Arizona Electrical Contractor License Requirements

For the contractor path, Arizona licenses the business through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC): R-11 for residential work, C-11 for commercial work or CR-11 for both. Arizona's ROC contractor license is separate from any worker-level requirement a local jurisdiction may impose. A qualifying party with 4 years of experience supplies the qualifications and passes the required exams, unless a waiver applies.

Requirements by license

Sources: ROC license classifications; ROC classification requirements chart (C-11, R-11 and CR-11 rows); A.R.S. 32-1122(E); ROC license fees; ROC bond information; PSI Arizona ROC candidate bulletin, Feb. 2026, p. 2; GMetrix SRE listing. The totals are our arithmetic, shown in What it costs.

These apply to every electrical class:

• Who gets licensed: the business, as a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC or corporation. An LLC or corporation must be registered and in good standing with the Arizona Corporation Commission. Everyone named on the application must be 18 or older. (ROC licensing)
• Passing score: at least 70% on each required exam. (ROC licensing)
• Exam age: a required written exam must have been taken no more than 2 years before you apply. (A.R.S. 32-1122(E)(2))
• Background checks: required for everyone listed on the application. (ROC background checks)
• Workers' comp: you attest that you comply with Arizona's workers' compensation law. If coverage is required, you give the policy number. (A.R.S. 32-1122(B)(1)(i))
• Solar: if you'll do any solar work under your electrical license, ROC requires a solar warranty. (ROC classification requirements chart)

Last verified October 1, 2026, against ROC's licensing, classification, fee, bond and background-check pages, ROC's classification requirements chart, A.R.S. 32-1121, 32-1122 and 32-1152, PSI's February 2026 Arizona ROC candidate bulletin and GMetrix's SRE listing.

Which electrical license do you need?

Pick the class by the work your business will contract for, not by your job title. ROC treats houses, townhouses, condos, co-ops and anything on that residential property as residential. Everything else is commercial. (ROC license classifications)

Sources: ROC license classifications (R-11, C-11, CR-11, A-17, R-67, C-67, CR-67 entries); ROC classification requirements chart.

CR-11 isn't a "higher" license. It's two scopes in one. If you'll only ever wire houses, R-11 is the match. If you'll do both kinds of work, CR-11's $850 ROC fee costs less than buying R-11 and C-11 separately ($720 + $580 = $1,300). (ROC license fees)

For C-11's full legal wording, read the ROC classification page before you decide. The scope boundary around public right-of-way matters.

Solar PV: ROC's chart lists no separate solar exam for R-11, C-11 or CR-11. The electrical classes do require a solar warranty if you perform solar work. Arizona's solar-energy-device statute includes systems that produce electrical power and requires written warranty information for covered devices. (ROC classification requirements chart; A.R.S. 44-1761; A.R.S. 44-1762)

Does your experience qualify?

The qualifying party needs at least 4 years of practical or management experience in electrical work, and at least 2 of those years must fall within the last 10 years before you apply. (A.R.S. 32-1122(E)(1))

• Hands-on or managerial both count. ROC's chart says the required years must be hands-on and/or managerial experience. (ROC classification requirements chart)
• School counts for 2 years at most. Technical training from an accredited college or university, or a manufacturer's accredited training program, can replace part of the experience. It can never cover more than 2 of the 4 years. (A.R.S. 32-1122(E)(1))
• Wage-employee experience can count. A person whose sole compensation is wages is exempt from the contractor-license requirement while working as an employee, so qualifying experience can be built as an employee. (A.R.S. 32-1121(A)(11))
• Already qualified in Arizona? If ROC's records show you are or were the qualifying party for an Arizona licensee in the same classification, ROC waives the experience paperwork. (A.R.S. 32-1122(E)(1))
• Don't plan on a reduction. The statute lets the registrar lower the 4 years only where industry custom shows the requirement is excessive for that craft. (A.R.S. 32-1122(E)(1))

Quick self-check

1. Do I have 4 years of electrical work, hands-on or supervising, with at least 2 of them in the last 10 years?
2. Is any of it school credit? If so, is it from an accredited college, university or manufacturer's program, and is it 2 years or less?
3. Does my experience match the class? Residential-only years point to R-11.
4. Who can confirm my experience? Line up former employers and records before you pay for exams, because a required written exam must have been taken no more than 2 years before you apply.

