STATE LICENSE
RequiredArizona Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC)
Search the Registrar's classification list for framing and you will not find it. Rough carpentry sits inside the carpentry classification, which also covers finish carpentry, hardware, millwork, metal studs, metal doors and door frames, and windows. Whole-structure framing on a new house is general building work under the B or KB classes; framing as a subcontracted trade is CR-7.
Two classifications tempt small operators and both are capped. CR-61 Carpentry, Remodeling and Repairs allows all general remodeling, additions, replacements and repairs to existing structures for projects of $50,000 or less including labor and materials. R-62 Minor Home Improvements is capped at $5,000 and expressly forbids structural work, including load bearing masonry or concrete (other than on-grade flatwork) and load bearing carpentry (other than patio or porch covers). Neither is a licence to frame a load bearing wall on a large job.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Under A.R.S. § 32-1101.01 no Arizona city, charter city, town or county may require its own contractor license, so the local layer for framing is plan review, the structural permit and the framing inspection. Phoenix Planning and Development, Tucson Planning and Development Services and Maricopa County Planning and Development each apply A.R.S. § 32-1169: the applicant files a signed statement giving the license number, or the basis of an exemption together with the names and license numbers of the licensed contractors who will do the work. Framing revenue is prime contracting income taxed on 65% of gross proceeds under A.R.S. § 42-5075.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Arizona county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of September 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
CR-61 is limited to projects of $50,000 or less including labor and materials; R-62 to $5,000 or less. These are project ceilings, not annual revenue limits.
The Registrar combined the B, B-3 and CR-61 trade exams into a single test. A pass taken within two years of applying is accepted for whichever of those classifications you pursue.
Up to two of the four required years may be satisfied by technical training from an accredited institution, and completed apprenticeships may be filed with the Registrar under A.R.S. § 32-1129 and kept on file for ten years.
A practical sequence for a new framing contractor in Arizona. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
Contracting for framing, carpentry or remodeling work without a current ROC license in good standing.
Taking a project above the $50,000 CR-61 ceiling or the $5,000 R-62 ceiling, or doing structural work under R-62, is contracting outside the license.
Filing a permit application with false or misleading licensing information to circumvent the licensing requirement is unsworn falsification.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on September 2026.
Pending verification: Whether the Registrar treats a multi-phase remodel as one project for the CR-61 $50,000 ceiling — the classification text states the cap but not the aggregation rule
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.