Supporting Reference

RAIC Document 6, the Client-Architect Contract for the ExAC

RAIC Document 6, formally titled the Canadian Standard Form of Contract for Architectural Services, is the standard agreement between a client and an architect in Canada. For the Examination for Architects in Canada (ExAC), Document 6 and its Supplementary Agreement are listed on Examitect's ExAC study plan as a primary reference for Section 4 question 9.2 (Understand the types of construction contract), and the contract supplies the vocabulary used throughout Section 4.

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RAIC Document 6 overview

Document 6 at a glance

Full titleCanadian Standard Form of Contract for Architectural Services, Document Six
Common short namesRAIC Document 6, Document Six, Doc 6
PublisherRoyal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC)
Current edition2022 Digital Edition, revised 2022-08
Length32 pages for the base form, including the Agreement Form, Definitions, sixteen General Conditions (GC0 to GC15), and Schedules B and C; Schedule A, Services, is a separate attachment
Companion documentDocument Six Supplementary Agreement, a separate form used to amend the contract for project-specific terms
LanguagesEnglish and French (RAIC publishes both)
Primary audiencePractising architects, intern architects, and clients engaging architectural services in Canada
Where to accessThrough the RAIC. Check raic.org for current access terms. Many firms keep an office copy of Document 6 and its Supplementary Agreement.

Why Document 6 matters for the ExAC

Document 6 is listed on Examitect's ExAC study plan as a primary reference for Section 4 question 9.2 (Understand the types of construction contract), paired with its Supplementary Agreement and with RAIC Document 9, which is also a primary reference for that question. The exam tests whether you can identify which agreement governs which relationship, what each agreement requires, and what happens where the agreements meet.

Beyond 9.2, Document 6 supplies the vocabulary the exam uses for client-architect questions. Terms like Services, Additional Services, Construction Budget, Construction Cost Estimate, Ready-for-Takeover, Instruments of Service, and General Review are defined terms in Document 6, used as capitalized italicized terms throughout the contract, and recycled by exam writers without redefinition.

If a question describes a scenario where the architect's scope, fees, payment certification, or termination is in play, Document 6 is usually the answer key, with the Canadian Handbook of Practice as the supporting explanation.

How to study Document 6 for the ExAC

  • Start with the Definitions so the General Conditions read with the right vocabulary on the first pass.
  • Skim GC0 through GC15 in order, then go deep on GC1, GC3, GC5, GC12, and GC13 where the heaviest exam load lives.
  • Read Document 6 alongside CCDC 2 and RAIC Document 9. The ExAC tests how the three agreements interact, not just what each one says in isolation.
  • Walk through Schedule A phase by phase, noticing how the architect's tasks change between Pre-Design, Schematic Design, Design Development, Construction Documents, Bidding or Negotiation, Construction, and Post-Construction.
  • Work through a sample percentage-based fee in GC13 to see how the fee adjusts as the Construction Cost Estimate is refined and then replaced by the Construction Cost.
  • Test recall with scenario-based practice questions. Memorizing the clauses is not the goal; recognizing them under exam pressure is.

ExAC sections Document 6 supports

  1. Section 4

    Primary reference on Examitect's study plan for question 9.2 (types of construction contract). Document 6 vocabulary, schedules, and General Conditions also appear across the practice categories below.

  2. Section 1

    Not on the primary list. Document 6 still sets the Construction Budget, the architect's services across project phases, and the project delivery method, so its vocabulary surfaces in programming and cost management questions.

  3. Section 3

    Not on the primary list. Schedule A defines the architect's responsibility for the Construction Documents and for document coordination, so the contract is the legal backdrop for several Section 3 categories.

Inside Document 6, the structure

Document 6 follows a predictable order: the Agreement Form first, then the Definitions, then the General Conditions, then the Schedules. Once you know the structure, it takes seconds to find the clause you need on study night.

