Arizona Pool Contractor License Requirements (2026)

Arizona licenses swimming-pool contracting statewide through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC). Pool work has dedicated commercial A-9/A-19, residential B-5/B-6, and dual KA-5/KA-6 classifications. B-6, A-19, and KA-6 add solar-heating work. These are contractor licenses held by the business and qualified by a qualifying party; the state license does not replace project permits or local code approvals.

Regulatory Body

Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC) administers and enforces this credential under the authority of A.R.S. Title 32, Chapter 10; A.A.C. R4-9. AZ ROC classifies and licenses pool contractors, administers qualifying-party requirements, requires the applicable bond or cash deposit, and regulates contractor conduct statewide.

Official portal: https://roc.az.gov/license-classifications
Address: 1700 W. Washington Street, Suite 105, Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone: (877) 692-9762

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Check the current application for identification and tax-number requirements. Arizona does not impose a residency requirement. A sole proprietor, partnership, LLC, or corporation may apply; every person named on the application must be at least 18.

Good moral character

Each person named on the license must satisfy A.R.S. §32-1122 restrictions concerning unlicensed contracting and conduct that would support discipline.

Background investigation

AZ ROC requires a background check for every person named on the application. Under A.R.S. §32-1122, the Registrar may also require fingerprints and the applicable records-check fees.

Disqualifying conditions

Contracting without a license
Conduct that would support suspension or revocation of a contractor license
A license denied, refused, or revoked within the preceding year, subject to the statutory exception

Experience and Education

Eligibility requires 4 years of The qualifying party needs at least four years of practical or management experience specifically dealing with the construction type sought, including two years within the past ten years. For the listed pool classifications, ROC’s requirements table lists four years of hands-on and/or managerial experience., documented and independently verifiable. Payroll, tax, project, and supervisor records are the usual proof the board will accept.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

AZ ROC license application and qualifying-party experience information
Training records when claiming allowable education credit
Supporting work-history documentation if requested by AZ ROC

Education substitution

Accredited college, university, or manufacturer training can substitute for part of the experience, but credit cannot exceed two of the four required years.

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: GMetrix for the Arizona Statutes and Rules Training Course and Exam (SRE); PSI for trade and solar examinations. 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 Exam (SRE) — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score 70%
Swimming-pool trade examination — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score 70%
Solar examination for solar-inclusive classifications — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $61 for the online SRE and $66 for each PSI trade-specific examination. Confirm whether the selected solar-inclusive classification requires an additional PSI solar examination.

Retake policy: Trade and solar examination scheduling, content, retests, and fees are governed by PSI’s current Arizona Candidate Information Bulletin. Exam results must be no more than two years old when the application is filed.

Insurance and Bonds

Licensure is conditioned on filing a $5,000 contractor license surety bond with the AZ ROC.

General liability

AZ ROC does not publish a general-liability minimum as a pool-license condition. A project owner, lender, or local jurisdiction 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

A surety bond or cash deposit is required. A.R.S. §32-1152 specifically puts residential swimming-pool general contractors and dual swimming-pool contractors on the general-commercial volume schedule: $5,000 at less than $150,000 anticipated annual volume, rising by volume up to $100,000.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application	$180
Examination	$66
Initial license	$870
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 pool contractor.

Renewal and Continuing Education

Renewal of the Arizona Swimming Pool Contractor (A-9/A-19, B-5/B-6, or KA-5/KA-6) comes due every 2 years. As cited, the renewal fee stands at $590. The license renews every two years. Keep the required bond or cash deposit in force. B-5/B-6 listed renewal total is $590; A-9/A-19 is $580; KA-5/KA-6 is $750, based on the current ROC fee table.

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

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity

The NASCLA Accredited Examination is not accepted by Arizona for this classification.

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

Arizona has no direct state reciprocity. AZ ROC may waive trade-exam and experience requirements for an out-of-state qualifying party who held a comparable license obtained by trade examination within the previous five years. The Arizona SRE remains required unless the qualifying party’s prior Arizona qualifying-party status meets the Board’s separate waiver rule. NASCLA general-building programs do not substitute for a pool classification trade exam.

