Arizona Contractor License Exam Guide (2026)

How Arizona licenses contractors

The ROC licenses commercial (Class A), residential (Class B), and specialty (Class C/CR) contractors. Applicants must document four years of experience, pass the PSI trade exam, pass the Statutes & Rules exam, submit a background check, post a surety bond, and provide workers-comp coverage.

Jobs run from 120-degree Phoenix rooftops to Flagstaff snow and high-wind monsoons. Exams emphasize caliche excavation, desert waterproofing, energy code for mixed-dry climates, and dust-control compliance.

Official source: Arizona Registrar of Contractors

Arizona contractor license types

Bond amounts range from $4,250 (small residential) to $100,000 (large commercial). Some classifications require financial statements to prove working capital.

What's on the Arizona contractor exam

PSI testing centers are located in Phoenix, Tempe, Glendale, Tucson, Flagstaff, Yuma, and online.

What Arizona exam questions emphasize

• International Building/Residential Codes with Arizona amendments
• Desert soils, caliche, and energy code requirements
• Statutes & Rules Booklet (Title 32, Title 41, ROC rules)
• OSHA heat illness prevention and dust control permits

Exam-day logistics

• Bring two IDs, approval letter, and reference manuals
• Open-book policy allows only the books listed in the PSI bulletin
• Scores post immediately; upload bond and insurance documents to ROC's portal

Trade-specific exam guides

If you're licensing in a single trade rather than the Arizona general contractor classification, the dedicated trade hub will get you to the right code book and exam structure faster.

• General contractor exam guide — IBC/IRC, NASCLA acceptance, and Business & Law.
• Electrical contractor exam guide — NEC (NFPA 70) calculations and grounding/bonding.
• Plumbing contractor exam guide — IPC/UPC drainage sizing, venting, and backflow.
• HVAC contractor exam guide — IMC ventilation, refrigerant management, and load calcs.

Arizona code books & approved references (2026)

Always confirm the exact editions and tab rules in your candidate bulletin before exam day. Editions can change between license cycles.

• International Building Code 2018
• International Residential Code 2018
• Arizona Statutes & Rules Booklet
• Arizona energy code (IECC base)
• OSHA 29 CFR 1926

Fees & timeline for the Arizona contractor license

• $100 application fee
• $66 PSI trade exam and $66 Statutes & Rules exam
• $4,250-$100,000 surety bond depending on license
• $200 background check/fingerprint processing
• ROC license issuance fee ($580 for dual licenses)

Use the All States hub for budgeting; confirm amounts with the ROC.

Arizona Business & Law focus

The Statutes & Rules exam covers ROC licensing statutes, lien law, payroll, taxes, and safety.

• Know ARS Title 32, Chapter 10 and ROC administrative rules
• Understand lien notice timelines (20-day preliminary notices)
• Register for Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) with ADOR
• Maintain workers-comp, general liability, and dust-control plans

Practice with our national Business & Law exam hub for cross-state baseline rules.

A focused 4-week study plan for the Arizona exam

Because jobs run from 120-degree Phoenix rooftops to Flagstaff snow and high-wind monsoons, this four-week outline targets what Arizona field inspectors and your licensing board exam items actually test—not generic national prep.

1. Week 1 — Map the exam. Pull your current candidate bulletin, list every reference, and confirm the modules you have to pass. Start a one-page error log. Spend extra time on: International Building/Residential Codes with Arizona amendments.
2. Week 2 — Code book navigation. Drill open-book lookups (or memorisation drills if your module is closed-book) until you can find any answer in under 60 seconds. Anchor practice around: Desert soils, caliche, and energy code requirements.
3. Week 3 — Business & Law. The Statutes & Rules exam covers ROC licensing statutes, lien law, payroll, taxes, and safety. Layer in scenario-based questions on contracts, lien notice, payroll, and insurance.
4. Week 4 — Full simulations. PSI testing centers are located in Phoenix, Tempe, Glendale, Tucson, Flagstaff, Yuma, and online. Run two full-length timed simulations. Review every miss with a one-sentence rule statement.