The two exams

The qualifying party passes the Arizona Statutes and Rules Training Course and Exam (SRE) and an electrical trade exam, each with at least 70%, then submits the results with the application unless ROC approves an applicable waiver. (ROC licensing)

Sources: ROC licensing; PSI Arizona ROC candidate bulletin, Feb. 2026, pp. 1–2, 5–6; GMetrix SRE listing; ROC license fees.

A few details that save money:

• The SRE costs $61 now. ROC's current fee page, GMetrix and PSI's February 2026 bulletin all show $61.
• PSI fees are valid for one year and aren't refundable. Cancel at least 2 days before your appointment or you lose the fee. (PSI bulletin, pp. 2, 5)
• Calculator rules at a PSI test center: a basic, silent, non-programmable, non-scientific calculator only. (PSI bulletin, p. 6)
• Expect a few unscored questions. PSI may add 5 to 10 experimental questions that use your exam time. (PSI bulletin, p. 8)
• Check your exam's reference books first. Before you tab a code book, open PSI's content outline for your exact class and use the editions it lists. The NEC edition your city enforces may be different. Our guide to tabbing a NEC code book covers the tabbing itself.

Can you skip an exam?

Sources: ROC licensing, including the trade-waiver and out-of-state sections; A.R.S. 32-1122(F); ROC classification requirements chart, exam key; PSI bulletin, p. 1. ROC's licensing line is 877-692-9762.

The qualifying party and your business

The license belongs to the business, not to the qualifying party. If the qualifying party leaves, the qualifying party doesn't take the license along; the business must address the qualifying-party change with ROC. (ROC licensing; ROC update checklist)

• Who can qualify: a sole proprietor, a partner, an LLC member, a corporate officer or an employee of the business. (ROC licensing)
• It has to be real. The qualifying party must be regularly employed by the licensee and actively engaged in the electrical work. They can't take other employment that conflicts with supervising that work. (ROC licensing; A.R.S. 32-1127)
• One extra company, at most. A person can qualify one additional business, and only if the two share at least 25% ownership or one is a subsidiary of the other. (ROC licensing; A.R.S. 32-1127)
• Everyone named is responsible. The qualifying party, owners, partners, LLC members, and corporate officers, directors and 25%+ shareholders are all responsible for the business's contracting. (ROC licensing)
• Licenses don't transfer to a new owner. A corporation or LLC can keep its license through a stock sale if its Arizona Corporation Commission file number stays the same and the license is active and in good standing. (ROC license classifications)
• Use the licensed name. You can contract and advertise only under the name ROC licenses, plus any DBA listed on the application. (ROC licensing)
• Waiting periods: ROC won't issue a license within 1 year after a license denial, refusal or revocation (the registrar can excuse this in some cases), or within 1 year after a conviction for contracting without a license. (A.R.S. 32-1122(D))

Bonds, Recovery Fund and workers' comp

Every electrical license needs a license bond sized to your classification and the volume of Arizona work you expect. R-11 and CR-11 must also either participate in the Residential Contractors' Recovery Fund or use the statutory $200,000 alternative bond/cash-deposit route. (ROC bond information; A.R.S. 32-1152(C))

R-11, and the residential part of CR-11

C-11, and the commercial part of CR-11

Source: ROC bond information, "Bond Limits and Regulations."

• CR-11: add the residential amount and the commercial amount. At the smallest volumes, that's $4,250 + $2,500 = $6,750. (ROC bond information)
• The bond amount isn't what you pay. A surety company charges a premium for the bond, and that price varies. You can instead post cash or a certificate of deposit for the full amount. (ROC bond information)
• Keep it in force. A surety must give 30 days' notice before cancelling. If no replacement is filed, the license is suspended. (ROC bond information; A.R.S. 32-1152(F))
• Changing the amount: you can raise your bond at any time, but you can lower it only at renewal. (ROC bond information)
• Recovery Fund: R-11 and CR-11 pay $370 with a new license and $270 at each renewal. The alternative is a $200,000 bond or cash deposit. (ROC license fees)
• Workers' comp: you attest to compliance on the application. At renewal, ROC asks for your policy number and insurer if you have employees, or an exemption if you don't. (A.R.S. 32-1122(B)(1)(i); ROC renewal checklist)
• General liability insurance isn't among the ROC application requirements we checked. Customers, general contractors and cities may still require it.

What it costs

For a new license using the standard SRE and one PSI trade exam, the published charges total $707 for C-11, $847 for R-11 or $977 for CR-11, before the background-check charge and bond or cash-deposit cost.

