Study guide
1.2 The Arizona Contractor Licensing Path
Arizona General Contractor Exam
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1 Chapter 1: Introduction & Exam Overview
1.1 Current Exam Facts 1.2 The Arizona Contractor Licensing Path 1.3 How to Use This Guide & Study Plan
2 Chapter 2: Arizona ROC & Licensing Law
2.1 The Arizona Registrar of Contractors 2.2 License Classifications 2.3 Qualifying Party & Experience Requirements 2.4 Application, Fees, Bond & Background Check 2.5 License Bonds, Cash Deposits & Bond Claims 2.6 Unlicensed Contracting: Penalties & Lost Remedies 2.7 Advertising Rules, Contract Disclosures & Workmanship Standards
3 Chapter 3: The Exams — SRE, Trade & NASCLA
3.1 The Statutes & Rules Exam (SRE) 3.2 The PSI Trade Exam 3.3 The NASCLA Commercial General Building Exam Option
4 Chapter 4: License Maintenance, Recovery Fund & Discipline
4.1 License Renewal & Continuing Education 4.2 The Residential Contractors' Recovery Fund 4.3 ROC Disciplinary Actions & Penalties
5 Chapter 5: Contract Law & Disputes
5.1 Arizona Contract Fundamentals 5.2 Construction Contract Terms & Provisions 5.3 Change Orders & Modifications 5.4 Dispute Resolution & ROC Complaints 5.5 The Arizona Prompt Payment Act
6 Chapter 6: Liens, Bonds & Insurance
6.1 Arizona Mechanics' Lien Law Overview 6.2 Lien Notices, Recording & Deadlines 6.3 Contract Bonds: Bid, Performance & Payment 6.4 Insurance Requirements
7 Chapter 7: Financial Management & Taxes
7.1 Accounting & Financial Statements 7.2 Estimating, Bidding & Markup 7.3 Taxes & Payroll
8 Chapter 8: Project Management
8.1 Scheduling & the Critical Path Method 8.2 Supervision, Subcontractors & Quality Control 8.3 Project Documentation & Closeout
9 Chapter 9: Safety & OSHA
9.1 OSHA Construction Standards Overview 9.2 Fall Protection, Scaffolds & Ladders 9.3 Excavation, Trenching & Electrical Safety 9.4 Heat Illness Prevention & Arizona Job-Site Hazards
10 Chapter 10: Building Codes, Permits & Plan Reading
10.1 IRC 2018 & IBC 2018 Fundamentals 10.2 Permits, Plan Review & Inspections 10.3 Energy Code & Accessibility 10.4 Reading Construction Drawings & Specifications 10.5 Means of Egress & Fire-Resistance-Rated Construction
11 Chapter 11: Sitework, Concrete & Masonry
11.1 Sitework: Surveying, Excavation & Grading 11.2 Concrete: Formwork, Reinforcement & Placing 11.3 Masonry: Brick, Block & Mortar 11.4 Soils, Compaction & Earthwork Testing 11.5 Concrete Materials & Mix Design 11.6 Concrete Curing, Joints, Testing & Defects 11.7 Masonry Reinforcement, Grouting & Wall Systems
12 Chapter 12: Carpentry, Metals & Building Envelope
12.1 Carpentry & Framing 12.2 Metals & Metal Framing 12.3 Thermal & Moisture Protection 12.4 Doors, Windows & Finishes 12.5 Engineered Wood, Trusses & Connectors 12.6 Structural Steel Erection & Connections 12.7 Steel Joists, Girders & Metal Deck
13 Chapter 13: Roofing, Waterproofing & Interior Finishes
13.1 Roofing Systems 13.2 Waterproofing, Flashing & Sealants 13.3 Interior Finishes: Gypsum, Stucco, Flooring & Paint
14 Chapter 14: Building Systems for the General Contractor
14.1 Mechanical & Plumbing Systems 14.2 Electrical Systems & Temporary Power
1.2 The Arizona Contractor Licensing Path
Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI
The licensing path has six steps: meet the experience minimum, form a legal entity, submit the application with the background check, pass the SRE, pass the trade exam (or NASCLA), and receive the license.
A license bond, AccusourceHR background check (valid 90 days), and government photo ID are required for all persons named on the application.
Arizona license classifications include A (General Engineering), B (General Residential), B-1/B-2 (General Commercial), and KB-1/KB-2 (Dual residential + commercial).
The SRE must be passed before a PSI trade exam can be scheduled; the trade exam may be waived for qualifying parties with recent same-classification experience.
Combined trade exams effective 6/20/2024 mean B/B-3/CR-61 share one trade exam, and B-1/B-2/KB-1/KB-2 share another.
