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Contractor License Requirements

Arizona Concrete Contractor License Requirements (2026)

Gabriel Giner

By Gabriel Giner, Editor · Verified  ·  Updated

Arizona licenses concrete contractors statewide through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC). C-9 is the commercial concrete classification, R-9 is residential concrete, and CR-9 combines both scopes. The narrow unlicensed exemption generally applies only to casual or minor work below $1,000 and does not apply when a local permit is required, the work is part of a larger operation, or the required unlicensed-status disclosure is absent. An applicant designates a qualifying party, completes the required examinations or an approved waiver, and files the classification- and volume-appropriate bond. Residential and dual licensees also provide the required Residential Contractors' Recovery Fund protection.

Who Issues the Arizona Concrete Contractor License?

Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC) administers the credential or scope-specific rules for concrete work in Arizona under Arizona Revised Statutes Title 32 Chapter 10; Arizona Administrative Code Title 4 Chapter 9, and whether they apply depends on the work scope and conditions explained below. AZ ROC licenses residential, commercial, and dual contractors statewide, administers the Residential Contractors Recovery Fund, and conducts complaint investigations and disciplinary proceedings.

  • Official portal: roc.az.gov
  • Address: 1700 W Washington St Suite 105, Phoenix, AZ 85007
  • Phone: (877) 692-9762

Arizona Concrete Contractor License Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Applicants must provide a Social Security Number. AZ ROC does not publish an Arizona-residency requirement. LLCs and corporations must be registered and in good standing with the Arizona Corporation Commission before applying; partnerships register with the Arizona Secretary of State.

Good moral character

Each person named on the license must meet the restrictions in A.R.S. §32-1122 on unlicensed contracting, discipline, and recent denial, refusal, or revocation.

Background investigation

AZ ROC requires a background check through its vendor for every person named on the application. The agency says a completed background check expires after 90 days.

How Much Experience Do You Need for an Arizona Concrete Contractor License?

An Arizona concrete contractor license requires 4 years of practical or management experience specific to the requested concrete classification, including at least 2 years earned within the last 10 years. Keep payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records for every period you claim; AZ ROC can ask for them when it reviews the application.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

  • Current AZ ROC license application and qualifying-party experience information
  • Supporting employment, self-employment, military, or training records if requested by AZ ROC
  • Arizona or out-of-state license history and examination records when requesting an applicable waiver

Education substitution

Accredited college, university, or manufacturer training may receive credit, but it cannot exceed 2 of the required 4 years.

Arizona Concrete Contractor Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: PSI for the concrete trade examination; GMetrix for the Arizona Statutes and Rules Training Course and Examination (SRE). The following examination requirements cover the pathways described in this guide; follow each part's classification, waiver, and local-scope conditions. Unpublished format details do not remove an examination requirement:

  • R-9/C-9 (CR-9) Concrete trade examination — 50 questions, 120 minutes, passing score 70%
  • Arizona Statutes and Rules Training Course and Examination (SRE) — confirm the current course format with GMetrix — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $66 for the PSI concrete trade examination and $61 for the online SRE course/exam. A trade-exam waiver, if approved, does not remove the SRE requirement except under AZ ROC’s limited Arizona qualifying-party waiver rule.

Retake policy: Use the current PSI Candidate Information Bulletin and GMetrix instructions for scheduling, retakes, references, and fees. AZ ROC says examination results must be no more than 2 years old when the application is filed.

Arizona Concrete Contractor Insurance and Bond Requirements

AZ ROC requires a $4,250 license surety bond, on its prescribed form, before it issues the Arizona concrete contractor license.

General liability

AZ ROC’s contractor-license materials do not list a statewide general-liability minimum for C-9, R-9, or CR-9. Project owners, lenders, and local authorities may separately require coverage.

Workers' compensation

Applicants attest to compliance with Arizona workers’ compensation law and must provide policy information or self-insurance evidence when coverage is required.