Part of Document 6What it coversWhere it lands on the ExAC
Agreement FormArticles A1 onward
 Identifies the parties, the Project, the Place of the Work, the Construction Budget, the anticipated construction dates, the project delivery method, the form of Construction Contract, the Consultants engaged, and the fee structure. Section 4, project setup and types of construction contract (9.2).
Definitionscapitalized italicized terms
 Defines the terms used throughout, including Architect, Client, Construction Budget, Construction Cost, Construction Documents, General Review, Services, Additional Services, Instruments of Service, Ready-for-Takeover, and Reimbursable Expenses. Section 4 across all practice categories; vocabulary also surfaces in Sections 1 and 3.
GC0Preamble
 States that the contract is for mutual benefit, interpreted fairly, and built on mutual respect, support, openness, and good faith. Sets the tone for interpretation. Section 4, professional conduct background.
GC1Architect's Responsibilities and Scope of Services
 The architect's core obligations: perform Services with professional skill and care, engage consultants, coordinate communications, act with impartiality, and avoid conflicts of interest. Section 4, project management and construction administration.
GC2Additional Services
 Lists the triggers for Additional Services (scope change, budget change, schedule change, code changes, AHJ interpretations, substitutions, RFIs, defects) and how they are authorized. Section 4, fee adjustments and scope creep questions.
GC3Client's Responsibilities
 Client deliverables: program of requirements, site information, surveys, environmental reports, timely decisions, and payment. Section 4, programming and client coordination.
GC4Construction Budget, Construction Cost Estimate and Construction Cost
 How the Construction Cost Estimate is prepared and adjusted, and what happens when the lowest compliant bid exceeds the Construction Budget by more than the percentage stated in Article A19. Section 4 bidding; Section 1 cost management background.
GC5Architect's Role and Authority During Construction
 Defines the architect as the impartial interpreter of the Construction Contract, the authority to reject non-conforming work, and the limits of the architect's authority over the means and methods of construction. Section 4, construction office and field functions.
GC6Use of Documents
 The architect retains copyright and ownership of Instruments of Service. Sets out the client's licence to use the documents for the Project. Section 4, intellectual property and document use.
GC7Standard of Care
 The architect's services are performed with the skill and diligence a reasonably competent architect would apply in similar circumstances. Section 4, professional liability.
GC8Indemnification
 Mutual indemnification provisions, subject to the limits in GC9. Section 4, liability and insurance.
GC9Limitations of Liability
 Caps the architect's liability and excludes liability for alterations made by others to the architect's documents. Section 4, risk management.
GC10Insurance
 Professional liability insurance requirements for the architect. Section 4, business and risk.
GC11Termination and Suspension
 Grounds and procedures for terminating or suspending the contract, and the fees and Reimbursable Expenses payable for Services performed to that date. Section 4, contract administration.
GC12Payments to the Architect
 Invoicing, time-based rates, Reimbursable Expenses, holdback handling, and payment terms. Section 4, fees and invoicing.
GC13Percentage-Based Fee
 How a percentage-based fee is calculated and adjusted as the Construction Cost Estimate, then the Construction Cost, becomes known. Section 4, fee structure questions.
GC14Dispute Resolution
 Negotiation, mediation, and arbitration in accordance with CCDC 40, with provisions for joining Constructor disputes. Section 4, dispute resolution.
GC15Miscellaneous General Conditions
 Confidentiality, the Architect's right to sign the building, identification on Project signage, severability, successors and assignment, and deemed completion of the Services one year after Ready-for-Takeover. Section 4, contract reading skill.
Schedule AServices
 The phase-by-phase services performed by the architect: Pre-Design, Schematic Design, Design Development, Construction Documents, Bidding or Negotiation, Construction, and Post-Construction. Each phase lists architect responsibilities and client responsibilities. Sections 1 and 4, project phases and scope.
Schedule BReimbursable Expenses
 Defined list of expenses payable by the client in addition to the architect's fee. Section 4, fee structure.
Schedule CTime-Based Rates
 Time-based billing rates for personnel employed by the architect or by consultants engaged by the architect. Section 4, hourly billing and Additional Services.
Supplementary Agreementcompanion document
 A separate RAIC form used to amend or supplement the contract for project-specific terms. Listed alongside Document 6 in Examitect's ExAC study plan for 9.2. Section 4, types of construction contract (9.2).

If you are short on time, focus on the Definitions, GC1, GC3, GC5, GC12, GC13, and Schedule A. Those clauses carry the heaviest exam load.

Key Document 6 terms every ExAC candidate should know

Document 6 uses capitalized italicized terms to flag defined terminology. Learn these early so you spend exam time choosing the answer, not parsing the question.

