Arizona Contractor License Requirements & Application Help | Contractor Licensing Inc
Get step-by-step help with the Arizona ROC licensing process—classifications, qualifying party, exams and bonds. Contractor Licensing Inc handles filings and compliance.
Getting your Arizona license starts here...
Arizona Contractor License Requirements & Application Help
Every contractor in Arizona — residential, commercial, or both — is licensed by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC), and you must hold the license before you bid. Each license is tied to a classification and backed by a qualifying party and a license bond. Contractor Licensing Inc. handles your application, exam scheduling, and bonding — and every bond link below goes straight to a working Artisan Insurance application, not a dead page.
Who Needs a License?
Anyone who contracts or offers to contract to build, alter, repair, or demolish a structure or improvement in Arizona — including subcontractors, floor covering and hardscape contractors, and consultants who supervise or manage projects. Only very small, minor jobs fall under the handyman exemption.
Residential, Commercial, or Dual
- Residential: work on homes and residential structures; pays into the Residential Contractors’ Recovery Fund
- Commercial: work on commercial, industrial, and public projects
- Dual: one license covering both, with a bond equal to the combined residential and commercial amounts
What You'll Be Tested On
Two Required Exams
- Statutes and Rules Exam (SRE) — open-book, taken online; required for every qualifying party and cannot be waived
- Trade Exam for your classification — taken online or at a PSI testing center, 70% to pass
The qualifying party needs at least four years of practical or management experience in the trade, with two of those years within the last ten.
Already Have a NASCLA Score?
Arizona accepts the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors for KB-1 and KB-2 applicants, and the NASCLA Electrical exam for CR-11, C-11, and R-11 electrical applicants. This exam is recognized in 17+ jurisdictions — Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands — so one exam score can carry across most of your expansion states.
NASCLA is an exam credential, not automatic reciprocity — you still apply separately in each state and may still need that state's business exam, financials, or bond.
Arizona's Reciprocity Options
No Formal Reciprocity Agreements
Arizona does not sign reciprocity agreements with other states. Every applicant files a full ROC application, completes the background check, posts a license bond, and passes the Statutes and Rules exam.
Trade Exam Waiver
The Registrar may waive the trade exam if your qualifying party has served as a qualifying party in the same or a comparable classification, in Arizona or another state, within the last five years. Submit the waiver request with your license application.
Note: waivers are not pre-approved — the ROC reviews each one with the application.
ROC License Classifications
Residential General (B)
New homes, additions, remodels and repairs on residential structures
Commercial General (B-1 / B-2)
General commercial and small commercial building construction
Dual Building (KB-1 / KB-2)
Residential and commercial building under one license
Dual Engineering (KA)
Heavy, highway, utility, and engineering construction
Electrical (R-11 / C-11 / CR-11)
Residential, commercial, and dual electrical contracting
Pools & Specialty
Pools (KA-5, KA-6), plumbing, HVAC, roofing, concrete, framing and more
Arizona Contractor License Bonds
Every ROC license requires a license bond (or cash deposit). The amount depends on your classification and expected annual volume in Arizona: $9,000–$15,000 residential general, $4,250–$7,500 residential specialty, $5,000–$100,000 commercial general, and $2,500–$50,000 commercial specialty. Dual licenses carry the combined amount. New and out-of-state contractors may also need a taxpayer bond with the Arizona Department of Revenue ($2,000–$22,000 depending on trade).
| Bond | Trade | Amount | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Contractor License (Residential only) | Residential | $4,250–$15,000 | Apply Now |
| Arizona Contractor License (Commercial only) | Commercial | $2,500–$100,000 | Apply Now |
| Arizona Contractor License (Residential & Commercial combined) | Dual | Combined amount | Apply Now |
| Arizona Taxpayer Bond for Contractors (ADOR) | All trades | $2,000–$22,000 | Apply Now |
| Lease Tenant Improvements Performance | Commercial build-outs | Varies | Apply Now |
Arizona City & County Bonds
Some Arizona cities, counties, and trade organizations require their own bonds for right-of-way work, permits, or union agreements. All 5 local bonds in our database are listed below — expand to browse.
View all 5 Arizona local & county bonds
| Jurisdiction | Trade | Amount | |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Avondale | Right of Way | Varies | Apply Now |
| Town of Colorado City | Right of Way | $2,000 | Apply Now |
| Maricopa County | Over Size / Over Weight Permit | Varies | Apply Now |
| City of Phoenix | Public Works Landfill Dumping Fees | Varies | Apply Now |
| IBEW Local No. 640 | Electrical – Wage and Welfare | Varies | Apply Now |
Fees & Deadlines
- Application, license, and Recovery Fund fees vary by classification — see the ROC fee schedule
- Background check results are valid for 90 days
- Initial applications must be notarized
- Licenses renew every two years
Workers’ Comp & Tax
- Workers’ compensation certificate required if you have one or more employees
- LLCs and corporations register with the Arizona Corporation Commission
- A Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) license and, for new or out-of-state contractors, a taxpayer bond with ADOR
Official Resources
Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) and Arizona Department of Revenue (contractor bonds).
Official How to Apply ROC Bond Information ADOR Contractor BondsLet Us Know How We Can Help
We handle your ROC application, qualifying party, exam scheduling or waiver, license bond, taxpayer bond, and insurance — start to finish.
Call 239-394-2300 Email UsLet us know how we can help!
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