What Does the Arizona A-5 License Cover?

A-5 is Arizona's commercial Excavating, Grading and Oil Surfacing classification.

The scope allows the contractor to move, alter, or repair earthen materials using work such as:

• Digging.
• Trenching.
• Grading.
• Horizontal boring.
• Compacting.
• Filling.

The classification also includes applying oil surfacing or similar products and placing shoring, casing, geotextiles, or liners when needed for the permitted earthwork.

A-5 also allows incidental blasting or drilling when it is required for work within the classification.

What Does the Arizona R-2 License Cover?

R-2 is the residential Excavating, Grading and Oil Surfacing classification.

The residential scope includes:

• Digging.
• Trenching.
• Grading.
• Horizontal boring.
• Compacting.
• Filling.
• Oil surfacing or similar products.
• Shoring and casing related to the work.
• Geotextiles and liners related to the work.

The major testing difference is that R-2 does not have the separate blasting category found on the A-5 and CR-2 outlines.

Instead, R-2 places even more weight on excavation, grading, and compaction.

What Does the Arizona CR-2 License Cover?

CR-2 is Arizona's dual Excavating, Grading and Oil Surfacing classification.

It combines the scopes permitted by:

• A-5 Commercial Excavating, Grading and Oil Surfacing.
• R-2 Residential Excavating, Grading and Oil Surfacing.

CR-2 is therefore aimed at contractors who want authority for both qualifying commercial and residential excavation and grading work.

Because CR-2 includes the commercial A-5 scope, its current trade exam includes the three-question blasting category.

Step 1: Know the Experience Requirements

Arizona does not use the same experience rule for all three classifications.

That R-2 option makes it especially important to read the classification requirements carefully instead of assuming every excavation license has the same four-year rule.

Review the Arizona ROC classification requirements before registering for an exam.

Step 2: Know the Exam Numbers

A 30-question test can be less forgiving than a longer examination.

Every question represents a noticeable part of your final score, so easy questions should not be lost because you rushed through wording or opened the wrong reference.

Step 3: Learn the A-5 and CR-2 Exam Breakdown

Excavation, Compaction and Grading contains more than half of the scored questions.

Sealcoating is the clear second-place subject, accounting for more than one-quarter of the test.

Step 4: Learn the R-2 Exam Breakdown

For R-2 candidates, Excavation, Compaction and Grading represents almost two-thirds of the scored examination.

Step 5: Make Excavation Your Main Study Priority

Excavation is the foundation of this exam, which feels appropriate for a license involving the removal of foundations before foundations exist.

Review:

• Excavation methods.
• Trenching.
• Cut and fill operations.
• Soil characteristics.
• Site preparation.
• Equipment selection.
• Earthmoving equipment.
• Production concepts.
• Horizontal boring.
• Shoring and casing.
• Geotextiles.
• Liners.
• Drainage.
• Slopes and grades.

Do not simply memorize equipment names. Understand what each machine does well and which site conditions affect equipment selection.

An excavator, loader, scraper, grader, and compactor can all move around a jobsite. That does not mean they are volunteering for the same job.

Step 6: Understand Soil and Compaction

Compaction is part of the largest category and deserves dedicated study.

Review:

• Soil types.
• Granular soils.
• Cohesive soils.
• Moisture content.
• Density.
• Lift thickness.
• Compaction equipment.
• Vibration.
• Rolling.
• Tamping.
• Backfill.
• Field compaction practices.

Different soils respond differently to water and compaction effort.

Learn why certain equipment works better on particular soil types instead of treating compaction as one giant machine repeatedly driving over dirt until everyone gets bored.

Step 7: Learn Grading, Slopes and Elevations

Grading questions can combine plan reading, calculations, and real jobsite decision-making.

Review:

• Existing grades.
• Finished grades.
• Benchmarks.
• Elevations.
• Slope percentages.
• Cut calculations.
• Fill calculations.
• Drainage slopes.
• Site layout.
• Grade stakes.

Practice converting elevation changes and horizontal distances into slope percentages.

Small math errors have an impressive ability to become large drainage problems.

Step 8: Practice Earthwork Calculations

Construction math may show up through practical earthwork problems.

Practice calculating:

• Area.
• Volume.
• Cubic feet.
• Cubic yards.
• Cut quantities.
• Fill quantities.
• Slope percentage.
• Grade change.
• Production rates.
• Material quantities.

Keep track of units carefully. A correct formula with the wrong units can still give you a beautifully incorrect answer.

