How to get a contractor license in Arizona
Arizona licenses general contractors at the state level. Arizona licenses both commercial and residential contractors statewide through the Registrar of Contractors, with a monetary handyman exemption for small unpermitted jobs; applicants take a Statutes and Rules Exam plus a PSI-administered trade exam, which since 2021 can be taken online.
- Licensing level
- state
- Exam vendor
- PSI
- Verified
- Official source
Start at the source
Arizona Registrar of Contractors is the official authority. Its site, roc.az.gov, carries the current requirements, applications and any candidate bulletin. Everything on this page routes back to it, because requirements change and the agency's version is the one that counts.
The path, wherever you are
- Confirm the licensing level above with the authority, then pull the current application checklist from its site.
- Where a trade exam is required, get the candidate bulletin: it names the exam vendor, the topics, and the exact reference editions allowed on the table.
- Buy the referenced code books in the exact editions listed, and tab them yourself within whatever marking the bulletin permits.
- Train the lookup, not just the knowledge: contractor trade exams are commonly open book, which makes finding the governing section fast the actual tested skill.
- Expect a separate business and law exam in many jurisdictions, with its own reference book.
Why open book changes your prep
An open-book exam gives you the answers and takes away the time to find them. The candidates who fail are rarely the ones who knew the least; they are the ones who found things slowest. That lookup skill is what this site trains:the free timed drill shows you your seconds-per-lookup in two minutes.
Not sure whether you need a contractor license or an ICC inspector certification? The two are issued by different bodies and scored differently: seeinspector certification vs contractor licenseand why the ICC passing score is a scaled 75.
Frequently asked questions
Does Arizona require a state contractor license?
Arizona licenses general contractors at the state level. Arizona licenses both commercial and residential contractors statewide through the Registrar of Contractors, with a monetary handyman exemption for small unpermitted jobs; applicants take a Statutes and Rules Exam plus a PSI-administered trade exam, which since 2021 can be taken online.
Who do I contact to get licensed in Arizona?
Arizona Registrar of Contractors is the state authority. Its official site carries the current application requirements.
Is the Arizona contractor exam open book?
Where Arizona or its localities require a trade exam, contractor trade exams are commonly open book against the adopted code and reference list, administered by PSI. The candidate bulletin for your specific exam is the authority, and it names the exact editions allowed on the table.
Sources
- roc.az.gov/applying-for-a-license
- roc.az.gov/psi-candidate-information-bulletin
- roc.az.gov/news/az-roc-contractors-license-exams-move-online
- roc.az.gov/files/Combined%20Statute%20Book%20-%202021_21.pdf
Other states
| Wisconsin | hybrid |
| Wyoming | local |
| Alabama | state |
| Alaska | state |
| Arkansas | state |
| California | state |
| Colorado | local |
| Connecticut | state |
The kit that goes on the table
2024 IRCThe book itself
2021 IRC + tabsIf you register on 2021
2024 Fast-TabsPlace them yourself
Construction Master ProFeet-inch math, no errorsMatch the book and tabs to the edition you register for.Confirm which, first.
The 120-second study sheet, free
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