Additional financial requirements

The bond amount depends on license type and anticipated Arizona annual volume. R-9 specialty-residential bonds are $4,250 below $375,000 and $7,500 at or above it. C-9 specialty-commercial bonds range from $2,500 to $50,000 by volume. A CR-9 dual bond combines the applicable commercial and residential amounts. R-9 and CR-9 licensees also pay the Recovery Fund assessment or provide the alternative $200,000 surety/cash protection.

How Much Does an Arizona Concrete Contractor License Cost?

FeeAmount
Application$100
Examination$127
Initial license$380
Renewal (every 2 years)$650

To turn these board fees into a realistic year-one budget — bond premium, liability insurance, and exam prep included — open the cost calculator preloaded for Arizona concrete contractor.

Arizona Concrete Contractor License Renewal and Continuing Education

The Arizona concrete contractor license renews every 2 years. The renewal fee is $650. Renew every 2 years and keep the bond in force. Listed renewal totals are $480 for C-9, $540 for R-9, and $650 for CR-9; the residential and dual totals include the Recovery Fund assessment.

Does Arizona Accept Out-of-State Concrete Contractor Licenses?

Arizona does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination for the Arizona concrete contractor license.

Reciprocal StateAccepted ExamConditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

Arizona has no direct reciprocity. AZ ROC may approve a trade-exam waiver for a qualifying party who held the same or a comparable classification in Arizona or another state within the preceding 5 years. The SRE is waived only if the proposed qualifying party has been the qualifying party on an Arizona contractor license within the preceding 5 years.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares published Concrete Contractor license requirements by state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

How to Get an Arizona Concrete Contractor License, Step by Step

  1. Choose the right Arizona concrete classification. Decide whether the work fits C-9 commercial, R-9 residential, or CR-9 dual authority before applying.
  2. Designate and document the qualifying party. The qualifying party needs 4 years of classification-specific practical or management experience, including 2 years in the last 10 years. Training credit cannot exceed 2 years.
  3. Form the license-holding business. Register an LLC or corporation with the Arizona Corporation Commission, or a partnership with the Secretary of State, if applicable.
  4. Complete the SRE. Complete the AZ ROC/GMetrix Arizona Statutes and Rules course and examination unless the limited Arizona qualifying-party waiver applies.
  5. Pass or obtain approval to waive the concrete trade exam. Take the 50-question PSI R-9/C-9 (CR-9) examination or submit a completed waiver request with the application when eligible.
  6. Post the required bond. File the bond amount tied to the actual classification and business volume, not just the minimum example amount.
  7. Provide residential Recovery Fund protection when applicable. R-9 and CR-9 applicants pay the Recovery Fund assessment or provide the alternative $200,000 surety/cash protection.
  8. Receive the active ROC license. Do not bid or contract outside the granted class scope after issuance. Residential-only and commercial-only limits still matter.

Application Checklist

Have each of these ready before you file with AZ ROC:

Common Filing Mistakes

These are the problems most likely to delay or derail a Arizona Concrete Contractor application, drawn from the instructions of AZ ROC and the other sources cited on this page.

Applying for the wrong class

Residential-only and commercial-only authority are not interchangeable. Pick the class that matches the actual projects you intend to contract.

Assuming CR-9 is automatic

Dual authority is not just a label choice. Make sure the application, scope, and bond support the class actually requested.

Using a single bond amount

The required bond is tied to license type and anticipated Arizona annual volume. A CR-9 dual bond combines the commercial and residential calculations.

Assuming another state’s license transfers automatically

Arizona has no direct reciprocity. Request a waiver before relying on out-of-state experience or an examination result.

Treating the $1,000 figure as a blanket exemption

The exemption is generally limited to casual or minor work. It does not apply when a permit is required, when the work is part of a larger operation, or when the required advertising disclosure is absent.

Study and Reference Materials

These references are cited in the Arizona sources for this guide or commonly used to prepare for concrete work; CLR receives no compensation for listing them.

