LicensebyState

Kentucky to Arizona: general contractor license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 17, 2026· 14 sources

Kentucky does not issue a statewide general contractor license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Arizona's standard path for out-of-state applicants.

Your origin state does not issue a statewide license at this level, so there is no license to transfer. The destination's standard out-of-state path is shown; expect to meet it in full.

Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.

NASCLA exam or out-of-state waiver of the trade examination (every origin state)

Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.

Arizona has no reciprocity agreement with any state, so every inbound applicant follows the same route and no origin state is treated better than another. The Registrar's own words are: "Arizona does not have direct reciprocity with any state; however, the Registrar does offer out of state applicants the opportunity to request a waiver of the required trade exam and experience, if the qualifying party has held a comparable license in another state within the past 5 years of the application date and the license was obtained by a trade examination." There are two ways past the Arizona trade exam at this level. The first is the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors, which the Registrar accepts in place of its own trade exam for the B-1, B-2, KB-1 and KB-2 classifications; you may sit it in any participating jurisdiction and buy a transcript from NASCLA so the Registrar can see the result. The second is the out-of-state waiver on Form RC-L-200G: you fill in your side, send it to the agency that issued your license so it can verify your license history, exams and years of experience and stamp it with a state seal, then enclose the returned form with your Arizona application in place of a trade exam result. That waiver is discretionary and is not pre-approved. The Arizona Statutes and Rules Exam is never waived on either route for an out-of-state applicant. Four years of trade experience, a license bond, background checks for every person named on the application, entity registration and the fees all still apply.

The rule behind the waiver is A.A.C. R4-9-106(E)(1): the Registrar "may waive the trade examination requirement if records reflect that the qualifying party is currently or has previously been a qualifying party for a licensee in the other state in the same classification, or in a comparable classification, within the preceding five years." Because it is written as "may waive", it is a case-by-case decision rather than an entitlement, and comparability of your out-of-state classification to the Arizona B-1 or B-2 classification is the Registrar's call. Form RC-L-200G also cites A.R.S. 32-1122(A)(4), A.R.S. 32-1122(E)(1) and A.R.S. 32-4302 and says a qualifying applicant may see "the waiver of the examination requirements, experience requirements, or both." A.R.S. 32-4302 is Arizona's universal licensing recognition statute: it requires a Title 32 license to be issued to a person who establishes residence in Arizona and who has held a good-standing license in another state at the same practice level for at least a year, obtained by examination where the other state required one, with no discipline or pending investigation; subsection (C) preserves the state-laws exam, so the Arizona Statutes and Rules Exam still applies. The Registrar's Service Members and Veterans page publishes the no-examination version of that statute for the spouse of an active-duty member accompanying the member to an Arizona duty station. One origin state is named in the Registrar's out-of-state paperwork, and it is a scope question rather than an advantage: Form RC-L-200G tells California applicants that "Arizona's Engineering classifications may differ in scope from California's" and asks anyone applying for the Arizona A General Engineering license to email a scope letter to [email protected] describing the work they will perform in Arizona before submitting the application. That instruction concerns the A engineering classification rather than the B-1 or B-2 building classifications, and it waives nothing. Separately, A.A.C. R4-9-106(F) lets the Registrar waive the experience requirement in whole or in part on the strength of an appropriate trade examination passed within the past two years or a valid nationally recognized certification. The Registrar publishes no processing time for application review or approval; ask at [email protected], 602-542-1525 or 877-692-9762.

