Arizona HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical License Requirements
Last updated 2026. Requirements may change — always verify with your state licensing board.
- Renewal
- Biennial
- CE hours
- No state CE requirement for HVAC
- Initial cost
- $701 (application $100 + trade exam $66 + business exam $54 + license $480 + fingerprinting $67)
- License types
- C-39 Commercial HVAC, R-39 Residential HVAC, CR-39 Dual
- Experience
- 4 years within past 10 years (or 2 years + approved trade school)
- Exam
- Trade exam + Business Management exam (both required, 70% passing)
- Bond
- Varies by license type — residential bond typically $5,000–$15,000; commercial up to $100,000+ based on volume
- Insurance
- Workers' comp required with 1+ employees; general liability recommended
- Reciprocity
- Trade exam waiver for contractors licensed 5+ years in Nevada, Utah, or California — must still pass AZ Statutes & Rules exam
- Board
- Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC)
- Website
- roc.az.gov
- Notes
- Arizona uses a classification system — make sure you apply for the right C (commercial), R (residential), or CR (dual) designation.
- Renewal
- Biennial
- CE hours
- No state CE requirement
- Initial cost
- ~$700 (similar structure to HVAC)
- License types
- C-37 Commercial Plumbing, R-37 Residential Plumbing, CR-37 Dual
- Experience
- 4 years within past 10 years
- Exam
- Trade exam + Business Management exam
- Bond
- Required — amount varies by classification and volume
- Insurance
- Workers' comp with employees; GL recommended
- Reciprocity
- Limited — similar trade exam waiver program as HVAC for qualifying states
- Board
- Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC)
- Website
- roc.az.gov
- Notes
- All contractor licenses in Arizona are issued by the ROC regardless of trade.
- Renewal
- Biennial (ROC); varies locally
- CE hours
- No state CE; local jurisdictions may require CE
- Initial cost
- ~$700 for ROC license; local fees vary
- License types
- C-11 Commercial Electrical, R-11 Residential Electrical, CR-11 Dual (ROC). Journeyman/Master licensed at county level (Maricopa, Pima, Coconino)
- Experience
- 4 years within past 10 years for contractor; varies locally for journeyman
- Exam
- ROC contractor exam + local journeyman exam where applicable
- Bond
- Required for ROC license — varies by classification
- Insurance
- Workers' comp with employees
- Reciprocity
- Similar trade exam waiver program for qualifying states
- Board
- Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) + Local licensing bodies
- Website
- roc.az.gov
- Notes
- Arizona is unusual — contractor licenses are state-level (ROC) but journeyman/master electrician licenses are issued by counties (Maricopa, Pima, Coconino). You may need both.
Arizona licenses all trade contractors through the Registrar of Contractors (ROC) using a classification system. HVAC is C-39 (commercial), R-39 (residential), or CR-39 (dual). Plumbing is C-37/R-37/CR-37. Electrical is C-11/R-11/CR-11. Getting the wrong classification means you can't legally bid on certain project types.
Initial costs are among the higher in the country at roughly $700 per license, driven by application fees, dual exams (trade + business management), license fees, and mandatory fingerprinting. The bond requirement adds significant cost, especially for commercial classifications where bonds can exceed $100,000 based on your annual volume.
Arizona offers one of the better reciprocity programs: contractors licensed for 5+ years in Nevada, Utah, or California can get a trade exam waiver. You'll still need to pass the Arizona Statutes & Rules exam, but skipping the trade exam saves significant preparation time.
An important quirk for electricians: the ROC issues contractor-level licenses statewide, but journeyman and master electrician licenses are handled at the county level by places like Maricopa County, Pima County, and Coconino County. You may need both a local journeyman license and a state ROC contractor license to operate.
TradesIQ tracks your ROC license renewal, bond expiration, and insurance certificates in one place — with automated reminders before anything lapses.
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Renewal cycles, CE hours, fees, and licensing board links.
Arizona
Full Arizona guide →- Renewal
- Biennial
- CE
- No state CE requirement for HVAC
- Cost
- $701 (application $100 + trade exam $66 + business exam $54 + license $480 + fingerprinting $67)
- Board
- Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC)
- Website
- roc.az.gov
- Renewal
- Biennial
- CE
- No state CE requirement
- Cost
- ~$700 (similar structure to HVAC)
- Board
- Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC)
- Website
- roc.az.gov
- Renewal
- Biennial (ROC); varies locally
- CE
- No state CE; local jurisdictions may require CE
- Cost
- ~$700 for ROC license; local fees vary
- Board
- Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) + Local licensing bodies
- Website
- roc.az.gov
Requirements may change. Always verify with your state licensing board.