Last updated: August 2026
The Six-Step Licensing Path
Earning an Arizona general contractor license is a sequential process. Each step builds on the previous one, and skipping a step — or doing them out of order — is the most common cause of application delays. The path below reflects the current AZ ROC process under A.R.S. Title 32, Chapter 10 and AAC Title 4, Chapter 9 .
Step 1 — Meet the Experience Requirement
Before anything else, confirm you satisfy the 4-year experience requirement in the type of construction you are applying for, with at least 2 years within the last 10 years . Up to 2 years of accredited technical training or college may substitute for experience. You must be 18 or older and prepared to designate a qualifying party — the individual regularly employed and actively engaged in the licensed work.
Step 2 — Form a Legal Entity and Secure a Bond
If you are applying as a business (most applicants do), form the legal entity before applying:
- LLC or corporation — register with the Arizona Corporation Commission
- Partnership — register with the Arizona Secretary of State
- Sole proprietorship — no entity formation required, but you must still meet all other requirements
Obtain a license bond (proof required with the application). Secure general liability insurance , and workers' compensation if you have employees. These are conditions of licensure and are typically required by project owners and general contractors as well.
Step 3 — Background Check and Submit Application
Every person named on the application must complete a background check through AccusourceHR — the report is valid for 90 days , so time it close to your application submission. Each named person also needs a government-issued photo ID .
Submit the application to AZ ROC with:
- The background check results
- Proof of license bond
All required fees and assessments (e.g., $780 for A/B-1/B-2; $1,050 for KB-1/KB-2, which includes the Recovery Fund assessment)
- Entity formation documentation
- Step 4 — Pass the Statutes & Rules Exam (SRE)
Once the application is accepted, complete the SRE through GMetrix . It is an online, open-book training course followed by a scored test ($61, 70% passing; AZ ROC does not publish the item count, and the course includes a single exam attempt). The SRE cannot be waived. References are A.R.S. Title 32 Ch 10, AAC Title 4 Ch 9, and the AZ ROC SRE Glossary.
Step 5 — Pass the Trade Exam (or NASCLA)
After passing the SRE, schedule the trade-specific exam with PSI Services — either remote-proctored online or at a PSI test center. The trade exam is 100 questions, $66, 4 hours, 70% passing , open-book with 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA) plus the 2018 IRC (allowed on both trade exams) plus, on the commercial exam only, the 2018 IBC .
For KB-1, KB-2, B-1, and B-2 , you may instead take the NASCLA Commercial General Building exam — 115 questions, 330 minutes, 81 correct to pass, $106 to PSI plus a $25 application fee to NASCLA — in lieu of the PSI trade exam. The SRE is still required.
The trade exam may be waived if you were a qualifying party in Arizona or another state in the same or comparable classification within the preceding 5 years.
Step 6 — License Issued
After both exams are passed (or waived where allowed) and the application is complete, AZ ROC issues the license. Keep your bond and insurance current — lapses can trigger discipline.
The flowchart below summarizes the six-step path, including the trade-exam branch point.
License Classifications Overview
Arizona's classification system separates engineering, residential, commercial, and dual-scope work. Knowing which classification you need determines which trade exam you take.
- Classification Scope Trade Exam Path
- A — General Engineering Large commercial, industrial, public works PSI trade exam
- B — General Residential Single-family, two-family, townhouse PSI trade exam (2018 IRC)
- B-1 / B-2 — General Commercial Commercial building PSI trade exam (2018 IBC) or NASCLA
- B-3 — Remodeling & Repair Residential remodel and repair PSI trade exam (shared with B)
- KB-1 / KB-2 — Dual Building Residential + commercial combined PSI trade exam or NASCLA
- CR- / C- / R- Residential/commercial specialty trades Specialty-specific exams
- Combined Trade Exams (Effective 6/20/2024)
Arizona consolidated trade exams to reduce redundant testing:
- B / B-3 / CR-61 share one trade exam (residential content outline)
- B-1 / B-2 / KB-1 / KB-2 share one trade exam (commercial content outline)
This means a single trade-exam pass can satisfy multiple classifications within the same combined group, but the SRE is always separate and always required.
Why Classification Choice Matters Early
Your target classification drives three decisions you should make before submitting your application:
Which references to buy and tab — 2018 IRC for B, 2018 IBC for B-1/B-2, both for KB-1/KB-2.
Whether NASCLA is an option — only for KB-1/KB-2/B-1/B-2.
Which trade-exam content outline to study — residential (Sitework 17, Concrete 17, Masonry 9, Metal Framing 6, Carpentry 17, Thermal & Moisture Protection 12, Doors & Windows 7, Finishes 9, Safety 6) versus commercial (which adds General Building Code 9, raises Metals to 13, and adds the 2018 IBC to the reference set).
Choosing early lets you prepare the right references and focus your study time on the correct content outline.