Step 9: Put Serious Time Into Sealcoating

Sealcoating contributes eight questions on every exam version.

Eight questions out of 30 is more than one-quarter of the exam, so this is not a small side topic.

Review:

• Pavement maintenance.
• Asphalt-surface conditions.
• Surface preparation.
• Crack treatment.
• Sealcoat materials.
• Application methods.
• Weather limitations.
• Pavement defects.
• Asphalt maintenance procedures.
• Surfacing equipment.
• Curing.
• Traffic considerations.

PSI uses the term Sealcoating for the exam category even though the Arizona classification title says Oil Surfacing.

Become comfortable with both terms so the wording does not make you think you studied the wrong license.

Step 10: A-5 and CR-2 Candidates Should Study Blasting

A-5 and CR-2 each include three blasting questions.

Review basic concepts involving:

• Incidental blasting.
• Drilling associated with blasting.
• Blast-area safety.
• Handling explosives.
• Site control.
• Warning procedures.
• General blasting precautions.

Remember that A-5 permits incidental blasting or drilling only as required for earthwork within its permitted scope.

R-2 candidates do not have a separate blasting category on the current residential examination.

Step 11: Do Not Give Away the OSHA Questions

OSHA Safety contributes three questions on each exam.

On a 30-question test, those three questions represent 10% of the entire examination.

Review:

• Trench safety.
• Excavation hazards.
• Protective systems.
• Sloping.
• Shoring.
• Shielding.
• Access and egress.
• Spoil placement.
• Underground utilities.
• Heavy-equipment hazards.
• Personal protective equipment.
• General jobsite safety.

OSHA questions often depend on an exact depth, distance, or requirement.

Learn where the excavation rules are located rather than trusting a memory that starts with, "I think the rule is..."

Step 12: Get the Correct Exam Reference Books

The current PSI excavation outlines allow the following reference materials in the examination center:

• Asphalt in Pavement Maintenance (MS-16), 3rd Edition.
• 29 CFR Part 1926 OSHA, with the applicable current amendments or approved PSI selections.
• Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods, 2018.
• Excavation and Grading Handbook, 3rd Edition.
• Hot-Mix Asphalt Paving Handbook, 2000.
• Pipe and Excavation Contracting, 2011.

Candidates looking for a coordinated reference set can review the Arizona CR-2 Excavating, Grading and Oil Surfacing Contractor Exam Book Package.

You can also browse the full Arizona contractor exam preparation collection.

Step 13: Learn Which Reference Handles Which Topic

A 75-minute exam does not leave much time for introducing yourself to six books.

Build a simple reference map:

• Excavation and Grading Handbook: grading, excavation, soils, compaction, earthwork, and sitework.
• Pipe and Excavation Contracting: trenching, excavation procedures, equipment, and underground construction concepts.
• Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods: heavy equipment, production, construction methods, and planning.
• Asphalt in Pavement Maintenance: pavement maintenance and sealcoating.
• Hot-Mix Asphalt Paving Handbook: asphalt materials and paving practices.
• OSHA: trenching, excavation safety, protective systems, and employee protection.

During practice, decide which book is most likely to contain the answer before you start turning pages.

Step 14: Prepare Your Books Correctly

PSI allows approved references to be prepared before the examination.

You may:

• Highlight approved references.
• Underline important information.
• Annotate before the examination.
• Index the books.
• Use permanent tabs.

Permanent tabs must be attached strongly enough that removing them would tear the page.

Temporary tabs, Post-it notes, and removable markers are not allowed.

Unauthorized loose or attached papers are also prohibited.

Printed approved online references must be properly bound.

You can review the Arizona CR-2 Excavating, Grading and Oil Surfacing Pre-Printed Tabs if you want a prepared indexing option for the reference set.

Step 15: Practice Reference Lookup Drills

An open-book examination rewards candidates who know how to research quickly.

1. Choose a practice question.
2. Identify the subject.
3. Choose the most likely reference.
4. Start a timer.
5. Use your index or permanent tabs.
6. Locate the answer.
7. Record how long the search took.

Your goal is to turn five-minute searches into one-minute searches.

A perfectly tabbed book that you have never practiced with is mostly a very organized paperweight.

Step 16: Practice With the Right Calculator

PSI permits a silent, nonprinting, non-programmable calculator for the examination.

Use the same type while practicing.