TermWhat it means in Document 6
ArchitectThe person or entity named in Article A3 who is registered, licensed, or otherwise authorized to use the title Architect and to practise architecture at the Place of the Work.
ClientThe person or entity named in Article A2 who engages the Architect to provide the Services.
ServicesThe professional services identified in Schedule A and performed by the Architect, the Architect's employees, and Consultants engaged by the Architect.
Additional ServicesServices not included in Schedule A at the time the contract is made, added later by written agreement.
Construction BudgetThe maximum amount the Client is prepared to spend on the Construction Cost, including contingencies, stated in Article A7 or adjusted under the contract.
Construction CostThe total cost of the Work to the Client, including the Construction Contract price, changes, construction management or coordination fees, and applicable taxes other than Value-Added Taxes.
Construction Cost EstimateThe anticipated total Construction Cost at the anticipated time of construction, prepared by the Architect with an accuracy that matches the level of design detail at the time.
Construction DocumentsThe drawings, specifications, and other documents that describe the size, quality, and character of the Work in detail appropriate to the size and complexity of the Project.
General ReviewReviews by the Architect and Consultants during visits to the Place of the Work, at intervals appropriate to the stage of construction, to determine general conformity with the Construction Documents.
Instruments of ServiceRepresentations, in any medium, of the creative work that forms part of the Services or Additional Services. The Architect retains intellectual property rights.
Ready-for-TakeoverThe date determined under the Construction Contract or, if not defined there, corresponding to substantial performance or completion of the Work as defined by applicable lien legislation.
Reimbursable ExpensesExpenses necessarily incurred by the Architect and Consultants engaged by the Architect, payable by the Client in addition to the Services fee, as listed in Schedule B.

Tips for Intern Architects reading Document 6

Document 6 reads like a legal text because it is one. If you are early in your internship under the Internship in Architecture Program (IAP) or its provincial equivalent, here is how to read it without losing momentum.

Tip 1, read the Definitions twice. Document 6 italicizes every defined term it uses. Reading the Definitions before the General Conditions saves you from flipping back and forth, and the defined terms become anchors when an exam question quotes a clause.

Tip 2, mark up an office copy. Ask a senior at your firm whether you can borrow a marked-up copy of Document 6 from a recent project. Seeing where the firm filled in Articles A1 through A26, what they changed in the Supplementary Agreement, and how they structured Schedule A makes the abstract contract concrete.

Tip 3, learn the contract trio in parallel. RAIC Document 6 (client-architect), CCDC 2 (owner-contractor), and RAIC Document 9 (architect-consultant) are tested as a set. Read the three Agreement Forms side by side so you internalize who is bound to whom and for what.

Tip 4, trace the fee mechanics on paper. Take a sample project budget and work through GC12 and GC13 by hand. Calculate the percentage-based fee at the end of Schematic Design, at the end of Construction Documents, and at substantial performance. Most fee questions on the ExAC are variations of this exercise.

Tip 5, memorize the Additional Services triggers. GC2 lists more than a dozen specific triggers for Additional Services, from changes in program to AHJ interpretations to Constructor-proposed substitutions. The ExAC writes scenario questions straight out of that list. Recognize the pattern fast.

Tip 6, do not skip the Schedules. Schedule A is the operational core of the contract. Schedule B is where Reimbursable Expenses are defined. Schedule C is the time-based rate table for Additional Services and hourly work. Candidates often skim the General Conditions and ignore the Schedules; that is backwards.

Tip 7, pair Document 6 with CHOP chapters. The Canadian Handbook of Practice explains the practice context for almost every clause in Document 6. When a clause feels abstract, find the matching CHOP chapter and read both together.

Common ExAC scenarios where Document 6 is the answer

These question patterns come up across ExAC sittings. If you see one, your first instinct should be to open Document 6.

  • The client changes the program of requirements after Design Development. Is the architect entitled to Additional Services, and which clause supports the claim?
  • The lowest compliant bid exceeds the Construction Budget by more than the percentage in Article A19. What options does GC4 give the Client, and what is the architect obliged to do?
  • The Constructor proposes a substitution that requires the Architect to revise the Construction Documents. Who pays for the revision under Document 6?
  • The Client wants to use the Architect's drawings to build a second, similar building elsewhere. What does GC6 (Use of Documents) say?
  • The Architect issues a certificate for payment, and the Client disputes it. What is the dispute resolution path under GC14, and how does it interact with CCDC 40?
  • The Client suspends the contract for budgetary reasons partway through Design Development. What is the Architect entitled to under GC11?
  • The Client retains holdback under provincial lien legislation. How does GC12.4 divide the contract in two, and when can the holdback on the first part be released?

Each scenario traces back to a numbered clause in Document 6. Knowing where to look beats memorizing the wording.

How Document 6 compares to other ExAC contract references

The ExAC tests four contract documents in close rotation. Each one governs a different relationship, and the questions usually turn on which document applies and how the documents interact.

