What do the work codes on a contractor's Qualibat certificate identify?

Definition: A work code on a Qualibat certificate identifies the activity in which the contractor has recognised technical capacity, with a title and technical level. Qualibat's nomenclature is the catalogue that defines the work covered by each qualification or certification.

Key facts

• As of October 2026, Qualibat's nomenclature guide describes a four-digit code: work family, trade or activity, speciality or technique, then technical level or an additional characteristic.
• Section 5.5 of Qualibat's general qualification reference specifies that the certificate shows the code alongside its title and technical level, plus qualification award and expiry dates.
• Qualibat's FAQ recommends comparing a contractor's certificate with the certificate displayed in its online directory and checking that the relevant work category matches the planned work.

How do the digits describe the work?

Qualibat's nomenclature guide organises qualifications into nine work families, following construction from site preparation to final fitting out. Each position narrows the classification:

• The first digit identifies the functional work family.
• The second identifies the trade or activity.
• The third identifies the speciality or technique, sometimes the material.
• The fourth specifies technical complexity or an additional characteristic.

The guide uses this searchable code as its example:

2112

Its first digit places it in structural work; the next two positions concern masonry and reinforced concrete. The final digit indicates the level described in French as technicité confirmée, with individual houses, collective housing and tertiary buildings given as examples.

Where a qualification has graded technical levels, the guide names courante, confirmée, supérieure and exceptionnelle. It also states that a qualified company can carry out work at a lower technical level than the one it holds.

How does the code relate to a contractor's activities?

Qualibat's general qualification reference, section 2, defines qualification as third-party recognition of a company's capacity to perform work in a given activity at a defined technical level. The recognition rests on assessment of its resources and compliance with requirements.

Section 4.2.3 requires the company's project history to correspond technically to the qualification's definition in the nomenclature. Section 4.2.4 likewise assesses reference projects against that technical definition. The activity recognised on the certificate therefore has a specified scope against which a contractor's website description can be compared.

Section 5.5 lists company workforce and turnover under a separate classification heading. The qualification heading carries the activity code, title and technical level. The certificate also records the human resources available within the qualified activity.

How can the claimed scope be checked?

Qualibat's nomenclature search starts with the work family, then offers activity, speciality and qualification selectors. These provide the classification to compare with the certificate's exact code and title.

Qualibat's FAQ directs readers to its online directory to verify that a presented certificate is current and identical to the published copy. For energy renovation, it also calls for checking the category of work covered by RGE, the recognition associated with specified energy-efficiency work.

Related terms

• Which Schema.org types cover plumbing, electrical and roofing businesses?
• Which Qualibat qualification covers building envelope air-tightness testing?
• Which qualification covers air-leakage testing of ventilation ducts?

FAQ

Does the final digit always mean a technical level?

Qualibat's nomenclature guide says it can specify technical level or an additional characteristic. The full qualification definition supplies the scope.

Can a contractor hold a qualification without completed project references?

Qualibat's general qualification reference, section 5.1, allows a probationary qualification for two years where project references are unavailable or insufficient.

Where can I check the certificate shown on a contractor's website?

Use the online directory identified in Qualibat's FAQ. You can compare the presented certificate with the directory copy and check that it is up to date.

Sources

1. Qualibat, "Comprendre la nomenclature", undated
2. Qualibat, "Référentiel pour l'attribution et le suivi d'une qualification professionnelle d'entreprise et la délivrance du certificat", January 2016
3. Qualibat, "Foire aux questions Qualification", undated
4. Qualibat, "Recherche dans la Nomenclature QUALIBAT", undated

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