- No license needed for casual or minor work under $1,000 total, labor and materials included, when no building permit is required and it is not part of a larger job. Ads must say 'not a licensed contractor'. The registrar's rule of thumb: a license is needed if labor and materials exceed $1,000 or a permit is required.
- For a license: the qualifying party needs four years of practical or management experience, at least two within the last ten years.
- Plan for a trade exam and a business and law exam.
- For a license: residential general (such as B-3) is $9,000 under $750,000 in yearly volume, or $15,000 above. Residential specialty (R) is $4,250 under $375,000, or $7,500 above.
- Licenses run two years.
Do you need a state license in Arizona?
Arizona licenses some handyman work at the state level and leaves the rest alone. Which side of that line a job falls on decides whether you need the state license.
No license needed for casual or minor work under $1,000 total, labor and materials included, when no building permit is required and it is not part of a larger job. Ads must say 'not a licensed contractor'. The registrar's rule of thumb: a license is needed if labor and materials exceed $1,000 or a permit is required.
The small job exemption does not apply to any job that needs a local building permit, whatever the price.
Arizona license types for handyman work
Arizona splits the work into 3 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| B-3 General Remodeling and Repair Contractor | Remodel and repair existing homes, including carpentry. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work must be subcontracted |
| R-7 Carpentry | Rough and finish carpentry, hardware, millwork, doors, door frames and windows |
| R-34 Painting and Wall Covering | Surface prep, paint, wallpaper, wall coverings and liquid floor and wall coatings |
Steps to get licensed in Arizona
- Check each job: under $1,000, no permit needed, and not part of a bigger job.
- Put 'not a licensed contractor' in all ads if you rely on the exemption.
- To grow past that, pick a class such as B-3 or an R specialty and build four years of experience.
- Pass the SRE exam through Gmetrix and the trade exam through PSI.
- Buy your license bond and apply on the ROC online portal.
- Renew every two years.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. For a license: the qualifying party needs four years of practical or management experience, at least two within the last ten years.
Arizona handyman exams
Trade exam. For a license: a trade exam for your class through PSI. The fee is $66 and you need 70% to pass.
Business and law exam. For a license: the Arizona Statutes and Rules Training Course and Exam (SRE) online through Gmetrix. The fee is $61.
What it costs in Arizona
The board lists 6 fees along the way. These are the state's own numbers. Insurance, any bond, exam prep and your business registration come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| New general residential license (includes B-3): application, license fee and recovery fund | $870 |
| New specialty residential (R) license: application, license fee and recovery fund | $720 |
| Renewal, general residential | $590 |
| Renewal, specialty residential (R) | $540 |
| SRE statutes and rules exam (paid to Gmetrix) | $61 |
| Trade exam (paid to PSI) | $66 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. For a license: you must attest that you follow the state workers' compensation rules. Check with the board for liability insurance.
Bond. For a license: residential general (such as B-3) is $9,000 under $750,000 in yearly volume, or $15,000 above. Residential specialty (R) is $4,250 under $375,000, or $7,500 above.
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Licenses run two years.
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Good to know in Arizona
- Splitting one job into smaller contracts to stay under $1,000 is not allowed.
- Factory-made fixtures and appliances that plug into a household outlet or run on small batteries are left out of the $1,000 count.
- A B-3 license holder must hire licensed subcontractors for electrical, plumbing and mechanical work.
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for a handyman near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the Arizona Registrar of Contractors and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
More for your trade: how handyman businesses run on Koira.