Code Library
Contractors and Licensing: Rules in Phoenix-Area Cities
Contractor licenses, owner-builder rules, bonds, complaints and liens. City by city, then the Arizona law and model code behind it.
Arizona Law
All Arizona law- State Law · Updated Jul 2026A.R.S. 32-1101: How Arizona Classifies Contractor LicensesA.R.S. 32-1101 is the definitions section of Arizona's contractor law. It sets three license classes: commercial contractor for non-residential work, residential contractor for work within residential property lines, and dual licensed contractor for both. The class controls what work a plumber may legally perform.
- State Law · Updated Jul 2026A.R.S. 32-1121: Arizona's Owner-Builder and Handyman Licensing ExemptionsA.R.S. 32-1121 exempts two groups from Arizona's contractor licensing law: homeowners who work on a house they own and occupy, and anyone doing casual work under $1,000 total. Both exemptions come with limits: permitted work and work meant for sale or rent generally fall outside them.
- State Law · Updated Jul 2026A.R.S. 32-1132: Arizona's Residential Contractors' Recovery FundA.R.S. 32-1132 funds a state pool that repays Arizona homeowners for actual losses caused by a licensed residential contractor, up to $30,000 per claim. To collect, a homeowner must first win a court judgment or Registrar of Contractors order that the contractor has not paid.
- State Law · Updated Jul 2026A.R.S. 32-1152: Arizona Contractor License BondsA.R.S. 32-1152 is the license-bond law. Before the Registrar of Contractors issues a license, the applicant must post a surety bond or a cash deposit. The amount is set by the registrar within a schedule, based on the contractor's classification and volume of work. A bond is separate from the Residential Contractors' Recovery Fund.
- State Law · Updated Jul 2026A.R.S. 32-1153: A Contractor Must Be Licensed to Sue for PaymentA.R.S. 32-1153 bars a contractor from suing you for payment on work that needs a license unless the contractor was duly licensed both when the contract was signed and when the claim arose. It is a strong consumer protection against unlicensed plumbers and other contractors.
- State Law · Updated Jul 2026A.R.S. 32-1154: Grounds to Suspend or Revoke a Contractor LicenseA.R.S. 32-1154 lists the acts and omissions that can get an Arizona contractor license suspended or revoked. The list includes abandoning a job, poor workmanship or code violations, fraud, false advertising, a felony conviction, and failing to pay for materials or services.
- State Law · Updated Jul 2026A.R.S. 32-1155: The Deadline to File an Arizona ROC ComplaintA.R.S. 32-1155 is the statute that lets you file a written complaint against a licensed Arizona contractor with the Registrar of Contractors. The complaint must be filed within the deadline set by A.R.S. 32-1162: generally two years from the close of escrow (new construction) or two years from project completion (other work).
- State Law · Updated Jul 2026A.R.S. 32-1158: What a Contractor's Written Contract Must IncludeA.R.S. 32-1158 sets what a contractor's written contract must include in Arizona. For any job over $1,000, the contract must list the contractor's name, address, and license number, the jobsite, the completion date, the total price, and deposit and payment terms. It must also carry a complaint-rights notice in at least ten-point bold type, signed by both parties.
- State Law · Updated Jul 2026A.R.S. 33-1002: Arizona's Lien Exemption for Owner-Occupied HomesA.R.S. 33-1002 shields an owner-occupied Arizona home from many construction liens. A contractor, subcontractor, or supplier generally cannot lien your home unless they signed a written contract directly with you. Any agreement that waives this protection is void. It is a lien statute, not the separate homestead equity exemption in A.R.S. 33-1101.
- State Law · Updated Jul 2026A.R.S. 33-992.01: Arizona's Preliminary Twenty-Day Notice (Lien Rights)A.R.S. 33-992.01 is Arizona's preliminary twenty day notice law. It lets a contractor, subcontractor, or material supplier protect future mechanics' lien rights by serving a written notice, generally within twenty days of first furnishing labor or materials. For a homeowner, receiving one is normal. It is a required heads-up, not a lien, and not a bill.
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