Arizona Roofing Contractor License Requirements (2026)

Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) licenses roofing contractors under A.R.S. Title 32 Chapter 10. CR-42 is residential-only, C-42 commercial-only, KA-42 dual. Any roofing job over $1,000 (labor plus materials) requires an active ROC license. The entity names a Qualifying Party who passes the ROC trade and Statutes and Rules (SRE) exams, posts a contractor bond scaled to volume, and contributes to the Residential Contractors Recovery Fund for residential licensees.

Regulatory Oversight

Under Arizona Revised Statutes Title 32 Chapter 10; Arizona Administrative Code Title 4 Chapter 9, Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC) is the body that issues this license and enforces compliance with it. 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

Who May Apply

At a minimum the applicant has to be 18 years old and supply a valid Social Security Number. No residency requirement.

Good moral character

ROC reviews criminal history and prior discipline under A.R.S. §32-1154.

Background investigation

Felony disclosure on the application; ROC may request documentation.

Required Experience and Education

Plan to substantiate four years of practical roofing experience at journeyman level or higher within the last ten years with hard records. Payroll, tax, project logs, and supervisor verification are what the board relies on when it reviews the claim.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

ROC Statement of Experience sworn under penalty of perjury
Verification letters from former employers or licensed contractors
W-2 records or tax returns corroborating the period

Education substitution

Up to two years may be substituted with post-secondary construction education.

Examination Requirements

The licensing examination is delivered by PSI Services LLC. All of the following parts must be cleared prior to issuance:

Arizona Roofing Trade Exam — shingle, tile, metal, foam, BUR, modified bitumen, single-ply, IBC Chapter 15 — 80 questions, 180 minutes, passing score 70%
Arizona Statutes and Rules (SRE) — 40 questions, 90 minutes, passing score 75%

Examination fee: $86 per exam.

Retake policy: Failed exams retaken at $86. Application open six months.

Insurance and Financial Requirements

A contractor license surety bond of $9,000, on the AZ ROC's prescribed form, is a precondition to issuance.

General liability

ROC sets no GL minimum; market practice is $1,000,000/$2,000,000.

Workers' compensation

Mandatory under A.R.S. §23-961 for any employer with one or more employees.

Additional financial requirements

Sliding-scale license bond tied to gross volume: $1,000–$9,000 residential, $2,500–$15,000 commercial. Residential licensees pay $370 initial Recovery Fund assessment.

Licensing Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$580
Examination	$172
Initial license	$580
Renewal (every 2 years)	$480

Keeping the License Current

Renewal of the Arizona ROC CR-42 / C-42 / KA-42 Roofing Contractor comes due every 2 years. As cited, the renewal fee stands at $480. Biennial renewal. Bond, insurance, and Recovery Fund must remain current.

Continuing education: No CE required.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity and License Transfer

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

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
California	Trade exam waived	Bilateral ROC–CSLB for active C-39 contractors with five years of experience.
Nevada	Trade exam waived	Bilateral ROC–NSCB C-15a.
Utah	Trade exam waived	Bilateral ROC–DOPL S330.

SRE Statutes and Rules exam is never waived.

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

Application Process, Step by Step

Document four years of qualifying roofing experience. Statement of Experience with verification letters and tax records within the ten-year window.
Designate a Qualifying Party. QP must be a bona-fide officer or full-time employee of the entity and pass both exams.
Submit the ROC application online. $580 for CR-42 or C-42; $1,160 for KA-42.
Pass PSI trade and SRE exams. 70% trade, 75% SRE.
Post the license bond and Recovery Fund assessment. Bond per volume tier; $370 Recovery Fund for CR-42/KA-42.
Bind workers comp and general liability. Workers comp mandatory; GL at $1,000,000 market standard.
Receive the license and renew biennially. Renewal $480 every two years plus bond and Recovery Fund continuation.

Recommended References

These are the preparation and reference materials tied to this credential — cited by the regulator or widely used by applicants. CLR earns nothing from listing them.

Arizona Contractor Trade Exam Candidate Information Bulletin — PSI Services. Source list for CR-42/C-42/KA-42 exams.
International Building Code Chapter 15 — International Code Council. Arizona-adopted roof assembly code.
NRCA Roofing Manual — National Roofing Contractors Association. Primary technical reference.
A.R.S. Title 32 Chapter 10 — State of Arizona. Required for the SRE exam.

Frequent Application Errors

Working from the cited board instructions, here are the snags most likely to trip up a Arizona Roofing filing.

Mis-scoping CR-42 vs C-42

A CR-42 cannot bid a commercial warehouse reroof. ROC complaints and bid disqualification follow.

Monsoon heat and microbursts

July and August monsoon microbursts rip partially-fastened tile and bracing. Heat illness rules require shade and water schedules.

Maricopa tile fastening pattern

Maricopa and Pima require fastening patterns exceeding baseline IBC. Inspectors fail jobs following only the national minimum.

Missing Recovery Fund assessment

CR-42 or KA-42 application is incomplete without the $370 payment.

Qualifying Party separation

If the QP leaves and is not replaced within 60 days the license is automatically suspended under A.R.S. §32-1127.

Document Checklist

The items below are the ones worth confirming before the application is filed with AZ ROC:

☐ Statement of Experience (four years in ten-year window)
☐ Qualifying Party designation
☐ ROC application with fee
☐ PSI trade exam pass (70%+)
☐ PSI SRE pass (75%+)
☐ Contractor license bond per volume tier
☐ Recovery Fund $370 assessment (residential)
☐ Workers comp declaration page

Other Arizona Trade Licenses

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

Questions Applicants Ask

What is the difference between CR-42, C-42, and KA-42?

CR-42 is residential-only, C-42 is commercial-only, KA-42 is the dual license authorizing both.

What is the $1,000 threshold?

A.R.S. §32-1121 exempts handyman work under $1,000 including labor and materials. Anything above requires ROC licensure.

How much is the Arizona roofer bond?

Sliding scale by volume — $1,000 to $9,000 residential, $2,500 to $15,000 commercial. ROC sets the tier at application.

What is the Residential Contractors Recovery Fund?

Statutory homeowner compensation fund. CR-42 and KA-42 licensees pay an initial $370 assessment and may owe additional assessments.

How often does the ROC license renew?

Biennially. Renewal fee $480. No continuing education required.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-05-03 · Next scheduled review 2026-08-01