At a glance

Trade exam
Waived
Law / code exam
Required
Out-of-state hours
Count toward eligibility

What you must already have

  • You must have passed a licensing exam in Kentucky that the destination considers comparable.The Registrar's licensing-fees page names "KB-1/B-1 Commercial or Dual Building Contractor and KB-2/B-2 Small commercial or Dual Residential and Small Commercial", and its License Classification Requirements page adds that "A Qualifying Party who has already taken the NASCLA exams for the B1, B2, CR-11 and C and R 11 Electrical may submit those scores with their applications", so an existing NASCLA pass travels with you. The NASCLA exam is an exam credential rather than a license or an agreement between states: anyone may sit it in any participating jurisdiction, and holding a license in a NASCLA state is not itself an Arizona advantage. It waives nothing else, including the Arizona Statutes and Rules Exam, the four years of experience, the bond, the background checks or any fee. You must buy a transcript from NASCLA so the Registrar can view your result.
  • Alternatively: you are currently, or have been within the preceding five years, the qualifying party for a licensed contractor in another state in the same classification or in a classification the Registrar finds comparable to the Arizona B-1 or B-2 classification.A.A.C. R4-9-106(E)(1)(b). The Registrar's applying page states the same test as having "held a comparable license in another state within the past 5 years of the application date". Comparability is decided by the Registrar; there is no published list of equivalent out-of-state classifications and no pre-approval, so the decision is made when the completed application is reviewed. The verification is done by the issuing agency on Form RC-L-200G, which asks it for your current license status, the date you were first named on the license, the number of years of experience it can verify, the exams you took and the name and date of the passing exam, under the agency's state seal.
  • Your Kentucky license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
  • Four years of practical or management trade experience in commercial building construction, at least two of them within the last ten years. Accredited college, university or manufacturer training may substitute for up to two of the four years. Experience earned in other states counts.A.R.S. 32-1122(E)(1) and the Registrar's License Classification Requirements, which set four years for the B-1, B-2, KB-1 and KB-2 classifications and state that the years "must be hands-on and/or managerial experience". A.A.C. R4-9-119 requires the Registrar to accept military service or training, diplomas or transcripts from accredited training programs, and completion certificates from an apprenticeship approved by the US Department of Labor or a state apprenticeship agency, and to accept experience regardless of whether you were licensed or working for a licensed entity at the time. The Registrar may also reduce the four-year requirement where custom and usage in the craft shows it to be excessive, and under A.A.C. R4-9-106(F) may waive experience in whole or in part on the strength of a trade exam passed within the past two years or a valid nationally recognized certification. Form RC-L-200G can waive the experience requirement as well as the exam when the out-of-state agency verifies your years.
  • You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.A.R.S. 32-1122(C) and (D). The Registrar may find the circumstances behind a denial, refusal or revocation excusable if your actions did not result in an unremedied hardship, danger or loss to the public. Prior-license, felony and unlicensed-activity disclosure forms go in with the application where they apply.

