyers whether
the home was built under an Owner Builder Authorization, when the 10-year period started, and if
there is a voluntary policy of home warranty insurance in place.
If an owner builder home is sold within 10 years of occupancy, do subsequent owners need to provide
an owner builder authorization? - Answers yes, Any subsequent owners must also provide the Owner
Builder Disclosure Notice if they sell the home to another buyer within the 10-year period.
Should you sell your home within the first 10 years from the date of occupancy, you must provide the
purchaser with what? - Answers Owner Builder Disclosure Notice
When can you sell a homeowner built house? - Answers At least one year after first occupancy (if the
first authorization) or with special permission from the HPO
if the person has previously been issued an authorization, the person must not have been issued an
authorization for at least the following period of time, determined from the date of first occupancy of
the new home built under the most recent previous authorization: - Answers 1 previous authorization
= 18 months, 2= 3 years, 3 or more = 5 years
The owner-builder's brother in law is a licensed builder. What are the restrictions regarding his
involvement?
A. There are no restrictions since he is licensed
B. He cannot directly supervise workers
C. He cannot fulfil any general contractor duties
D. Other - Answers C
How many jobs can a sole sub-contractor do before they must be licensed builder and provide home
warranty insurance? - Answers Maximum 2 jobs
any two of the three warranty components in a 2-5-10 home warranty insurance policy for example:
finishing and mechanical systems, building envelope, or structure.
What must a principle of a farm corporation do to receive an HPO permit? - Answers Must file special
resolution not to sell interest in land for one year
How many jobs can a sole sub-contractor do before they must be licensed as a builder and provide
home warranty insurance? - Answers Maximum 2
What legislation govern site issuance of Owner Builder Authorizations in BC - Answers The
Homeowner Protection Act and Regulations
Which of the following statements is false:
A An owner builder may have a life interest in the land on which a home will be built?
B. An owner builder may have an option to purchase registered on title
C. An owner builder may have interest under a 15 year or longer lease on the land
D. An owner builder may have fee simple interest on the land - Answers B
What must occur before a purchase and sale agreement is signed?
A. The owner builder must declare intent to provide a disclosure statement
An owner builder must not build a new home other than - Answers (a) a detached dwelling unit under
one legal title, or
(b) a single dwelling unit in or attached to
(i) a pre-existing building, or
(ii) a new non-residential building that does not have another single dwelling unit in or attached to it.
(2) Subject to local bylaws, the new home referred to in subsection (1) may include a secondary suite.
Minimum standard of coverage - materials and labour - Answers 2 year
Minimum standard of coverage - building envelope - Answers 5 years
Minimum standard of coverage - structural - Answers 10 years
When you work full time, how do you manage your house building project?
A. You remotely manage your house building project
B. You engage sub-trades personally, come on the job site to supervise the work whenever you can
C. You hire a relative to manage the project
D. Other - Answers B
Can an owner-builder construct a duplex?
A. Under no circumstance
B. Only if permitted by municipal by-laws
C. Only with permission from HPO
D. Other - Answers A. (secondary suite if bylaws allow)
How many years lease, for permission to be an owner builder - Answers 15
After building your second homeowner house, how long do you have to wait to build your third?
A. 18 months
B. 3 years
C. 5 years
C. No wait - Answers B
Under what conditions can an owner builder apply for reduced occupancy requirements to rent out
an owner built house?
A. Upon payment of a fee
B. Under financial hardship - Answers B.
Why must an owner builder be onsite during an inspection?
A. To meet regulations
B. The owner builder is responsible for any defects/issues - Answers B.
Why should inspections be scheduled in advance - Answers To avoid delays to schedule
What is the maximum monetary penalty under the HPS
A. $50,000
b. $10,000
C. $5,000
D. $25,000 - Answers D
When can an owner-builder built home be rented out? - Answers Not within the first year of
occupancy
Can the title of an owner-builder built home be transferred to a family member? - Answers Not within
the first year, unless special authorization is applied
What penalty can be imposed if you make false claims or do something wrong with your owner
builder permit?
A. Monetary penalty
B. Cancel owner builder authorization permit
C. Other - Answers B
Can you build an attached residential building to a new multi-unit residential building - Answers No
When does the 10-year warranty start? - Answers Occupancy permit or when you occupy the home,
whichever is earliest
What information must be included on an owner builder disclosure notice?
A. A detailed set of all blueprints and specifications noting any changes during construction
B. A statement declaring the full, itemized cost of construction for warranty purposes
C. A detailed list of any construction deficiencies noted during each building inspection
D. A statement declaring whether the home is covered by home warranty insurance - Answers D
, What date is the second owner builder application based on?
A. First application approval date
B. Date of house sale
C. Occupancy date
D, Other - Answers C.
What is not within the authority of a compliance officer when conducting a site visit?
A. Question any person about the cost of materials and labour
B. Question any person about any matter that relates to licensing
C. Question any person about the work performed by construction workers
D. Question any person about the qualification of workers - Answers A
How does the Licensing & Consumer Services branch know the initial occupancy date? - Answers
Owner builder must advise the date and this will be confirmed should the property be sold within 10
years of occupancy
Define which of the following is an acceptable scope of work that a single subcontractor can perform
on an owner-built home?
A. Manage and complete all the structural components of a newly built home
B. Manage and pay all the sub trades involved in the construction of the owner-built home
C. Complete the entire build if they have provided their references and have proven experience
D. To complete the foundation, framing, roofing, cladding, windows and doors but not the interior -
Answers A
What does the Owner Builder Authorization disclose? - Answers The notice informs buyers whether
the home was built under an Owner Builder Authorization, when the 10-year period started, and if
there is a voluntary policy of home warranty insurance in place.
If an owner builder home is sold within 10 years of occupancy, do subsequent owners need to provide
an owner builder authorization? - Answers yes, Any subsequent owners must also provide the Owner
Builder Disclosure Notice if they sell the home to another buyer within the 10-year period.
Should you sell your home within the first 10 years from the date of occupancy, you must provide the
purchaser with what? - Answers Owner Builder Disclosure Notice
When can you sell a homeowner built house? - Answers At least one year after first occupancy (if the
first authorization) or with special permission from the HPO
if the person has previously been issued an authorization, the person must not have been issued an
authorization for at least the following period of time, determined from the date of first occupancy of
the new home built under the most recent previous authorization: - Answers 1 previous authorization
= 18 months, 2= 3 years, 3 or more = 5 years
The owner-builder's brother in law is a licensed builder. What are the restrictions regarding his
involvement?
A. There are no restrictions since he is licensed
B. He cannot directly supervise workers
C. He cannot fulfil any general contractor duties
D. Other - Answers C
How many jobs can a sole sub-contractor do before they must be licensed builder and provide home
warranty insurance? - Answers Maximum 2 jobs
any two of the three warranty components in a 2-5-10 home warranty insurance policy for example:
finishing and mechanical systems, building envelope, or structure.
What must a principle of a farm corporation do to receive an HPO permit? - Answers Must file special
resolution not to sell interest in land for one year
How many jobs can a sole sub-contractor do before they must be licensed as a builder and provide
home warranty insurance? - Answers Maximum 2
What legislation govern site issuance of Owner Builder Authorizations in BC - Answers The
Homeowner Protection Act and Regulations
Which of the following statements is false:
A An owner builder may have a life interest in the land on which a home will be built?
B. An owner builder may have an option to purchase registered on title
C. An owner builder may have interest under a 15 year or longer lease on the land
D. An owner builder may have fee simple interest on the land - Answers B
What must occur before a purchase and sale agreement is signed?
A. The owner builder must declare intent to provide a disclosure statement
