Who needs an Arizona electrical license?
The Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) licenses contracting businesses. Any business that contracts to build, alter or repair a structure, or any part of one, must hold a contractor license, and that includes subcontractors. You must be licensed before you submit a bid. The license is issued to a sole proprietor, partnership, LLC or corporation, and the ROC is clear that it belongs to the business, not to the person who qualifies it.
There is a narrow handyman exemption. As a rule, a license is required once labor and materials go over $1,000, or whenever the job needs a permit, whatever the price. Electrical work usually needs a permit, so plan on needing a licensed contractor for nearly any paid wiring job. An electrician working for wages under a licensed contractor works under that company's license.
Which electrical classification fits your work?
The ROC issues separate commercial, residential and dual licenses. C-11 Electrical covers commercial wiring, material and equipment used to generate, transmit or use electrical energy under 600 volts, including underground distribution under 600 volts serving private property. It does not allow work in public rights-of-way. R-11 Electrical covers installing and repairing residential electrical systems. CR-11 combines the C-11 and R-11 scopes, so one license covers both markets.
For utility-style work there is A-17 Electrical and Transmission Lines, a commercial engineering class. It covers transmission lines in public rights-of-way, poles, tower lines, street lighting of all voltages, underground duct systems, and transformers, breakers and primary metering. Low voltage alarm, phone, sound and video systems fall under the separate R-67 Low Voltage Communication Systems class and its commercial and dual versions.
How does the qualifying party work?
Every license needs a qualifying party. This is a person regularly employed by the business and actively working in the classification. They carry the experience, take the exams and act as the responsible managing employee. The qualifying party can be the sole proprietor, a partner, an LLC member, a corporate officer or an employee. Everyone named on the application must be at least 18.
For C-11, R-11 and CR-11, the ROC requires four years of experience, and it must be hands-on or managerial. A qualifying party may not take other work that conflicts with supervising the licensee's jobs. One person can qualify a second entity only if the two share at least 25% common ownership or one is a subsidiary of the other.
What do the exams and fees cost?
The qualifying party takes the Arizona Statutes and Rules Training Course and Exam (SRE) online through Gmetrix for $61. The electrical trade exam costs $66 through PSI, online or at a test center. For C-11, R-11 and CR-11 you can take the NASCLA electrical exam instead for $116, which helps if you plan to work in several states. Both exams need a score of at least 70%.
License fees cover two years. A new C-11 costs $580 in total. A new R-11 costs $720 and a CR-11 costs $850, because residential and dual licenses carry a $370 Residential Recovery Fund assessment. Renewal runs $480 for C-11, $540 for R-11 and $650 for CR-11. Exam fees come on top of these totals.
Pay
USD a year, before tax. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data for May 2025, moved to 2026 with a wage index. The state figures are modeled estimates. Pay moves with experience, union status and whether the work is commercial, industrial or residential. Refer to the Electricians salary guide for figures from live adverts.
What you need
- Qualifying partyThe business must name a regularly employed person who is actively engaged in electrical work and meets the classification requirements.
- Four years of experienceC-11, R-11 and CR-11 each require four years of hands-on or managerial experience for the qualifying party.
- Statutes and Rules ExamThe online SRE costs $61 and requires a score of at least 70%. It can be waived only if the qualifying party has qualified an Arizona contractor's license within the past five years.
- Electrical trade examTake the ROC trade exam through PSI for $66, or the NASCLA electrical exam for $116. Either one needs at least 70%.
- Background checkEvery person named on the license application must complete a background check through the ROC's vendor. Checks expire 90 days after completion.
- Bond and business registrationThe applicant must file proof of a license bond. LLCs and corporations must be registered and in good standing with the Arizona Corporation Commission.
- Residential consumer protectionR-11 and CR-11 licensees must provide an extra $200,000 in protection, either as a bond or cash deposit or by paying the Recovery Fund assessment.
How to get there
- Years 1-4Build hands-on experienceWork in the electrical trade under a licensed contractor. You need four years of hands-on or managerial experience before you can qualify a license.
- Year 4Choose your classificationPick C-11 for commercial, R-11 for residential or CR-11 for both. A-17 covers transmission line and utility-type work.
- Year 4Pass the SRE and trade examFinish the online Statutes and Rules course and exam, then the ROC or NASCLA electrical exam, with at least 70% on each.
- Before applyingSet up the businessRegister an LLC or corporation with the Arizona Corporation Commission if you use one. Get the license bond and the background checks done.
- Year 4-5Apply to the ROCSubmit the application, ID, exam results and fees through the online portal, by mail or in person in Phoenix.
- Every 2 yearsRenew every two yearsLicenses run for two years. Renewal costs $480 for C-11, $540 for R-11 and $650 for CR-11.
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Questions people ask
Does Arizona issue a state journeyman electrician license?
The ROC licenses contracting businesses, and its license belongs to the business, not to the person who qualifies it. Its licensing pages describe no separate state card for individual journeymen. Electricians working for wages do the work under their employer's contractor license.
Can I skip the trade exam if I am already licensed?
Sometimes. The Registrar may waive the trade exam if you have qualified a license in good standing in the same classification in Arizona, or a comparable one in another state, within the past five years. The Statutes and Rules Exam can be waived only if you have been the qualifying party on an Arizona contractor's license within the past five years.
Can I qualify licenses for two companies?
Only in limited cases. Under A.R.S. 32-1127, one person can qualify one additional entity if the two share at least 25% common ownership, or if one is a subsidiary at least 25% owned by the other.
Do veterans or military spouses pay licensing fees?
The ROC waives the initial application fee for active duty military spouses and for veterans honorably discharged within the past two years. The waiver applies when they apply as a sole proprietor for an Arizona license for the first time. Residential and dual applicants still pay the Recovery Fund assessment.
Who owns the license if the qualifying party leaves?
The business owns it. If the qualifying party leaves, the business has to name a new qualifying party who meets the experience and exam requirements for the classification.