What you'll do to get licensed in Arizona

  1. 1Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Arizona Statutes and Rules Training Course and Exam (SRE), a computer-based open-book course and exam offered only online through Gmetrix. It covers the building, safety, health and lien laws of the state, the administrative principles of the contracting business and the Registrar's rules, and a grade of at least 70 percent is required. It cannot be waived unless the qualifying party has been the qualifying party on an Arizona contractor's license within the past five years, so an out-of-state applicant always takes it, whether or not the trade exam is waived..
  2. 2Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($61). Examination fee for the online Arizona Statutes and Rules Training Course and Exam, paid directly to Gmetrix..
  3. 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam (if applicable). Trade exam for the commercial and dual general building classifications. You may satisfy it in one of three ways: pass the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors, pass the AZ ROC general commercial exam through PSI Services, or obtain an out-of-state waiver on Form RC-L-200G. A passing grade of at least 70 percent is required and an Arizona exam must have been taken not more than two years before you apply. The Registrar has combined the B-1, B-2, KB-1 and KB-2 exams into a single exam, so one sitting covers whichever of those four classifications you apply for. After a failure you wait 30 days to retake, and 90 days after a third or later failure..
  4. 4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($66) (if applicable). Examination fee for the AZ ROC trade-specific exam, taken either online or at a testing center, paid directly to PSI. Payable only if you sit the Arizona trade exam rather than using the NASCLA exam or obtaining a waiver..
  5. 5Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($106) (if applicable). Examination fee for the NASCLA Commercial General Building exam, paid to PSI Exams Online, if you take the NASCLA route instead of the AZ ROC trade exam. A separate NASCLA transcript purchase is also payable directly to NASCLA online and is required before the Registrar can view your result; the Registrar's applying page and its licensing-fees page give different amounts for that second charge, so confirm the current figure with NASCLA or ask the Registrar at [email protected] before you pay..
  6. 6Application fee. Pay the application fee ($200). Application fee for a General Commercial classification (A, B-1, B-2) or a General Dual classification (KA, KB-1, KB-2). The Registrar waives the initial application fee for a first-time sole proprietor applicant who is the spouse of an active-duty service member, or a veteran discharged not more than two years before the application date; residential and dual applicants still pay the Residential Recovery Fund assessment..
  7. 7License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($580). License fee for a General Commercial classification, making $780 in total with the application fee; there is no recovery fund assessment on a commercial-only license. A General Dual license (KA, KB-1, KB-2) costs $480 in license fee plus a $370 Residential Recovery Fund assessment, or $1,050 in total, because it carries residential scope. Renewal is $580 for General Commercial and $480 plus a $270 recovery fund assessment, or $750, for General Dual..
  8. 8Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($5,000). Contractor's license bond on the Registrar's bond form, sized by classification and by the gross volume of work you expect to do in Arizona. For Class A and B general commercial building contractors the bands are $5,000 for $150,000 or less, $15,000 for more than $150,000 up to $500,000, $25,000 for more than $500,000 up to one million, $50,000 for more than one million up to five million, $75,000 for more than five million up to ten million, and $100,000 over ten million. A dual license such as KB-1 or KB-2 combines the commercial amount with the residential amount ($9,000 under $750,000 of residential volume, $15,000 at or above it) and the penal sum must be split on the bond between the two figures. A surety bond, cash, or a certificate of deposit from a bank operating in Arizona is accepted. The effective date cannot be in the future and must be within six months of submission, and the bond company's seal and a notarized attorney-in-fact signature are required..
  9. 9Other. Residential Recovery Fund assessment. It is not charged on a commercial-only B-1 or B-2 license, but every applicant for a dual classification such as KB-1 or KB-2 pays it, even if a license fee waiver is approved. The alternative to the assessment is posting a surety or cash bond of $200,000 to the license. ($370) (if applicable).
  10. 10Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Attestation that you have complied with the statutes and rules governing workers' compensation insurance. If the business is required to carry workers' compensation under Arizona law, the attestation must give the policy number or be accompanied by proof of self-insurance..
  11. 11Background check. Complete a background check. A background check for every person named on the license application, obtained through the Registrar's background check vendor. A completed check expires 90 days from its completion date. Anyone who has had an international address must submit an international and domestic check and list every foreign and domestic address where they have lived..
  12. 12Business license. Obtain a business license. Entity registration. A limited liability company or corporation must be registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission and in good standing with it before the license application is submitted, and must stay in good standing to renew. A partnership registers with the Arizona Secretary of State. A sole proprietorship needs no entity filing. You may only contract and advertise under the entity name the Registrar has licensed, so any trade name you want to use must be entered on the application as a DBA; filing the trade name with the Secretary of State is recommended but not required..
  13. 13Other. A legible copy of a government-issued photo identification, such as a valid driver's license or passport, for every individual named in the Persons section of the license application. Applications are filed through the ROC Online Customer Portal, or mailed to Registrar of Contractors, P.O. Box 6748, Phoenix, AZ 85005-6748, or delivered to 1700 W. Washington Street, Suite 105, Phoenix, AZ 85007-2812..

Published fees on this path total $841, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.

What you'll need to buy or arrange

Exam preparation

Most boards contract PSI, Prov, or ICC for exams. Check which code edition the exam is written to before buying a prep course.

