Blog

Arizona has one of the most streamlined and straightforward exam processes to become a licensed contractor. All you have to do is obtain necessary experience and pass required exams.

The general experience requirement for most licenses is four years. This can be either hands-on experience or managerial experience related to your desired trade. As you might expect, most licenses also require a trade exam. Arizona is no different than other states in that regard.

IN addition to that exam, applicants must complete the AZ Statutes and Rules Training Course and Exam (SRE). Applicants will take computer-based training about applicable Arizona statutes and rules and then be tested on what they learned throughout the training. Unlike the trade exams (which can now be taken online or in-person), this training course and exam is only available online, through the Registrar of Contractors.

What is the Arizona Statutes and Rules Course?

The Arizona Statutes and Rules exam is a comprehensive course that replaces the previous Statutes and Rules Exam. The exam that was replaced covered a multitude of topics, such as:

• Arizona Registrar of Contractors statutes
• ARC contractors’ rules
• ARC workmanship standards
• Business math
• Business management
• Contracts and binding agreements
• Bonding and insurance
• Recordkeeping
• Safety
• Labor laws
• Tax laws
• Environmental laws
• Employment regulations

As you can imagine, the new AZ Statutes and Rules Training Course and Exam (SRE) covers a very similar range of topics. Specifically, this course covers Title 32, Chapter 10 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, as well as Title 4, Chapter 9 of the Arizona Administrative Code.

What is the Arizona Registrar of Contractors?

The Arizona Registrar of Contractors (or ARC) is the governing body that maintains all contractors’ licenses in the state. They are responsible for issuing and renewing your license, as well as setting testing requirements. They partner with a third-party company to administer exams, but have several approved vendors for test-prep and continuing education services.

Which Licenses Require This Exam?

The SRE is part of the licensure requirements for multiple contractor’s licenses throughout the state, such as the B-1/KB-1 General Contractor’s license and the Small Commercial and General Residential contractor’s licenses.

If you are interested in performing both residential and commercial contracting services, then Arizona offers a dual licensure exam. This is known as the KB-1 license. The KB-1 license also requires that you pass the SRE course from the state.

What Materials Can Be Used During The Trade Exams?

As mentioned above, the SRE is only a portion of the requirements for various license types. Those exams are partially open book, which means that you can bring various reference materials with you to take the exam. Having the proper materials with you is vital to being able to pass the exam on your first attempt.

The permitted materials include the main references that each exam is based upon. We have compiled a list for each license type, and you can see all of the license types we have available in Arizona here.

The state of Arizona wants you to have the tools necessary to pass the exam. By preparing adequately and bringing the approved materials with you, you can set yourself up for success and obtain your contractor’s license.

Why is the Exam Open Book?

ARC does not expect you to memorize all of the information prior to taking the exam. Rather, they are testing your ability to locate and reference the required codes, laws, and regulations. The test has a heavy focus on applying knowledge to real-world scenarios.

How Do I Prepare for the Exam?

The best way to prepare for the exam is to partner with a proven test-prep team like RocketCert. We offer self-paced online testing materials, as well as hard copies of all approved books for the exam. When you want to get your Arizona contractor’s license, turn to RocketCert. Our team even offers a “No Pass, No Pay” promise because we know you will be successful when you use our materials!

Orginally published 2021-03-25

Updated 11/08/2021