Arizona doesn’t license individual plumbers at the state level. There’s no state journeyman or master plumber card. What people call a plumbing license in Arizona is really a contractor license from the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC). The business gets licensed in a plumbing classification like R-37, C-37, or CR-37, and it names a qualifying party who has the experience and passes the exams.
Who issues the license
The Arizona Registrar of Contractors licenses contractors, collects bonds, runs the Residential Recovery Fund, and handles complaints. The rules come from A.R.S. Title 32, Chapter 10 and the ROC rules in Arizona Administrative Code Title 4, Chapter 9.
You need an ROC license to contract plumbing work, bid it, or advertise it. If you work for wages for a licensed contractor, the license is your employer’s.
The small job exemption. A.R.S. 32-1121 lets unlicensed people do casual or minor work when the whole job, labor and materials included, is less than $1,000. It doesn’t apply if the work needs a local building permit, if the job is split up to get under the limit, or if your ads leave out the words “not a licensed contractor.” The ROC version of the law also excludes work that connects to natural gas, propane, or other fuel gas lines. A 2024 bill proposed raising the limit to $2,500, but the statute on azleg.gov still reads $1,000, so check before you count on it.
Requirements change, so confirm with the ROC before you apply. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice.
License types
The ROC sorts plumbing into residential, commercial, and dual classifications. Here are the main ones on the ROC classifications page:
- R-37 Plumbing, Including Solar. Residential. Covers water and gas piping, fire sprinklers tied to the water system, sewage treatment systems, and solar.
- R-37R Plumbing. Residential plumbing without the solar piece. The ROC says it no longer takes new applications for several narrow R-37R subclasses, like gas piping, pool plumbing, and sewers and drains.
- C-37 Plumbing. Commercial. Install, alter, and repair plumbing, generally within property lines and not on public easements, plus related gas and hydronic work.
- C-77 Plumbing Including Solar. Commercial plumbing with solar added.
- CR-37 Plumbing. Dual. Combines C-37 commercial and R-37R residential in one license, so you don’t apply twice.
- CR-77 Plumbing Including Solar. Dual. Combines C-77 and R-37.
Solar-only (C-78, CR-78) and sewer and drain (A-12, CR-80) classes also exist. Pick the one matching your work.
How to become a plumber in Arizona
Since there’s no individual state card, “becoming a plumber” means working in the trade, then getting your own business licensed. Here’s the path:
- Work under a licensed contractor. Get hired by an ROC-licensed plumbing company. No state apprentice or journeyman license is needed to work for wages.
- Build your years. The qualifying party needs at least 4 years of practical or management trade experience, with at least 2 of those within the last 10 years, under A.R.S. 32-1122. Accredited technical training can count, but no more than 2 of the 4 years. The ROC’s classification requirements form lists 4 years for C-37, CR-37, and CR-77. Confirm the number for your exact class with the ROC.
- Pass the exams. The qualifying party passes the trade exam for the classification and the Statutes and Rules Exam.
- Set up the business. LLCs and corporations must be registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission.
- Get bonded and apply. Post the license bond, pay the fees, and submit the application.
You’ll hear about city plumber cards. We couldn’t find any on official sources, so ask the building department in your city whether it has its own rules.
Exams
There are two exams, and both go to the qualifying party:
- Trade exam. Given by PSI, online or at a testing center. It covers knowledge of the work in your classification. The ROC points you to the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin for scheduling, question count, and study references. We couldn’t open the bulletin, so check it for those details.
- Statutes and Rules Exam (SRE). An online training course and exam through Gmetrix. The SRE can’t be waived.
Under ROC rule R4-9-106, you need at least 70% on each exam. Fail and you wait 30 days before the second try, 30 days before the third, and 90 days for any try after that. Results must be under 2 years old when you apply.
Renewal
Arizona contractor licenses run on a two-year cycle with staggered renewal dates. File on time and you can keep working while the ROC processes it. Miss your date and the license is suspended by law the next business day.