  • Law / code exam
  • Exam fee · $61
  • Trade exam · if applicable
  • Exam fee · $66 · if applicable
  • Exam fee · $106 · if applicable

Surety bond

A license or contractor bond is bought from a surety, not the state. Price is a small percentage of the bond amount and depends on your credit.

  • Surety bond · $5,000

Liability insurance

Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.

  • Insurance

Business registration

If you plan to contract in your own name, budget for a business license or entity registration on top of the trade license.

  • Business license

How Arizona licenses general contractors

Arizona general contractor · “B-1 General Commercial Contractor; B-2 General Small Commercial; KB-1 or KB-2 dual”

Statewide license

Verified September 17, 2026· 4 sources

Issued by Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC)

Arizona's unlimited general building license is the B-1 General Commercial Contractor classification, issued statewide by the Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC). It allows the licensee to construct, alter and repair any structure built for the support, shelter and enclosure of persons, animals or movable property, including the management and direct or indirect supervision of the work; electrical, plumbing, air conditioning, boiler, swimming pool, spa and water well work must be subcontracted to an appropriately licensed contractor. B-2 General Small Commercial Contractor is the same commercial scope capped at projects of $2,000,000 or less including labor and materials. Neither commercial classification covers residential work: the Registrar separates its markets by prefix, with B-1 and B-2 commercial general building, plain B residential general building, C- and R- commercial and residential specialty trades, CR- specialty dual, and K codes general dual. To hold both sides on one license you take a dual classification: KB-1 Dual Building Contractor covers the B-1 and B scopes together, and KB-2 Dual Residential and Small Commercial covers the B-2 and B scopes together. The license is held by a business, not by a person: it may be issued to a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company or corporation, and the Registrar states that "the license belongs to the business and not to the qualifying party." The reader of this page is the qualifying party, the regularly employed person who supplies the four years of experience and passes the exams on the business's behalf.

Moving to ArizonaLeaving Arizona

Why Kentucky has nothing to transfer

Kentucky general contractor · “General or commercial building contractor license or registration (city- or county-issued)”

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 17, 2026· 13 sources

Issued by No state authority; cities and counties license or register commercial building contractors

Kentucky has no statewide general, commercial or unlimited building contractor license, so there is nothing at state level for an out-of-state general contractor's license to transfer into, no qualifying party to designate with the state and no NASCLA route to take. The Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction licenses the trades instead - its home page says it "licenses/certifies plumbers, electricians, boiler contractors, sprinkler and/or fire alarm contractors and building inspectors", and 815 KAR adds HVAC licensing, elevator safety, boilers and pressure vessels, manufactured homes and home inspectors, with no chapter for building contractors anywhere in the title. Commercial building is controlled through local permitting, and the requirements are administrative rather than technical. Louisville Metro issues a Building Type A - Commercial license for $125 a year on a liability certificate, a workers' compensation filing and a Jefferson County occupational license number, with no exam and no bond. Lexington-Fayette registers a general contractor who "performs commercial, industrial, public works, and/or residential construction of larger than four-family homes" under its Contractors Registration Ordinance, and unregistered contractors cannot obtain building permits there. Bowling Green and Warren County run a joint Contractors Licensing Board whose $250 General Contractors License covers construction management and permit pulling, while telling applicants plainly that the license does not warrant that they are qualified. Owensboro and Covington require only an occupational business license and insurance. A commercial builder arriving in Kentucky therefore registers jurisdiction by jurisdiction and makes sure the plumbing, electrical, HVAC, boiler and fire-protection scope is performed under the correct HBC state licenses.

How local licensing works in Kentucky

How local licensing works. Kentucky has no state general contractor board, no state business-and-law exam for builders and no statewide reciprocity for commercial construction. Every rule that binds a general contractor is either a trade license from the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, the Kentucky Building Code in 815 KAR Chapter 007, or a local ordinance. Find the building department with jurisdiction over the site first, then register there before bidding. A registration in one Kentucky jurisdiction is worth nothing in the next, and an out-of-state general contractor license is worth nothing in any of them.