You may need it for:

• Area.
• Volume.
• Cubic-yard calculations.
• Slope.
• Grade differences.
• Material quantities.
• Production calculations.

Your calculator should feel completely boring by test day. Boring is excellent when 75 minutes are ticking away.

Step 17: Use a Four-Week Study Plan

Adjust the schedule to match your experience.

An experienced grading contractor may need more asphalt study. Someone who works mainly in paving may need extra soil, excavation, and compaction review.

Step 18: Practice Under the Real 75-Minute Limit

Some practice sessions should match the real exam.

Set a timer for 75 minutes and complete 30 questions.

Use a three-pass strategy:

1. First pass: Answer questions you know immediately.
2. Second pass: Complete quick reference lookups.
3. Third pass: Return to longer calculations or difficult searches.

Do not spend eight minutes wrestling with one soil question while easier sealcoating and OSHA points are waiting farther down the screen.

Step 19: Watch the Wording Carefully

Pay close attention to words such as:

• MINIMUM
• MAXIMUM
• FIRST
• MOST
• LEAST
• NOT
• EXCEPT
• REQUIRED
• PROHIBITED

A question about the maximum slope is not asking for the minimum. That sounds obvious until the clock is running and four answers all look familiar.

Step 20: Know the Current PSI Fees and Retake Rules

The current PSI fee for one Arizona trade examination is $66.

The Arizona Statutes and Rules Exam currently costs $61.

Candidates who fail a trade examination must currently wait 30 days before retesting.

Candidates are allowed three attempts. After three unsuccessful attempts, a 90-day waiting period applies before another attempt.

If you receive diagnostic information after an unsuccessful examination, use it.

If Sealcoating was weak, study Sealcoating. Doing another hundred excavation questions because excavation feels comfortable is not repairing the actual pothole.

Step 21: Remember the Arizona Statutes and Rules Exam

The technical trade exam focuses on excavation, grading, compaction, sealcoating, safety, and, when applicable, blasting.

The Arizona Statutes and Rules Exam focuses on contractor laws and licensing rules.

Treat them as separate study subjects.

Review the Arizona ROC contractor licensing process for current application information.

Step 22: Passing the Exam Is Only Part of Getting Licensed

Passing PSI does not automatically create an Arizona contractor license.

Depending on your classification, the licensing process can include:

• Choosing A-5, R-2, or CR-2.
• Designating the qualifying party.
• Meeting the applicable experience requirement.
• Completing the trade exam when required.
• Using the optional R-2 trade-test path when appropriate.
• Completing the SRE when required.
• Completing background checks.
• Obtaining the required contractor license bond.
• Providing identification and business information.
• Submitting the Arizona ROC application.
• Paying applicable licensing fees.

Current PSI instructions also tell applicants to complete licensing requirements and submit their application materials to Arizona ROC within two years of passing required examinations.

A Simple A-5, CR-2 and R-2 Exam Roadmap

1. Choose the classification that matches your intended work.
2. Confirm the experience requirement for your exact classification.
3. For R-2, decide whether the optional trade-test path makes sense.
4. Complete or prepare for the Arizona SRE when required.
5. Review PSI's current content outline.
6. Obtain the approved reference books.
7. Prepare your references with permanent tabs and highlighting.
8. Study Excavation, Compaction and Grading heavily.
9. Practice soil and compaction concepts.
10. Review slopes, grades, and elevations.
11. Practice earthwork calculations.
12. Study Sealcoating carefully.
13. A-5 and CR-2 candidates should review blasting.
14. Study OSHA excavation and trench safety.
15. Learn which reference contains each type of answer.
16. Practice rapid book lookups.
17. Take full 75-minute practice examinations.
18. Review every missed question.
19. Confirm current PSI rules before the exam.
20. Complete the Arizona ROC licensing process after satisfying all requirements.

Arizona Excavating, Grading and Oil Surfacing Exam Prep Resources

The A-5, CR-2, and R-2 exams are short, but the official subject breakdown gives you a clear study strategy.

Excavation, Compaction and Grading is by far the largest category. Sealcoating comes second. OSHA Safety appears on every version, while A-5 and CR-2 candidates also need basic blasting knowledge.

When you are ready to prepare, explore the Arizona Excavating, Grading and Oil Surfacing exam preparation resources from Contractor Exam Preps. Strong earthwork knowledge, organized references, pavement-maintenance preparation, accurate construction math, and repeated timed practice can make the Arizona A-5, CR-2, or R-2 exam much easier to manage.

