The rule
Arizona requires a Registrar of Contractors (ROC) license for any construction job where labor and materials exceed $1,000, or any job that requires a building permit — whichever comes first. Residential roofing is license class R-42; commercial is C-42; a dual license is CR-42. General contractors (class B or KB) can also roof. The 'handyman exemption' in A.R.S. 32-1121(A)(14) lets unlicensed people do jobs under $1,000 only if they disclose that they're unlicensed and don't split a bigger job into pieces to stay under the line. A lift-and-relay, a replacement, a foam recoat on a whole house — all of those are over $1,000 and need a license.
How to check
- Go to the ROC's contractor search: azroc.my.site.com/AZRoc/s/contractor-search.
- Search by the license number on the contractor's bid, contract or website. Since 2021 a contractor may leave the number off advertising if their website lists it on the home page — but it must be on every bid, contract and estimate (A.R.S. 32-1124).
- Check that the license is active, the class covers roofing (R-42, C-42, CR-42, B or KB), and the name matches who you're dealing with.
- Look at the bond and complaint history. A complaint or two over years isn't disqualifying; a pattern of unresolved workmanship complaints is.
- Ask for the certificate of insurance — general liability and workers' compensation — and call the agent on it if you want to be sure.
Can't find the number, or the contractor says it's 'pending' or 'under a partner's name'? That's a no. The ROC's phone line is (602) 542-1525 or toll-free (877) 692-9762.
What the license gets you
- A bond. Every licensed contractor posts a surety bond the ROC can draw on for an owner's losses.
- The Residential Contractors' Recovery Fund. If a licensed contractor's work is defective or abandoned and they can't or won't fix it, an owner-occupant can recover up to $30,000 per residence from the fund (A.R.S. 32-1132.01). Unlicensed contractors aren't covered. This is the single biggest reason the license matters.
- Two years of workmanship enforcement. The ROC enforces its Workmanship Standards (R4-9-108) on licensed work for two years after completion (A.R.S. 32-1155). That's an enforcement window — the ROC can order corrections — not the same as a warranty, but it has teeth.
- Storm-repair protections. A.R.S. 32-1158.02 — no deductible waivers, no claim negotiation, a 50% cap on down payments, four-business-day cancellation — applies to licensed contractors, and violating it is license discipline.
Questions to ask
- What's your ROC license number and class?
- Who's actually doing the work — your crew or a sub — and are they licensed too?
- Can I see the certificate of insurance before you climb?
- What underlayment are you using, and is it rated for high-temperature use under tile?
- What's the broken-tile allowance, and what happens past it?
- Is the permit included, or exempt — and if exempt, why?
- Will you handle my HOA's architectural form?
- What's the workmanship warranty, in writing?
Red flags
Door-knocking the morning after a storm. 'We'll take care of your deductible.' A price that's only good today. A big deposit up front. A contract with no license number. 'The permit isn't necessary' for a material change. A truck with out-of-state plates and no local address. The Attorney General's Consumer Fraud line is (602) 542-5763 or (800) 352-8431 if you've already been caught by one.
Common questions
Is Surprise Roofing Co. licensed?
Work arranged through us is performed by ROC-licensed roofing contractors (R-42 or CR-42) with bond and insurance, and the license number of the contractor doing your job is on your contract. We'll show you where to look it up.
What if the roofer is licensed in another state?
It doesn't count. Arizona requires an Arizona ROC license, and out-of-state storm chasers rarely have one. Ask for the Arizona number.
Can a handyman fix a few tiles?
A repair under $1,000 that doesn't need a permit can legally be done by an unlicensed person who tells you they're unlicensed. You get no bond, no Recovery Fund and no ROC enforcement. For a $300 tile fix, that's your call; for anything bigger, use a licensed roofer.
What does 'bonded' actually mean?
The contractor has posted a surety bond with the ROC — a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars depending on volume — that can be drawn on for an owner's losses. It's a backstop, not insurance, and it's one reason the Recovery Fund exists alongside it.
My roofer's work failed after 18 months. What can I do?
File a complaint with the ROC. The two-year workmanship window means the Registrar can inspect and order the contractor to correct the work; if they don't, the license is at risk and the Recovery Fund may apply.
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