How we got these totals: ROC's new-license fee + $61 SRE + $66 PSI trade exam. The NASCLA column swaps the $66 trade exam for the $116 NASCLA exam, which adds $50. Sources: ROC license fees; GMetrix SRE listing; PSI bulletin, p. 2.

These totals leave out:

• the background-check fee, paid to ROC's vendor
• your bond premium
• reference books and retakes
• fees to form your LLC or corporation

Renewal costs every 2 years: C-11 $480, R-11 $540 and CR-11 $650. The R-11 and CR-11 figures include the $270 Recovery Fund assessment. (ROC license fees)

Fee waiver: ROC says a first-time Arizona applicant applying as a sole proprietor can qualify to have the initial license fee waived if the applicant is an active-duty service member's spouse, an honorably discharged veteran discharged no more than 2 years before applying, or an individual whose family income does not exceed 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. R-11 and CR-11 applicants still owe the Recovery Fund assessment unless using the statutory alternative. (ROC license fees)

Apply in this order

1. Choose your classification: R-11, C-11 or CR-11.
2. Confirm the qualifying party's experience before buying any exam. That's our suggestion, not an ROC rule: exam results expire after 2 years, and passing an exam doesn't fix an experience gap.
3. Pass the SRE on GMetrix unless ROC confirms an applicable SRE waiver. The account name must match the qualifying party. (ROC licensing; GMetrix SRE listing)
4. Pass the trade exam through PSI, use the NASCLA electrical exam alternative, or prepare a trade exam waiver application if you qualify. (ROC licensing)
5. Set up the business. LLCs and corporations register with the Arizona Corporation Commission; partnerships register with the Arizona Secretary of State. (ROC licensing)
6. Run background checks for everyone listed on the application through ROC's vendor, AccusourceHR. Results expire after 90 days, so time this close to filing. If anyone currently has or previously had an international address, they need the international and domestic check. (ROC background checks; ROC licensing)
7. Get your bond in the amount for your class and expected volume. Some sureties upload bonds directly to ROC's online portal. (ROC bond information)
8. Submit the application through ROC's online customer portal, by mail to P.O. Box 6748, Phoenix, AZ 85005-6748, or in person at 1700 W. Washington Street, Suite 105, Phoenix. Include the required exam or waiver documentation, ID copies, bond, workers' comp attestation and fees. (ROC licensing)
9. Wait for the license before you bid. ROC says contractors must be properly licensed before submitting bids. (ROC licensing)

ROC runs free online Applicant Education Seminars in English and Spanish, and its application checklist walks through the same steps.

Your application checklist

Use this to gather everything before you file. Finishing the list doesn't mean you qualify; ROC decides.

Sources: ROC licensing; ROC application checklist; ROC background checks; ROC classification requirements chart; A.R.S. 32-1122.

Do you need a license for this job?

For someone contracting for work and not covered by another statutory exemption, a contractor license is generally required once the project reaches $1,000 or whenever the work requires a local building permit. Arizona law contains other exemptions, so the $1,000 rule is not the whole statute. (ROC license classifications; A.R.S. 32-1121)

• Working for wages? An employee whose only pay is wages doesn't need a contractor license. (A.R.S. 32-1121(A)(11))
• The small-job exemption is narrow. It covers only casual or minor work under $1,000. It doesn't apply if the work needs a permit, if it's part of a bigger job, or if a job is split into smaller contracts to stay under $1,000. If you advertise, the ad must say "not a licensed contractor." (A.R.S. 32-1121(A)(14))
• Fire-safety electrical work is outside the small-job exemption. The exemptions in A.R.S. 32-1121(A)(4), (9) and (14) do not cover fire-safety electrical work, including hardwired or interconnected smoke alarms. (A.R.S. 32-1121(D)(1))
• Your own home: owners can work on property they occupy themselves when it isn't for sale or rent. Selling or renting it within a year after completion is treated as evidence it was built for sale. (A.R.S. 32-1121(A)(5))
• City worker cards: the City of Phoenix says it doesn't issue an electrical license for a journeyman or apprentice. That is a Phoenix rule, not proof of what every Arizona municipality does, so ask the permitting office where you'll work. (City of Phoenix journeyman brochure)

Source update: The original 2024 Phoenix brochure URL is unavailable. The current official City of Phoenix journeyman and apprentice brochure confirms the same Phoenix statement that no electrical journeyman or apprentice license is issued; the "2024" label identifies the original reference.

Which NEC edition applies?

Arizona doesn't have one NEC edition for every project. The local authority having jurisdiction determines the code that applies to the project. Our NEC adoption by state table uses Phoenix's 2023 NEC as a city example, not a statewide rule.

