By Arizona Registrar of Contractors
The Arizona Registrar of Contractors partnered with the National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies for a national enforcement effort from Oct. 12 to 23, 2026. With numerous NASCLA State Members participating, this initiative focused on protecting consumers and promoting fair competition by ensuring only licensed contractors are on the job.
Between Oct. 20 and Oct. 22, about eight Investigators and one Assistant Chief of Investigations from AZ ROC participated in a statewide effort intended to combat unlicensed construction activity and provide education and outreach to support the agency’s mission of promoting quality construction performed by licensed Arizona contractors.
AZ ROC investigators patrolled cities and towns throughout Mohave and Pima counties. Field operations focused on checking active residential and commercial job sites and supply houses. Additionally, during the week of Oct. 28, coordinated outreach was conducted in the Heber-Overgaard region, emphasizing post-flood recovery education, license compliance verification and collaboration with local jurisdictions. The effort resulted in 18 unlicensed entity contacts, four cease and desist orders issued (of which two included a $2,500 fine) and 17 warning letters issued for compliance violations.
Investigators conducted more than 200 worksite checks, engaged with local law enforcement officials and representatives of the chamber of commerce, and delivered targeted education to both licensed and unlicensed entities. During these interactions, investigators provided information about Arizona laws that regulate construction activity and encouraged unlicensed entities to take advantage of the agency’s resources to help them apply for a license.
Investigators also engaged with more than 150 licensed contractors, yielding 18 warning letters issued for compliance violations and 18 onsite verbal warnings for sign display violations. Additionally, contacts were made with six building officials, two law enforcement officers and more than 25 property owners. In all, the annual enforcement effort resulted in 313 total contacts made, with the majority of those providing education and outreach information.
Interactions with homeowners are especially important, as the agency commonly receives complaints where the person hiring was not aware that AZ ROC’s administrative complaint process and Residential Contractors’ Recovery Fund, a form of financial protection provided by licensed Arizona residential contractors to residential homeowners, are only available to those who hired a licensed contractor. These protections are not available to consumers who hire an unlicensed entity.
AZ ROC reminds home and property owners that if the entire cost of the project, including labor and materials, is more than $1,000 or requires a permit by the local municipality, Arizona law requires the person or business performing the work to be licensed. Always check the license before hiring a contractor at roc.az.gov or by giving the agency a call at (877) 692-9762.
AZ ROC also invites those who are working without a license to contact the agency to find out how to apply for a contractor’s license in order to avoid regulatory action. Contracting without a license and advertising without a license are both Class One Misdemeanors in Arizona. Many changes have been made over the past several years to streamline the application process, and AZ ROC encourages all, including those who may have experienced difficulty applying in the past, to reach out for assistance in getting licensed. (Source: Arizona Registrar of Contractors)