- Late penalty: $50 under A.R.S. 32-1126.
- Within 1 year of suspension: You can reactivate and renew by paying the application fee plus a $50 fee.
- After more than 1 year: You need a new application and a new license.
We didn’t find a continuing education requirement for plumbing contractors in the ROC statutes or rules.
Cost
Here are the fees from the ROC license and renewal fees page. Plumbing classes are “specialty” classes. Totals don’t include exam fees.
- R-37 (specialty residential), new: $80 application, $270 license, $370 Recovery Fund assessment, for $720 total.
- C-37 (specialty commercial), new: $100 application, $480 license, no Recovery Fund, for $580 total.
- CR-37 (specialty dual), new: $100 application, $380 license, $370 Recovery Fund, for $850 total.
- Two-year renewal: $540 for residential, $480 for commercial, $650 for dual. That includes a $270 Recovery Fund assessment for residential and dual.
- Exams: $66 for the PSI trade exam and $54 for the SRE through Gmetrix.
Residential and dual applicants meet a $200,000 consumer protection requirement either by paying the Recovery Fund assessment or by posting a $200,000 surety bond or cash deposit. The ROC also requires background check receipts but doesn’t list that cost on its fee page.
Bonds. Per the ROC bond page, the amount depends on your expected yearly volume:
- Residential specialty: $4,250 under $375,000 a year, or $7,500 at $375,000 or more.
- Commercial specialty: $2,500 at $150,000 or less, up to $50,000 for over $10 million.
- Dual: The residential and commercial amounts added together.
You pay a surety company a premium for the bond, not the full amount.
Reciprocity
Arizona has no named reciprocity list for plumbing in its current rules. Instead, it has a trade exam waiver.
- Out of state. Under R4-9-106(E), the ROC may waive the trade exam if the qualifying party is, or was within the last 5 years, a qualifying party for a licensee in another state in the same or a comparable classification. You request it on Form RC-L-200G.
- In state. A.R.S. 32-1122 says the ROC shall waive the exam if you were a qualifying party for an Arizona licensee in the same classification within the last 5 years.
- Still required. The SRE is never waived, and you still need the bond, fees, and a licensed business.
Some older guides list specific partner states. We didn’t find a state list in the current ROC rules, so ask the ROC whether your home state’s license counts as comparable. Our plumbing license reciprocity guide shows how other states handle it.
How to apply
- Use the right form. The ROC has separate applications for sole proprietors, partnerships, LLCs, and corporations.
- Gather your documents. Exam results or a waiver request, government ID for the applicant and qualifying party, background check receipts, experience proof, and the original bond.
- Submit it. Apply through the ROC Online Customer Portal, mail it to P.O. Box 6748, Phoenix, AZ 85005-6748, or drop it off at 1700 W. Washington Street, Suite 105, Phoenix.
- Take the free seminar. The ROC runs a free monthly virtual Applicant Education Seminar.
FAQ
Does Arizona have a journeyman plumber license?
Not at the state level. The ROC licenses contracting businesses, not individual plumbers. Ask your city if it has its own rules.
How long does it take to get a plumbing license in Arizona?
Plan on at least 4 years of trade experience for the qualifying party, then time to pass the exams, get bonded, and apply. The ROC doesn’t publish processing times.
How much does an Arizona plumbing contractor license cost?
A new CR-37 dual license is $850, plus $66 and $54 for exams, plus your bond premium. R-37 is $720 and C-37 is $580.
Can I do small plumbing jobs without a license?
Only jobs under $1,000 total that are casual or minor and need no permit. Gas line hookups don’t qualify, and your ads must say “not a licensed contractor.”
Next steps
Starting out? Work for a licensed plumbing contractor and keep records of your years. To compare Arizona with other states, see our plumbing license by state page, the full plumbing license guide, and plumbing license cost by state. Working near the border? Check the California plumbing license page too. Ready to run your own shop? Read how to start a plumbing business.