Louisville Metro (Jefferson County). The Office of Construction Review licenses building contractors for the merged city-county. License A covers "one or more permitted projects during a calendar year" and License B a single permitted project; the work scopes are Building A-Residential, Building A-Residential/Commercial, Building A-Commercial and Building B. Building Type A is "for building contractors seeking to obtain multiple permits within Louisville Jefferson County" at $125 a year on a term running 1 January to 31 December; Building Type B is $50 and is limited to one permit per person or company per renewal year. The filing is a certificate of liability insurance with the Office of Construction Review as certificate holder, workers' compensation and unemployment insurance or a notarized affidavit where the contractor has no covered employees, an Occupational License Number from the Revenue Commission of Jefferson County, and the application through the Metro business portal. The six-hour continuing education requirement attaches to the scopes that include housing - Building A-R, Building A-RC and Building B - so a contractor registered purely as Building A-Commercial is the one building class without it. Renewals must include a subcontractor list. There is no exam, experience review, bond or financial statement on any building class. 444 S. 5th St., Suite 100, (502) 574-3321.

Lexington-Fayette Urban County. The Division of Building Inspection registers every contractor under the Contractors Registration Ordinance, and "unregistered contractors cannot obtain building permits." The commercial class, under Ordinance 5-90(a)(1), is the general contractor, who "performs commercial, industrial, public works, and/or residential construction of larger than four-family homes (4-plex); and may supervise, arrange, and/or perform wholly or partly more than two building trades or crafts." A firm that concentrates on one or two trades registers as a specialty contractor instead. The filing is a Home Office Certificate ($10) or Certificate of Occupancy ($25) where the business address is in Fayette County, an occupational business license from Revenue, general liability and workers' compensation insurance with LFUCG named as certificate holder, and the online Contractor Registration Application with those two documents uploaded. No exam, experience or bond is required. The published Building Inspection fee schedule covers permits and lists no contractor registration fee, so confirm the amount with the division. 101 E. Vine St., (859) 258-3770.

Bowling Green and Warren County. One joint Contractors Licensing Board serves the city and the county under Ordinance 91-58 WC and Ordinance 91-25 BG. The General Contractors License, $250 and non-refundable, is required of anyone "doing any type of general contract work in Bowling Green / Warren County including pulling permits for building or remodeling, construction management, or if you would have two or more subcontractors per job." The Specialty Contractors License is $100 and covers subcontract work or a job with at most one subcontractor. Insurance is the substantive test: a certificate naming the board as certificate holder with general liability of at least $100,000 per occurrence, workers' compensation shown on the certificate or a notarized Affidavit of Exemption, and a notarized Partnership Agreement for partnerships. Licenses are non-transferable, renewals are annual and pro-rated mid-year, and a change of ownership voids the license. There is no exam or experience requirement; the board states that it "does not warrant that you are otherwise qualified to perform your trade or specialty by the issuance of its license." A city occupational license is needed for work inside Bowling Green and a county one for work outside it. 1141 State Street, Suite 200, 270-781-3530.

Owensboro and Daviess County. There is no contractor license here. The Owensboro Metropolitan Planning Commission's Building & Electrical Division issues building, electrical, HVAC, sign and parking lot permits and certificates of occupancy for Owensboro-Daviess County under the Kentucky Building Code and the National Electrical Code, and issues no contractor credential; demolition permits come from City of Owensboro Public Works. A commercial builder registers with the city's Occupational License Division before doing business inside the city limits, with a minimum license fee of $75 at registration. 101 East 4th Street, 270-687-5600.

Covington and Kenton County (Northern Kentucky). Planning and Development Services of Kenton County is the building department, and it requires that "all contractors must obtain and maintain a Kenton County occupational license and provide proof of Kentucky workers' compensation insurance coverage", plus the HBC state license "for electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and fire suppression work", with copies of all of it on file "before any permits can be issued." There is no general contractor license, exam or bond. In Covington a zoning permit precedes the building permit, and a certificate of appropriateness is needed first inside a historic preservation overlay. PDS, 1840 Simon Kenton Way, Suite 3400, Covington, 859-331-8980.