ReferenceWho it bindsHow Document 6 relates
RAIC Document 6Client and Architect.The agreement that sets up the architectural services on the Project. Everything else hangs off this one.
RAIC Document 9Architect and Consultant.The architect's downstream agreement with each sub-consultant. Document 6 obliges the architect to engage consultants under terms consistent with the Document 6 contract; Document 9 supplies those terms.
CCDC 2Owner and Constructor.The stipulated price construction contract. Document 6 references the Construction Contract and gives the architect the authority to administer it. CCDC 2 is the most common form of that Construction Contract.
CCDC 24Owner (with Constructor support).A guide to model forms and support documents used with CCDC 2 in the bidding and construction administration that Document 6 contemplates.
Canadian Handbook of Practice (CHOP)Reference for practising architects.The narrative guide that explains how to scope, fee, and administer the relationship Document 6 sets up. Use them as a pair.

How Examitect reinforces Document 6

Reading the contract once is not enough. Examitect's question bank draws scenarios directly from Document 6 for Section 4 question 9.2, and surfaces the same defined terms across bidding, construction administration, and project management questions. Each answer explanation cites the GC or Schedule it came from, so when a question stings, you know which clause to re-read.

You also get scenario-based questions that put Document 6 next to CCDC 2 and Document 9, full-length mock exams that mirror ExAC pacing, and free study notes for every section. Try a few sample questions first, then check pricing when you want the full bank.

FAQ

RAIC Document 6 FAQ

RAIC Document 6 is the Canadian Standard Form of Contract for Architectural Services, published by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. It is the standard agreement between a client and an architect in Canada, covering the architect's scope of services, fees, responsibilities, and the General Conditions that govern the relationship.

Examitect's ExAC study plan lists RAIC Document 6 (with its Supplementary Agreement) as a primary reference for Section 4 question 9.2, Understand the types of construction contract. It is the only category on the study plan where Document 6 is named as a primary reference, though its vocabulary surfaces across the rest of Section 4.

RAIC Document 6 is the contract between the client and the architect. CCDC 2 is the standard stipulated price contract between the owner and the contractor. The two agreements run in parallel on a typical project, and the ExAC tests how they interact.

The current edition is the 2022 Digital Edition, revised 2022-08. It is a thirty-two page document and replaces the earlier Document Six in active use across Canadian practice.

Schedule A sets out the Services to be provided by the architect across the project phases. Schedule B lists the Reimbursable Expenses payable by the client in addition to the fee. Schedule C lists the Time-Based Rates for personnel employed by the architect or by consultants engaged by the architect.

Read the Definitions and General Conditions GC0 through GC15 once for shape, then re-read GC1, GC3, GC5, GC12, and GC13 in detail. Compare Document 6 with CCDC 2 and RAIC Document 9 side by side, and test recall with scenario-based practice questions on fee structure, additional services, and the architect's role during construction.

RAIC Document 6 is published by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and available through the RAIC. Check raic.org for current access terms. Many firms also hold an office copy. For study purposes, the RAIC has released watermarked preview versions for non-commercial reference.

The Document Six Supplementary Agreement is a separate companion document. Examitect's ExAC study plan lists Document 6 and its Supplementary Agreement together as a primary reference for Section 4 question 9.2, so candidates should read both.

Keep exploring

Other ExAC reference books.

Document 6 is one of several contract and practice references on Examitect's ExAC study plan. Continue with the rest.

CHOP

Canadian Handbook of Practice. The practice reference that explains how to administer the relationship Document 6 sets up.

RAIC Document 9

The architect-consultant agreement. Document 6's downstream companion for sub-consultant contracts.

CCDC 2

The standard stipulated price construction contract between owner and contractor. The Construction Contract referenced in Document 6.

CCDC 24

A Guide to Model Forms and Support Documents. The CCDC 2 companion forms used in bidding and construction administration.

NBC 2020

National Building Code of Canada. The primary reference for every category in ExAC Section 2.

CHING

Building Construction Illustrated. The visual reference for assemblies, materials, and detailing across Sections 1 and 3.

NECB

National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings. Supports the envelope and energy questions in Section 2.

RSMeans

RSMeans Cost Data. North American construction cost data, used for Section 1 Cost Management questions.

Yardsticks

Hanscomb Yardsticks for Costing. Canadian elemental cost data by building type and region, for Section 1 Cost Management.

Supporting references

The extended reading list of supplementary references that show up across the ExAC reading list.