Who requires it
Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC)
License & permit · Arizona
Arizona Contractor License Bond
Arizona contractor licenses depend on a surety bond or cash deposit filed with the Registrar of Contractors. A.R.S. § 32-1152 establishes the bond requirement and statutory ranges; AAC R4-9-112 and the ROC Bond Information schedule provide the classification- and volume-based amounts currently required.
Common bond amount
Varies by classification & volume
Do not assume one fixed amount—confirm the current ROC / R4-9-112 tier for your classification and contemplated Arizona annual volume. A single figure rarely covers every class and volume band.
How you file
File Form RC-L-220D with ROC, or cash/CD deposit; stays in force while licensed
Renewal
Maintain in force for renewal; decreases typically only at renewal
Who requires it
New Arizona contractor applicants and renewing licensees need an active ROC bond or cash deposit under A.R.S. § 32-1152, whether the license is residential, commercial, or dual. Residential and dual licensees also face a separate A.R.S. § 32-1152(C) choice—extra $200,000 coverage or the residential contractors’ recovery fund. That path is in addition to the classification/volume bond covered here; confirm details with current ROC materials.
How much is required
A.R.S. § 32-1152 establishes the contractor bond requirement and statutory classification framework; AAC R4-9-112 and the ROC Bond Information chart provide the classification- and volume-based amounts currently required. Start with your ROC classification and the annual Arizona volume you expect, then read that chart. Residential general work lands at $9,000 under $750,000 volume and $15,000 at $750,000 or more. Residential specialty work lands at $4,250 under $375,000 and $7,500 at $375,000 or more. Commercial general (including engineering on the ROC chart) steps through six bands: $5,000, $15,000, $25,000, $50,000, $75,000, and $100,000 as volume rises past $150,000, $500,000, $1 million, $5 million, and $10 million. Commercial specialty follows six bands of its own: $2,500, $7,000, $17,500, $25,000, $37,500, and $50,000 across the same volume idea. Dual licenses add the residential piece and the commercial piece and show each amount on the bond. Posting a stated amount counts as your volume estimate for that tier. ROC website wording and AAC R4-9-112 differ slightly at a few commercial cutoffs—check the current ROC table for your exact volume. Certain swimming-pool paths under A.R.S. § 32-1152(B)(8) use commercial-general amounts; confirm the classification with ROC if that applies.
How to get and file it
Buy the bond on ROC Form RC-L-220D from a surety allowed to write Arizona surety business (A.R.S. § 32-1152(D)). Follow Bond Instructions RC-L-220I and the ROC sample PDFs so the name matches sole-proprietor or entity naming rules. Dual licenses should list each class portion correctly. ROC also accepts cash or an Arizona-bank certificate of deposit. Some sureties can upload through the ROC portal; otherwise use the current paper or portal filing path. Coverage starts when the Registrar has the filing—or on a later effective date printed on the bond, if that date is after filing (R4-9-112 / ROC guidance). Keep the bond active for issuance and renewal. A.R.S. § 32-1152 treats the bond as staying in force while licensed, with claims capped at the bond amount. A surety that cancels must give you and the Registrar at least 30 days’ written notice; replace the bond before the license suspends by operation of law. You may raise the amount when volume grows; drops usually wait until renewal under R4-9-112.
Cost note
Tier figures are the required bond amount, not the premium you pay. See bond amount vs premium. Bond amount vs premium →
Requirement checklist
- Residential general
- Less than $750,000 volume → $9,000; $750,000 or more → $15,000
- Residential specialty
- Less than $375,000 volume → $4,250; $375,000 or more → $7,500
- Commercial general (incl. engineering)
- Six tiers: $5,000 / $15,000 / $25,000 / $50,000 / $75,000 / $100,000 by volume band
- Commercial specialty
- Six tiers: $2,500 / $7,000 / $17,500 / $25,000 / $37,500 / $50,000 by volume band
- Dual licenses
- Combine applicable residential + commercial tier amounts; state each portion separately on the bond
- Form
- ROC Bond Form RC-L-220D (see instructions RC-L-220I)
- Surety qualification
- Corporation duly authorized to transact surety business in Arizona
Official sources
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
Should commercial, residential, and dual licenses use different bond instruments?
Not for Arizona’s current ROC setup. One statute, one schedule, and one official form cover the license bond. Class and volume set the amount—they are not separate legal bond types with one fixed number each.
Why doesn’t this guide quote a single $5,000 or $9,000 Arizona bond?
Those figures are only specific tiers (or common dual pairings) on the official ROC / R4-9-112 chart. Treating them as universal amounts under-bonds higher-volume licenses.
Can I decrease my bond amount mid-term if volume drops?
You can usually raise the amount when volume grows. Cutting the amount generally waits until license renewal under AAC R4-9-112—confirm current ROC practice for your file.
Is the $200,000 residential recovery security the same as this license bond?
No. A.R.S. § 32-1152(C) asks residential and dual licensees for either an extra $200,000 surety/cash deposit or recovery-fund participation. That sits beside the classification/volume bond under subsection B / R4-9-112.
Surety basics (not repeated here)
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
Continue with a Arizona application
Arizona will be preselected. Choose your bond type in the application—we confirm the correct product against your agency form before anything is issued.
Last verified 2026-08-06. This guide is based on verified educational content and official sources.
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