Arizona General Contractor License Requirements (2026)

The Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC) licenses general contractors statewide under A.R.S. Title 32, Chapter 10. The narrow unlicensed exemption applies only to casual or minor work below $1,000 and does not apply when a local building permit is required, when work is part of a larger operation, or when the required unlicensed-status disclosure is missing. Arizona separates residential, commercial, and dual classifications. B is General Residential; B-1 is General Commercial; B-2 is General Small Commercial; B-3 is General Remodeling and Repair; KB-1 combines B-1 and B; KB-2 combines B-2 and B; and KA is Dual Engineering rather than a general-building license.

Regulatory Body

Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC) administers the credential or scope-specific rules discussed here under Arizona Revised Statutes Title 32 Chapter 10; Arizona Administrative Code Title 4 Chapter 9. Whether that pathway applies 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: https://roc.az.gov/
Address: 1700 W Washington St Suite 105, Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone: (877) 692-9762

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Applicants must provide a Social Security Number. No Arizona residency requirement.

Good moral character

AZ ROC conducts a fitness review on every qualifying party. Felony convictions and prior license revocations are reviewed individually.

Background investigation

Mandatory criminal history disclosure on the application; AZ ROC verifies through state databases.

Experience and Education

The applicant must document and verify at least four years of hands-on and/or managerial experience in the classification applied for. Keep payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records to support the claim, as the board can request proof for any period within its lookback window.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

AZ ROC Statement of Experience in the applicable license application, completed by the qualifying party
Employment and tax records kept available if AZ ROC requests supporting documentation
Official transcripts or training records when claiming education or training credit allowed for the classification

Education substitution

Review the current AZ ROC License Classification Requirements for the selected classification; general-contractor classifications listed here require four years of hands-on and/or managerial experience.

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: GMetrix for the Arizona Statutes and Rules course/exam; PSI Exams Online or NASCLA for an eligible trade examination. 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:

Arizona Statutes and Rules Training Course and Examination (SRE) — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score 70%
Trade examination for the selected classification, unless waived or satisfied by an accepted NASCLA examination — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score 70%

Examination fee: The online SRE course and exam is $61 paid directly to GMetrix. Trade-examination charges are paid to the applicable provider; confirm the current provider fee before scheduling.

Retake policy: Submit passing SRE and trade-examination results with the application, unless the trade requirement is waived. Check the provider’s current retake rules and fee before scheduling.

Insurance and Bonds

Licensure is conditioned on filing a $9,000 contractor license surety bond with the AZ ROC.

General liability

AZ ROC does not impose a state-level general liability minimum. Most commercial owners contractually require $1,000,000/$2,000,000.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation insurance is mandatory in Arizona under A.R.S. §23-961 for any business with one or more employees.

Additional financial requirements

Bonds scale by classification and anticipated Arizona annual volume. Residential general contractors require $9,000 below $750,000 volume or $15,000 at $750,000 or more. Commercial general/engineering contractors range from $5,000 to $100,000. Dual-license bond amounts combine the applicable residential and commercial amounts. Residential and dual contractors generally pay the Residential Contractors’ Recovery Fund assessment or may post the alternative $200,000 surety/cash bond.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application	$180
Examination	$61
Initial license	$320
Renewal (every 2 years)	$590

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 general contractor.

Renewal and Continuing Education

Expect to renew the Arizona General Contractor (B, B-1, B-2, B-3, KA, KB-1, or KB-2) every 2 years. Renewal currently costs $480. Arizona contractor licenses renew every two years. Bond and workers compensation must remain in force throughout the cycle.

Continuing education: AZ ROC does not publish a general continuing-education requirement for these classifications.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Arizona General Contractor License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity

The NASCLA Accredited Examination is accepted by Arizona for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

Arizona does not have direct reciprocity with other states. An out-of-state qualifying party may request a trade-exam and experience waiver when they held a comparable out-of-state license within the prior five years and obtained it by trade examination. The Arizona Statutes and Rules course/exam remains required. AZ ROC accepts the NASCLA Commercial General Building examination for B-1, B-2, KB-1, and KB-2 trade-exam requirements.

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

General 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:

California General Contractor License Requirements — California Class B — General Building Contractor
Colorado General Contractor License Requirements — Colorado General Contractor Requirements — Local Jurisdictions
Nevada General Contractor License Requirements — Nevada Class A (General Engineering) or Class B (General Building) Contractor
New Mexico General Contractor License Requirements — New Mexico GB-98 General Building Contractor
Utah General Contractor License Requirements — Utah General Contractor — B100 or R100

