The Act respecting tourist accommodation establishments requires that operators of such establishments have a classification certificate that serves as authorization to operate the establishment. Certificates are valid for two years for most of the classes covered in the Act. Consult the submenus in this section to find out about each step in the program.

1. Check with your municipality whether zoning allows the commercial operation of a specific accommodation establishment and can take out civil liability insurance of at least $2 million, as it is highly recommended by the CITQ.
2. Call the Ministère du Tourisme (1 800 463-5009) and give the case manager all the information needed to open your file. Have a copy of your property titles (owner) or lease (tenant): a copy of the municipal tax bill may be sufficient.
3. The Ministère du Tourisme will give you a temporary operator’s permit and ask the CITQ to open the classification file.
4. The CITQ will make an appointment with you to conduct a classification visit. It will first send you an invoice for annual fees related to the classification program ($190 + $4 per accommodation unit) and forms to complete and sign. The visit will be conducted once payment has been received and all the completed forms have been submitted.
5. The CITQ will give you your classification results and the Ministère du Tourisme will send you a sign that must be displayed in a conspicuous place at all times, outside your establishment. The rates charged for accommodation must be clearly posted in the reception area.

1. A few months before an establishment’s classification certificate expires, the CITQ must classify it again.
2. Once the classification inspection has been done, the CITQ will give you your classification results and the Ministère du Tourisme will confirm in writing that your classification is unchanged or send you a new sign for your new classification level.

You can contest your classification results. You have 30 days after receiving your classification results to notify the CITQ in writing of your intention to appeal your classification. The appeal procedure is available in the reserved section for operators.

If you have carried out work that could affect your classification level and would like to be reclassified before the next mandatory classification visit, simply request an interim visit of your establishment.

An interim visit is one other than the classification visit that is legally required every two years. It is done at your specific request, and consequently you must pay the related expenses. Here's how to request an interim visit.

Here’s how to request an interim visit:

1. Send a written request to the CITQ, describing the improvements you have made to your establishment since the last classification inspection.
    
2. If , after reviewing your file, the CITQ feels that the improvements are not likely to raise your classification, it will send you a letter with recommendations describing the additional improvements apt to increase your classification.
    
3. If, after reviewing your file, the CITQ feels that the improvements could raise your classification, it will send you a letter describing possible arrangements for the interim inspection (immediately, or the next time a CITQ classifier is in your region), with the approximate costs of each option.
    
4. Send a letter to the CITQ to confirm your choice.
    
5. The CITQ will send you an invoice for $150, as a deposit corresponding to two hours’ work by a classifier.
    
6. The CITQ classifier will conduct an interim visit and, on payment of all the related charges, will send to the Ministère du Tourisme and you the results of the visit.
    
7. The Ministère du Tourisme will issue a new classification certificate and, if your classification level has changed, will send you a new sign.

REMEMBER: Having a CITQ classifier come for an interim visit does not necessarily mean that you will gain a new star or sun. The classifier will not be able to know for sure whether the quality and extent of the improvements you have made actually merit an increase in your classification until he or she has seen them in person.