That's the jobsite question. Your licensing exam is a separate one: use the references in PSI's content outline for your classification, even if they differ from what your city enforces. (PSI bulletin, pp. 1, 8)

Keeping your license

• Renew every 2 years. ROC's current renewal checklist asks you to confirm your bond is active and covers your volume, give workers' comp details (or an exemption if you have no employees), and confirm Arizona Corporation Commission good standing for an LLC or corporation. The current checklist does not list a continuing-education step. (ROC license fees; ROC renewal checklist)
• Report changes within 30 days. Tell ROC within 30 days when any information on your license changes. (A.R.S. 32-1122(B)(4); ROC licensing forms)
• If your qualifying party leaves, the business needs a new one. ROC uses an Application for a New Qualifying Party for this.

Claims online that don't match the sources

• "L-11," "K-11" or "C-01" electrical license. ROC's electrical classes are R-11, C-11 and CR-11. (ROC license classifications)
• "CR-11 is the residential license." R-11 is residential. CR-11 is dual. (ROC license classifications)
• "Pass the Business Management exam." Since October 2021, it's been the online Statutes and Rules Training Course and Exam. (ROC announcement, Oct. 1, 2021)
• "The SRE costs $54." That was an older price. ROC's current fee page, GMetrix and PSI's February 2026 bulletin list $61. (ROC license fees; GMetrix SRE listing; PSI bulletin, p. 1)
• "You need continuing education to renew." ROC's current renewal checklist does not list a continuing-education step. (ROC renewal checklist)
• "Phoenix requires a journeyman electrician license." Phoenix says it doesn't issue an electrical journeyman or apprentice license. (City of Phoenix journeyman brochure)
• "CR-11 has one flat bond amount." The CR-11 bond is the residential amount plus the commercial amount for your volumes. (ROC bond information)

Common questions

Can I use my electrical contractor license from another state? Arizona doesn't provide direct reciprocity for this contractor-license route. If you were the qualifying party for a comparable license in another state within the last 5 years and meet ROC's waiver conditions, ROC may waive the trade exam and experience requirement. You still take the SRE unless you separately qualify for ROC's prior-Arizona-qualifying-party SRE exception, and you still apply for an Arizona license. (ROC licensing)

Can an R-11 contractor do commercial work? No. Commercial work needs C-11 or CR-11. (ROC license classifications)

Can technical school replace all 4 years of experience? No. School can cover no more than 2 of the 4 years. (A.R.S. 32-1122(E)(1))

Can an employee be the qualifying party? Yes. An employee who is regularly employed by the business and actively engaged in the electrical work can qualify it. (ROC licensing)

Sources

• Arizona Registrar of Contractors: Applying for a License · License Classifications · License Classification Requirements chart (PDF) · License and Renewal Fees · Bond Information · Contractor Background Checks · Applying for a License Checklist · Licensing Forms · Renewing a License checklist · Contractor's License Exams Move Online (Oct. 1, 2021)
• Arizona Revised Statutes: 32-1121, persons not required to be licensed · 32-1122, qualifications for license · 32-1127, qualifying party · 32-1152, bonds · 44-1761, solar energy device definitions · 44-1762, solar warranties and installation standards
• PSI Services, Arizona Registrar of Contractors Candidate Information Bulletin (Feb. 18, 2026)
• GMetrix, AZ Statutes and Rules Training Course and Exam (SRE)
• City of Phoenix, Journeyman and Apprentice brochure (2024) · Phoenix Building Construction Codes

Source update: The original 2024 Phoenix brochure URL is unavailable. The current official City of Phoenix journeyman and apprentice brochure confirms the same Phoenix statement that no electrical journeyman or apprentice license is issued; the "2024" label identifies the original reference.

Last verified October 1, 2026: classifications and scope, experience, exams and waivers, bond amounts, fees, renewal steps, licensing exemptions, Phoenix's electrical-worker-license note and Phoenix's current 2023 NEC adoption were checked against the sources above. ROC fees, forms and local code rules can change, so confirm current requirements before you file or pay.

AI-assisted research was used to prepare this page; this is not a professional legal review. Our editorial standards explain how we use sources and AI assistance.

By the Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team.

Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher. We're not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors, PSI Services, GMetrix or NASCLA. License, exam and credential names identify their subjects; trademarks belong to their respective owners. This guide explains published requirements. ROC decides every application.

Compare electrician license requirements by state or check NEC adoption by state.