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Choose the correct classification. B is General Residential; B-1 is General Commercial; B-2 is General Small Commercial for projects of $2 million or less; B-3 covers remodeling and repair of existing residential structures; KB-1 and KB-2 are dual building classifications; KA is Dual Engineering. Review AZ ROC’s scope before applying.
Document four years of qualifying experience. The qualifying party must meet the selected classification’s experience requirement. General classifications listed here require four years of hands-on and/or managerial experience.
Complete the required examinations. Complete the online, open-book Arizona Statutes and Rules course/exam through GMetrix and the required trade exam. AZ ROC accepts NASCLA Commercial General Building for B-1, B-2, KB-1, and KB-2.
Submit the AZ ROC application. File the application with the qualifying-party information and the required SRE and trade-exam results, or a completed trade-waiver request when eligible.
Post the contractor license bond and insurance. Bond amount scales with annual gross volume. Workers compensation required for any business with one or more employees.
Pay fees and receive the AZ ROC license. Pay the license fee and, for applicable residential or dual classifications, the Recovery Fund assessment or alternative bond. Arizona contractor licenses renew every two years.

Application Checklist

These are the pieces to lock down before filing with AZ ROC:

AZ ROC application with the classification-specific fee and qualifying party designation
AZ ROC Statement of Experience showing the selected classification’s required experience
GMetrix Arizona Statutes and Rules course/exam pass result at 70%+
Trade-exam pass result at 70%+ for the selected classification, an accepted NASCLA result, or an approved waiver
Contractor license bond at the volume-appropriate amount
Workers compensation coverage certificate (any business with one or more employees)
Residential Contractors Recovery Fund assessment (residential classes only)

Common Filing Mistakes

Based on the board's own instructions and the sources cited here, the problems below are what most often stall a Arizona General Contractor application.

Misreading the $1,000 threshold

The sub-$1,000 exemption is limited to casual or minor work and fails when a permit is required, the work is part of a larger operation, or the required advertising disclosure is absent.

Choosing the wrong classification

B, B-1, B-2, B-3, KB-1, KB-2, and KA have different scopes. In particular, KA is Dual Engineering, while KB-1 and KB-2 are the dual general-building options.

Underestimating the bond amount

The bond scales with annual gross volume. Contractors who exceed their bonded volume must immediately upgrade or face license suspension.

Skipping workers compensation

Workers’ compensation coverage is required when the business has employees. Keep the required coverage current and file the applicable documentation with AZ ROC.

Forgetting the Recovery Fund

Residential contractors must pay into the Residential Contractors Recovery Fund at issuance and renewal. Skipping this fee blocks license issuance.

Study and Reference Materials

What follows are the regulator-cited and commonly used preparation references for this trade. They appear here for convenience only; CLR takes no compensation for them.

Arizona Statutes and Rules Training Course — AZ ROC / GMetrix. Official online, open-book course and examination required for the qualifying party.
AZ ROC License Classification Requirements — AZ ROC. Use the official classification-specific table to identify required exams and experience.
AZ ROC license-classification scopes — AZ ROC. Review the official scope before applying or bidding because general, commercial, residential, and dual classes are distinct.

Other Arizona Trade Licenses

Should the General Contractor path not apply, these other Arizona trade guides from CLR may help:

Frequently Asked Questions

When do I need an Arizona General Contractor license?

Arizona’s narrow unlicensed exemption applies only to casual or minor work below $1,000. It does not apply when a local permit is required, when work is part of a larger project, or when an advertisement lacks the required unlicensed-status disclosure. Other statutory exceptions may apply to specific work or entities.

What is the difference between Arizona B and KB classifications?

B is General Residential; B-1 is General Commercial; B-2 is General Small Commercial; and B-3 is General Remodeling and Repair. KB-1 combines B-1 Commercial and B Residential, while KB-2 combines B-2 Small Commercial and B Residential. KA is Dual Engineering, not a general-building classification.

How much is the Arizona contractor license bond?

Residential general-contractor bonds are $9,000 below $750,000 anticipated Arizona volume and $15,000 at $750,000 or more. Commercial general/engineering bonds range from $5,000 to $100,000 by volume. A dual license combines the applicable residential and commercial bond amounts.

Does Arizona accept the NASCLA exam?

Yes, for the trade-exam requirement of B-1 General Commercial, B-2 General Small Commercial, KB-1 Dual Building, and KB-2 Dual Residential and Small Commercial. The qualifying party must still complete the Arizona Statutes and Rules course/exam.

How often does the Arizona contractor license renew?

Every two years. There is no continuing education requirement, but the bond and workers compensation must remain in force.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-09-04 · Next scheduled review 2026-12-03

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Corrections and presentation updates

2026-09-30: Corrected examination detection when format details are unpublished and updated the summary layout and requirements score. Source-check dates are unchanged.
2026-09-08: Shared template updated to distinguish unspecified eligibility requirements, retain cost qualifications, and use consistent headings. Source-check dates are unchanged by presentation updates.
2026-09-21: Local-only guides now use a compliance-focused structure and terminology instead of implying a statewide license application. Source-check dates are unchanged by this presentation update.