What does and does not travel. An out-of-state general contractor license, a NASCLA Accredited Examination and out-of-state project experience carry no weight in any Kentucky jurisdiction, because none of them tests or qualifies commercial builders. Kentucky is not a NASCLA participating state, and no Kentucky city on this page accepts an examination in place of its own filing. What does matter is holding, or employing someone who holds, the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction license for each state-licensed trade in scope - plumbing, electrical, HVAC, boilers, fire sprinklers and fire alarms - because those licenses are statewide, are the only Kentucky construction credentials with reciprocity rules of their own, and are separately demanded by several of the local building departments above.

Moving to KentuckyLeaving Kentucky

Common questions

Do I have to take the Arizona general contractor exam if I'm licensed in Kentucky?
The trade exam is waived, but Arizona requires a law or code exam.
What does it cost to get a Arizona general contractor license from Kentucky?
Published fees on this path total $841, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Kentucky work hours count in Arizona?
Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Arizona's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from Arizona to Kentucky?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Arizona to Kentucky, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

  1. Arizona Administrative Code Title 4, Chapter 9 - Registrar of Contractors (R4-9-106 Examinations; R4-9-119 Minimum Trade Experience) · A.A.C. R4-9-106(C)-(F); R4-9-119 · Arizona Secretary of State · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
  2. A.R.S. 32-1122 - Qualifications for license (qualifying party experience, examination, bond, workers' compensation attestation) · A.R.S. 32-1122(B)-(F) · Arizona State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  3. A.R.S. 32-4302 - Out-of-state applicants; residents; military spouses; licensure; certification; exceptions; notice · A.R.S. 32-4302(A)-(C), (G) · Arizona State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  4. Arizona Registrar of Contractors - Applying for a License (qualifying party, examinations, NASCLA, out-of-state applicants, trade-exam waiver) · A.A.C. R4-9-106(E); A.R.S. 32-1122(E) · Arizona Registrar of Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  5. Arizona Registrar of Contractors - Bond Information (license bond amounts by classification and contemplated gross volume) · Arizona Registrar of Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  6. Arizona Registrar of Contractors - Instructions for License Bonds and bond schedules (Form RC-L-220/I, Rev. 02/23) · Arizona Registrar of Contractors · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  7. Arizona Registrar of Contractors - Applying for a License checklist (LLC or corporation applicants) · Arizona Registrar of Contractors · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  8. Arizona Registrar of Contractors - License Classification Requirements (note on submitting prior NASCLA scores) · Arizona Registrar of Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  9. Arizona Registrar of Contractors - License Classification Requirements (minimum years of experience and exams by classification) · A.R.S. 32-1122(E) · Arizona Registrar of Contractors · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  10. Arizona Registrar of Contractors - License Classifications (B, B-1, B-2, B-3, KB-1, KB-2 general building scopes) · Arizona Registrar of Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  11. Arizona Registrar of Contractors - License and Renewal Fees (general commercial, general residential and general dual) · A.R.S. 32-1152 · Arizona Registrar of Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  12. Arizona Registrar of Contractors - Service Members and Veterans (licensure without examination, fee waiver, military experience) · A.R.S. 32-4301, 32-4302, 32-4303; A.A.C. R4-9-119 · Arizona Registrar of Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  13. Arizona Registrar of Contractors - Out-of-State Waiver Request Form (Form RC-L-200G, Rev. 02/23) · A.R.S. 32-1122(A)(4), 32-1122(E)(1), 32-4302; A.A.C. R4-9-106, R4-9-119 · Arizona Registrar of Contractors · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  14. NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors · National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies · Other · verified September 17, 2026

Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.

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