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

Pool 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 Pool Contractor License Requirements — California CSLB C-53 Swimming Pool Contractor
Colorado Pool Contractor License Requirements — No Colorado state license for swimming pool & spa construction (contractor licensing is handled by local city/county building departments)
Nevada Pool Contractor License Requirements — A-10 Commercial and Residential Pools (Class A specialty contractor classification)
New Mexico Pool Contractor License Requirements — GS-25 Swimming Pools (non-plumbing, mechanical or electrical) contractor classification
Utah Pool Contractor License Requirements — S330 Landscape and Recreation Contractor (specialty classification; scope includes construction of swimming pools, prefabricated pools, and spas)

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Choose the classification that matches the project. A-9/A-19 cover commercial pools; B-5/B-6 cover residential pools; KA-5/KA-6 combine commercial and residential scope. The “including solar” classes are A-19, B-6, and KA-6.
Designate a qualifying party. The business must regularly employ a qualifying party with the required pool-construction experience.
Form the license-holding business. Register an LLC or corporation with the Arizona Corporation Commission if applicable, and make sure the application matches the business and named people.
Complete the SRE and required trade examinations. Pass at least 70% on the SRE and the classification-required PSI examination(s), or submit a completed waiver request when eligible.
Obtain the correct pool-contractor bond. Use the pool-specific statutory volume schedule, not the ordinary residential general-contractor bond table.
Submit background checks, application, bond, and fees. Submit all named-person background checks, identification, qualifying-party records, bond, and classification fees through AZ ROC.
Meet contract and local project requirements. Residential in-ground pool/spa contracts have statutory payment and notice requirements. Obtain permits and local approvals for each project.

Application Checklist

The most critical documents or confirmations the applicant should have in hand before filing with AZ ROC:

Choose the correct A-9/A-19, B-5/B-6, or KA-5/KA-6 class
Designate a qualifying party with four years of required experience
Create and register the license-holding business if applicable
Pass the SRE and required PSI trade/solar examinations at 70%+
Obtain the pool-specific statutory bond or cash deposit
Submit background checks, IDs, application, bond, and fees
Use compliant residential pool contracts and obtain local permits

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 Pool Contractor application.

Choosing a non-solar class for solar pool work

A-19, B-6, and KA-6—not A-9, B-5, or KA-5—include installation and repair of solar heating devices.

Using the ordinary residential bond schedule

The statute has a specific pool-contractor bond rule, keyed to the general-commercial volume schedule.

Assuming pool repair always needs a C-6 service license

The current A-9 commercial and B-5 residential pool scopes themselves include the specified construction/repair scope; verify the exact class against the project.

Ignoring statutory residential pool contract terms

Residential in-ground pool and spa contracts must include the statutory payment limits, notices, and written-change-order requirements.

Treating AZ ROC licensure as the whole project approval

Municipal or county permits, inspections, and code requirements remain separate.

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.

AZ Statutes and Rules Training Course and Exam — AZ ROC / GMetrix. Required Arizona-specific, online open-book training course and examination.
Arizona PSI Candidate Information Bulletin — PSI. Use the current bulletin for pool trade/solar content, references, scheduling, and retest rules.
A.R.S. Title 32, Chapter 10 — Arizona Legislature. Primary source for qualifications, bonds, recovery fund, and pool/spa contract rules.

Other Arizona Trade Licenses

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Arizona have a pool contractor license?

Yes. AZ ROC has commercial A-9/A-19, residential B-5/B-6, and dual KA-5/KA-6 swimming-pool classifications. Solar-heating work needs the solar-inclusive class.

What does B-5 cover?

B-5 covers construction and repair of swimming pools and spas, code-required barriers, and utilities from the point of service to pool equipment. It excludes other structures and appurtenances. B-6 adds solar heating devices.

How much experience is required?

The qualifying party needs four years of relevant practical or management experience, with two years in the preceding ten years. ROC’s current pool classifications table lists four years.

Is the pool bond really the standard residential $9,000 bond?

No. A.R.S. §32-1152 specifically places residential and dual swimming-pool contractors on the general-commercial volume schedule. It starts at $5,000 below $150,000 anticipated annual volume and can rise to $100,000.

Does the state license replace a pool permit?

No. The ROC license is statewide contractor authorization. Each pool still needs the permits, inspections, and local approvals required by the local authority having jurisdiction.

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.