  • AZ ROC License Classifications — Arizona Registrar of Contractors. The official classification page is the starting point because the scope differs across C-9, R-9, and CR-9.
  • R-9/C-9 (CR-9) Concrete candidate information bulletin and content outline — PSI / AZ ROC. Use the current official bulletin for scheduling, permitted references, and the 50-question trade-exam outline.
  • Arizona Statutes and Rules Training Course — AZ ROC / GMetrix. Official online course and examination for the Arizona-specific SRE requirement.
  • AZ ROC application, bond, and fee guidance — Arizona Registrar of Contractors. Confirm the current waiver, bond-volume, fee, background-check, and Recovery Fund details before filing.

Concrete Contractor Pay and Employment in Arizona

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 7,520 cement masons and concrete finishers work in Arizona, earning a median of $58,910 a year ($28.32 an hour). That is 3% above the national median of $57,020, ranking 23rd of 51 jurisdictions BLS published. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $47,580 and the top 10% earn over $76,750. The trade is more concentrated in Arizona's workforce than nationally (location quotient 1.75), so competition for jobs and for experienced hires tends to be higher.

Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers wages, Arizona compared with the United States, May 2025
MeasureArizonaUnited States
Median annual wage$58,910$57,020
Median hourly wage$28.32$27.41
10th–90th percentile$47,580–$76,750$39,190–$85,480
Employment7,520206,170

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation 47-2051 (Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers). Figures cover wage and salary employees and exclude self-employed owners.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main Arizona concrete license?

There is not just one. Arizona uses C-9 for commercial, R-9 for residential, and CR-9 for dual residential/commercial concrete work.

What does C-9 allow?

AZ ROC says C-9 allows installation and repair of concrete, concrete products, and accessories common to the industry, plus trenching, excavating, backfilling, and grading in connection with concrete construction.

What does R-9 allow?

R-9 covers residential concrete installation and repair of concrete, concrete products, and accessories common to the industry.

What does CR-9 do?

CR-9 combines the commercial C-9 and residential R-9 scopes into a dual license classification.

When does Arizona require a concrete contractor license?

Generally, a license is required when total labor and materials exceed $1,000 or a local permit is required. The statutory exemption is narrow, so review A.R.S. §32-1121 and the precise project facts before relying on it.

What bond does an Arizona concrete contractor need?

R-9 specialty-residential bonds are $4,250 below $375,000 anticipated annual volume and $7,500 at or above it. C-9 specialty-commercial bonds range from $2,500 to $50,000 by volume. A CR-9 combines the applicable amounts.

Can Arizona waive the concrete trade exam?

AZ ROC may approve a trade-exam waiver for a qualifying party with a same or comparable Arizona or out-of-state classification within the preceding five years. Arizona has no direct reciprocity. The SRE has a separate, limited waiver for a qualifying party recently listed on an Arizona contractor license.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

  1. AZ ROC — License Classifications
  2. AZ ROC — Applying for a License
  3. AZ ROC — License and Renewal Fees
  4. AZ ROC — Bond Information
  5. AZ ROC — PSI Candidate Information Bulletin
  6. AZ ROC — Recovery Fund
  7. A.R.S. §32-1121 — Licensing Exemptions
  8. A.R.S. §32-1122 — Contractor Qualifications
  9. A.R.S. §32-1152 — Contractor Bonds
  10. Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC)
  11. A.R.S. Title 32 Chapter 10 — Contractors
  12. Arizona Administrative Code Title 4 Chapter 9

Verified 2026-09-08  · Next scheduled review 2026-12-07

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Layout changes shared by every guide are listed in the template change log; they do not change source-check dates.

Concrete Contractor Licensing in Neighboring States

Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare Arizona's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before committing to an application:

More guides for Arizona contractors

Other Arizona Trade Licenses

CLR also publishes these Arizona licensing guides for other trades: