Last reviewed: 3 October 2026
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Canada (Quebec)Quebec's legal warranty of good working order for consumer goods
Quebec's Consumer Protection Act adds a "warranty of good working order" on a list of new appliances and electronics. The Act marks the new sections "In force: 2026-10-05," so they take effect on 5 October 2026. This page was reviewed on 3 October 2026, before that date. The Office describes the warranty as free. This page explains what the Act and Quebec's consumer protection office (the Office de la protection du consommateur, "the Office") say about what it covers, for how long and who must honor it. It covers Quebec only. It is not legal advice.
The short answer
- What it is: under section 38.1 of the Act, certain new goods that are the object of a contract of sale or a long-term contract of lease "carry with them a warranty of good working order."1
- Timing: sections 38.1 to 38.9 are marked "In force: 2026-10-05" in the Act. The Office's page gives the entry-into-force date as 5 October 2026 ("Entrée en vigueur : 5 octobre 2026").12
- Which goods: a range, refrigerator, freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, television set, desktop computer, laptop computer, electronic pad, cellular telephone, video game console, air conditioner and heat pump, plus any other goods set by regulation.1
- How long: the Act leaves the length to regulation. The Office lists 3 to 6 years depending on the good (table below).12
- Cost and start: from 5 October 2026, the Office says, the warranty is free and applies automatically from delivery.2 The Act says it takes effect upon delivery of the goods.1
Which goods and how long
Section 38.1 says the length of the warranty "is determined by regulation."1 The Office's page, in French, lists these lengths. The English wording in the table is our translation.2
| Good | Length |
|---|---|
| Range (cuisinière), refrigerator, freezer, air conditioner, heat pump | 6 years2 |
| Washing machine, dryer, dishwasher | 5 years2 |
| Television | 4 years2 |
| Laptop or desktop computer, video game console, cell phone, tablet | 3 years2 |
This page does not cover the regulation itself. Check the Office's page for the current list. The Act also lets regulation add other goods.1
What the warranty covers and excludes
| Topic | What the Act says |
|---|---|
| Covered | The warranty "covers parts and labour" (section 38.2).1 |
| Repairs | The merchant or the manufacturer carries out the repairs and assumes their cost, or permits the consumer to have the repairs carried out by a third person and assumes that cost (section 38.5).1 |
| Transport | The merchant or the manufacturer assumes "the reasonable transportation or shipping costs" (section 38.5).1 |
| Not covered | Normal maintenance service and the replacement of parts resulting from it; damage resulting from abuse by the consumer; and any accessory other than one set by regulation (section 38.3).1 |
| Start date | The warranty "takes effect upon the delivery of the goods" (section 38.4).1 |
| Later owners | The merchant or the manufacturer is liable for the warranty to "a consumer who is the subsequent purchaser of the goods" (section 38.6).1 |
The Office says the consumer can turn to the merchant, the manufacturer or both, and that a merchant cannot require the consumer to turn to the manufacturer. It also says the warranty is independent of the other warranties. These points are from the Office's French page. The English is our translation.2
What merchants and manufacturers must tell you
- The merchant must indicate the duration of the warranty "near their advertised price" or, for a long-term lease, near their retail value, "in a prominent manner" (section 38.8).1
- The manufacturer must disclose information about the warranty, as set by regulation (section 38.7).1
- After a sale or long-term lease, the merchant must send the consumer information about the warranty, as set by regulation (section 38.9).1
- For a distance contract, the merchant must disclose the duration of the warranty of good working order before the contract is entered into, if it applies (section 54.4(d.2), marked "In force: 2026-10-05").1
How it differs from Quebec's other warranties
The older legal warranties. Section 38 already says goods "must be durable in normal use for a reasonable length of time, having regard to their price, the terms of the contract and the conditions of their use."1 The Office describes three legal warranties on small appliances that apply automatically and without charge: use, reasonable lifetime and hidden defects.3 The good-working-order warranty is a separate addition. The Office says it is independent of the others.2
Used automobiles. Quebec has a separate warranty of good working order for used automobiles sold or leased by a merchant. The Office says that as of April 5, 2024 it was updated "to cover a greater number of automobiles."2 Our guide Does Canada have lemon laws? shows its table by class.
Extended warranties. Quebec also has separate rules for an additional warranty, which the Office says is also known as an "extended warranty."2 See Quebec extended warranty disclosure.
Where this fits our standard
Point 1 of our standard asks whether contract terms and exclusions are disclosed in plain language before purchase. A legal warranty is a baseline that exists before any contract is bought. See also our guide to the Sale of Goods Act baseline and the Canada guides.
How to verify this yourself
- Open the Consumer Protection Act on Légis Québec (reference 1) and read sections 38 to 38.9. Each of 38.1 to 38.9 is marked "In force: 2026-10-05."1
- Open the Office's "New protections for consumers" page (reference 2) and find the heading "Garantie légale de bon fonctionnement." The Office says the information on its page "does not replace the texts of the laws and regulations."2
- Check the regulation for the current list of goods and lengths. The regulation itself is not reproduced on this page.
What this page is not
This is general information, not legal advice. It does not say whether a particular good is covered, whether a repair is owed or whether a sale falls under the Act. Quebec law and the Office's pages change. The Office's "New protections" page shows a last update of 10 August 2026, and the Act text on Légis Québec is current to 12 August 2026.12
What to do next
The rules take effect on 5 October 2026. Check the Office's page for the current regulation and list of goods. Once the rules apply, the Act says the merchant must show the warranty length near the advertised price of a listed good, and the Office's page says a consumer can raise a problem with the merchant, the manufacturer or both. The Office also offers a "Resolve a problem with a merchant" section on its site.3