LicensebyState

Texas to Arizona: general contractor license reciprocity

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

Texas 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 Texas 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 Texas 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 Texas has nothing to transfer

Texas general contractor

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 17, 2026· 13 sources

Texas has no statewide general, commercial or building contractor license and no state board that examines or qualifies builders, so there is nothing at the state level for an out-of-state general contractor's license to transfer into. The trades are licensed instead: the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation licenses electricians and electrical contractors, air conditioning and refrigeration contractors, elevator and boiler work, water well drillers and industrialized housing and buildings; the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners licenses plumbers; and the Texas Department of Insurance State Fire Marshal's Office licenses fire alarm and fire sprinkler contractors. Commercial building is controlled through city permitting: Dallas registers general contractors and says its category expressly includes commercial general contractors, Fort Worth requires a Building Contractor registration for any building permit, El Paso requires a general contractor registration with a blanket construction bond and liability insurance for new commercial work and tenant improvements, and Austin requires the general contractor named on a building permit to register with Building and Trade Contractor Services first. Houston and San Antonio require nothing at all of a commercial general contractor: San Antonio states that 'there are no license or registration requirements for commercial general contractors', and Houston's permitting guides state that general contractors are not required to be licensed. None of these city registrations involves a trade or business-law exam, a qualifying party, a financial statement or an experience review, and none of them recognizes a license from another state, so a general contractor arriving in Texas registers city by city, carries the insurance and bonds each city demands, and makes sure the electrical, HVAC and plumbing work is performed under the correct state trade licenses.

How local licensing works in Texas

How it works in Texas. No Texas agency issues a general, commercial, building or unlimited contractor license, and there is no Texas equivalent of a qualifying party, a NASCLA route or a business-and-law exam. Cities control commercial construction through the building permit. Where a city registers contractors, registration is an annual (or biennial) filing backed by insurance, bonding and identity documents - never a competency exam - so out-of-state experience, an out-of-state license and a NASCLA Accredited Examination score all carry the same weight in Texas, which is none. What does matter is holding, or employing, the state trade licenses for any electrical, HVAC or plumbing scope, and registering those licenses with the city as well.

Dallas. Building Inspection's contractor registration form covers General Contractor and notes that the category 'includes, but is not limited to, the following: residential general contractor, commercial general contractor, roofing contractor, fence contractor, foundation contractor, demolition contractor and pool contractor.' The form prints an annual registration or renewal fee of $120.00. A company with a Dallas address must supply a Certificate of Occupancy number or have a home office form on file. The responsible party lists and assigns PINs to the staff who may sign permit applications, and registrations are suspended or revoked under Chapter 52 of the Dallas City Code, the Administrative Procedures for the Construction Codes. Renewals go through DallasNow or any Building Inspection office; (214) 948-4480.

Fort Worth. 'Any firm, business, individual or organization obtaining a permit related to the building, mechanical, plumbing or electrical provisions' of the city codes must have a valid Contractor Registration on file with Development Services. A commercial builder registers as a Building Contractor for $168.75, submitting the application and a copy of a valid driver's license; 'the Contractor Registration, unless revoked or suspended, shall expire one year from the date of issuance.' The Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing registration types require the matching Texas state license; the Building type does not require any license or exam. Parkway and Utility contractors are the exception that carries a bond ($25,000 commercial or $10,000 residential) and a certificate of liability insurance naming the City as additional insured, at $562.50. Call 817-392-2222.

El Paso. Planning and Inspections registers a General Contractor for 'New Commercial & Tenant Improvements'. The filing is an Assumed Name Certificate or corporate documents, the Contractor Registration Application, a certificate of general liability insurance of at least $100,000 with the City of El Paso as certificate holder, and a blanket building construction bond; the city's current application states $50,000 for general contractors while its requirements sheet lists $25,000, so confirm the figure with the One Stop Shop before buying the bond. Stated minimum liability limits are $250,000 bodily injury per person, $500,000 aggregate, and $100,000 property damage per occurrence and in the aggregate. The requirements sheet lists a $102.00 annual fee, and the application 'must be filed annually to be eligible to obtain permits from the City of El Paso in accordance with Section 18.02.104.5 of the El Paso City Code.' Electrical, mechanical, plumbing, irrigation and fire contractors register on their state licenses at no annual fee. One Stop Shop, 811 Texas Avenue, 915-212-0104.

Austin. Development Services states plainly that 'in Texas, anyone can be a General Contractor, including homeowners, and a state license is not required.' The general contractor named on a building permit must still register with Building and Trade Contractor Services before the permit is activated: create an Austin Build + Connect (AB+C) portal account, submit the registration web form and a Letter of Authorization. General contractors register once and update only on a change of name, address or authorized agents, while trade contractors must hold the state license and refresh their registration annually with the license information. Austin publishes no fee for general contractor registration.

San Antonio. Development Services registers residential builders and home improvement contractors under Chapter 10-115 of the Code of Ordinances, but for commercial work it states: 'There are no license or registration requirements for commercial general contractors.' A commercial builder in San Antonio pulls permits without any city credential; the electrical, mechanical and plumbing subcontractors must be registered with Development Services on their state licenses before permits are issued.

Houston. Houston requires no general contractor credential of any kind. Its Commercial Permitting 101 guide states that 'the building permit may be purchased by the owner, agent, contractor. General Contractors are not required to be licensed', and the city's plan review page repeats that 'a general contractor's license is not required to obtain building permits.' The city instead registers the licensed trades: a TDLR Master Electrician, a TDLR Class A or B air conditioning contractor, a TSBPE Master Plumber, and fire alarm and fire sprinkler contractors licensed by the Texas Department of Insurance State Fire Marshal's Office, each of whom must also be registered with the City of Houston to buy a trade permit. Commercial projects over $50,000 additionally need a TDLR project registration under the Architectural Barriers Act.

Everywhere else. Other Texas cities set their own rules, and outside city limits and extraterritorial jurisdictions there is usually no building permit authority at all. Ask each city's building or development services department what it registers before you bid work there.

Moving to TexasLeaving Texas

Common questions

Do I have to take the Arizona general contractor exam if I'm licensed in Texas?
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 Texas?
Published fees on this path total $841, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Texas 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 Texas?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Arizona to Texas, 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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