ARIZONA · hvac
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor (C-39 commercial / R-39 residential / CR-39 both)
Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC) →Scope of Work
Arizona licenses HVAC contractors through the Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC) under three commercial/residential splits: C-39 authorizes commercial air conditioning and refrigeration contracting, R-39 authorizes residential air conditioning and refrigeration contracting, and CR-39 (dual) authorizes both. The distinction drives which bond range applies and which scopes a license holder may legally bid. AZ ROC publishes classification scopes on its license-classifications page; applicants should confirm the current scope language before filing. Source: AZ ROC (https://roc.az.gov/).
No State Journey Card
Arizona does not issue a state-level HVAC journeyman license. Individual technicians installing, servicing, or repairing equipment as employees of a licensed contractor do not hold an AZ ROC license in their own name; the contracting firm holds the C-39, R-39, or CR-39 and its qualifying party is responsible for the work. Local jurisdictions may require separate trade registrations, and federal EPA Section 608 certification applies to any technician handling refrigerant regardless of state licensing posture.
Qualifying Party
A.R.S. 32-1127 requires every AZ ROC licensee to designate a qualifying party who is regularly involved in the licensee's operations and responsible for the trade work performed. A.R.S. 32-1127.01 governs disassociation and requalification when the qualifying party leaves the licensed entity. The qualifying party, not the business owner, must satisfy the experience and examination requirements in A.R.S. 32-1122.
Experience
A.R.S. 32-1122 requires the qualifying party to document a minimum of four years of practical or management trade experience, at least two of which must have been within the last ten years. Technical training may substitute for up to two of the four years. The statute phrasing: "Have a minimum of four years' practical or management trade experience, at least two of which must have been within the last ten years" (A.R.S. 32-1122). Source: Arizona Revised Statutes (https://www.azleg.gov/ars/32/01122.htm).
Exam
A.R.S. 32-1122 requires a written examination covering Arizona construction laws, business-management principles, plans and specifications, and trade-specific standards applicable to the classification. AZ ROC contracts exam delivery to PSI Services; the candidate bulletin lists current topics and fees and should be checked before scheduling. Most applicants sit for two sections: a Statutes and Rules / Business Management exam and a trade exam for the C-39, R-39, or CR-39 classification.
FEES
AZ ROC publishes application and license fees on its fee schedule and adjusts them for the biennial renewal cycle (A.R.S. 32-1123.01). Applicants should confirm current amounts on the AZ ROC fee schedule before filing; the combined cost typically includes an application fee, a license fee, PSI exam fees, and the bond premium.
BOND
A.R.S. 32-1152 sets bond amount ranges in statute rather than by rule, with the registrar setting the specific amount within the statutory range based on volume and classification. Specialty residential classifications (including R-39) fall within a bond range "not more than $7,500 and not less than $1,000" per A.R.S. 32-1152. Commercial classifications carry higher bond ranges; verify the current amount for C-39 and CR-39 on the AZ ROC bond schedule. Source: A.R.S. 32-1152 (https://www.azleg.gov/ars/32/01152.htm).
EPA 608 Federal
Any technician who maintains, services, repairs, or disposes of stationary refrigeration or air-conditioning equipment containing ozone-depleting refrigerants or their substitutes must hold an EPA Section 608 Technician Certification under 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F. EPA recognizes Type I (small appliances), Type II (high-pressure), Type III (low-pressure), and Universal (all three). Per EPA, "Section 608 Technician Certification credentials do not expire." The card is lifetime. Source: EPA Section 608 (https://www.epa.gov/section608).
Renewal and CE
A.R.S. 32-1123.01 establishes a two-year (biennial) renewal cycle for AZ ROC contractor licenses under a staggered system. Arizona does not currently impose a statewide continuing-education hour requirement on C-39, R-39, or CR-39 license holders at the ROC level; applicants and renewing contractors should confirm on the AZ ROC renewal page. The federal EPA 608 card is separate and does not expire.
Reciprocity
AZ ROC does not currently publish formal HVAC reciprocity with other states at the classification level. Out-of-state applicants may apply under the standard licensing path with prior experience documented toward the four-year requirement in A.R.S. 32-1122. Cross-check the AZ ROC reciprocity page before relying on any claim of automatic credit.