Guide
How to check an Arizona contractor before you hire
Verifying a contractor is not just a star-rating exercise. It is a short, factual review of license, entity, classification, qualifying party, insurance, and written scope — ideally before you sign anything.
1. Look up the license on the official registrant search
Arizona publishes a public registrant record. Open the official registrant search and search by license number or business name. Read the license number, licensed business name, status, and classifications from the official record, and note the date you checked. This page does not fetch, certify, or monitor that data — it links you to it. The step-by-step version lives on our contractor verification checklist.
2. Confirm the legal entity matches the proposal
The name on your written proposal, the name on the license record, and the company you would write a check to should all line up. If they do not, ask for clarification before you sign — a difference may simply be a registered DBA.
3. Check that the classification covers your scope
Classifications are not interchangeable. New residential pool construction is B-5, commercial is A-9, and KA-5 is the dual classification; R-6 / C-6 / CR-6 are Swimming Pool Service and Repair with limited scopes rather than new-pool construction. CR-21 is Hardscaping and Irrigation Systems, and R-3 / C-3 / CR-3 cover awnings, canopies, carports and patio covers. Confirm current descriptions at roc.az.gov/license-classifications; the official record and a project-specific ROC scope determination control.
4. Ask about the qualifying party
The license belongs to the licensed business. A qualifying party may be a regularly employed person and does not have to be an owner, and carries supervision and responsibility duties under A.R.S. §32-1127. An owner who is not the qualifying party is not, by itself, evidence of license lending or a violation — it is simply something to understand and ask about.
5. Review bonding and insurance separately
ROC licensure generally requires a bond rather than general-liability insurance, and workers' compensation is governed separately — see the ROC's before-you-hire guidance. Bond amounts are based on classification and anticipated annual volume, not the price of your project, so a posted bond should not be read as coverage for your contract. Ask for certificates for any coverage the contractor claims and confirm them with the issuing insurer or agent.
6. Read complaint and discipline information in context
Where public complaint or disciplinary information is available, note the date you checked and look at disposition and context. An open complaint is not proof of wrongdoing — it is a question worth asking directly.
7. Review public reputation in context
Google Business Profile, BBB, Houzz, Facebook, manufacturer dealer pages, and trade association profiles can each tell part of the story. Look for reviews tied to projects similar to yours and photos of finished work.
8. Read the written contract terms
Written-contract requirements for covered work appear in A.R.S. §32-1158, and residential in-ground pool and spa construction has additional contract payment provisions under A.R.S. §32-1158.01, including a limit of no more than 15% at signing and milestone-based limits after that, with a statutory payment/performance-bond exception. Whether an exemption from licensing applies at all is fact-specific under A.R.S. §32-1121. Read the current statute text; it controls.
9. Compare the written scope before the total
Once licensing checks out, the next step is comparing what the proposal actually includes. See How to compare outdoor-living proposals apples-to-apples.
Official sources and limits
- btr.az.gov/registrants — official Arizona registrant search
- roc.az.gov/license-classifications — current classification descriptions
- roc.az.gov/before-hire — ROC before-you-hire guidance
- A.R.S. §32-1121 — the licensing exemption text
- Contractor verification checklist — the step-by-step version of this page
Reviewed September 14, 2026. The current official records and current law control. This is general information, not legal advice and not an ROC scope determination.
Reviewed September 14, 2026. This guide is general planning information. It is not legal advice, an ROC determination, or a hiring recommendation. The current official record and current law control, and license scope can be project-specific. Always verify license information directly on the official Arizona registrant search.