Conclusion: How to Pass the Arizona A-5, CR-2 or R-2 Exam

Passing the Arizona Excavating, Grading and Oil Surfacing Contractor exam becomes much easier when you stop treating it like one giant pile of construction information and start treating it like a clearly divided jobsite.

The biggest priority is Excavation, Compaction and Grading. It accounts for 16 questions on the A-5 and CR-2 exams and 19 questions on R-2. That means your preparation should begin with soils, digging, trenching, horizontal boring, earthmoving equipment, grades, elevations, compaction, cut and fill work, drainage, shoring, liners, and related sitework.

Sealcoating comes next with eight questions on every version. That is more than one-quarter of the exam. Study pavement conditions, crack treatment, surface preparation, asphalt maintenance, sealcoat materials, application procedures, weather limitations, curing, and traffic considerations. Ignoring asphalt because your daily work is mostly dirt would mean ignoring a very large part of your potential score.

A-5 and CR-2 candidates should also prepare for the three blasting questions. R-2 candidates can put that time back into excavation, because the current R-2 outline does not contain a separate blasting category.

OSHA deserves careful attention on every version. The three safety questions represent 10% of a 30-question test. Excavation and trenching rules often involve exact measurements, access requirements, spoil placement, or protective-system requirements. Learn how to find those rules quickly.

Your approved books can become one of your biggest advantages. The Excavation and Grading Handbook, Pipe and Excavation Contracting, construction-equipment reference, asphalt books, and OSHA regulations cover a lot of territory. Permanent tabs and highlighting can help, but only when you already understand which reference is most useful for each topic.

Timed practice matters because 75 minutes moves quickly. If a question takes too long, mark it mentally and move on. Answer the questions you know, complete fast book lookups next, and return to difficult calculations or research questions afterward.

R-2 applicants should also pay close attention to the optional trade-test pathway. The residential experience requirement works differently from A-5 and CR-2, so verify your licensing route before spending money on an examination you may or may not need.

Finally, remember that PSI is one stage of the process. Arizona ROC licensing can also involve experience documentation, the SRE, a qualifying party, background checks, bonding, and the formal license application.

Get the correct books, study the high-value topics first, practice construction math, learn your reference system, take timed practice exams, and correct every weak subject you find. That approach gives you a much better chance of walking into the exam prepared instead of simply hoping all 30 questions are about the excavator you already know best.

Plain-Language Summary

The Arizona A-5, CR-2, and R-2 Excavating, Grading and Oil Surfacing licenses cover contractors who perform excavation, trenching, grading, horizontal boring, compaction, filling, and related earthwork. They can also cover oil surfacing, sealcoating, shoring, casing, geotextiles, and liners. The A-5 commercial scope also includes incidental blasting or drilling when required for permitted earthwork.

The trade examinations are relatively short. A-5, CR-2, and R-2 currently contain 30 questions, give candidates 75 minutes, and require a 70% passing score.

The biggest difference is the subject breakdown. A-5 and CR-2 have 16 questions on Excavation, Compaction and Grading, eight on Sealcoating, three on Blasting, and three on OSHA Safety. R-2 has 19 questions on Excavation, Compaction and Grading, eight on Sealcoating, and three on OSHA Safety.

This means excavation and grading should be your biggest study priority. Learn excavation methods, equipment, soil conditions, cut and fill, slopes, elevations, compaction, drainage, backfill, shoring, horizontal boring, and related sitework.

Sealcoating is the second-largest category. Candidates should understand pavement preparation, cracks, asphalt maintenance, sealcoat materials, application procedures, curing, weather limits, and surface defects.

A-5 and CR-2 candidates should also study basic blasting safety and procedures. R-2 candidates do not have a separate blasting category on the current exam.

OSHA is important for every candidate. Trenching and excavation safety questions may involve protective systems, access and egress, spoil placement, underground utilities, heavy equipment, and other jobsite hazards.

The current PSI reference list includes Asphalt in Pavement Maintenance, OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926, Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods, Excavation and Grading Handbook, Hot-Mix Asphalt Paving Handbook, and Pipe and Excavation Contracting.

Candidates should organize these approved books with permanent tabs, highlighting, and indexing before the exam. More importantly, they should practice using the books under a timer so they know which reference contains each type of answer.

The licensing requirements also differ. A-5 and CR-2 currently require four years of qualifying experience. R-2 lists two years without the optional trade exam or zero years when the trade exam is used as the optional path.

Passing the trade exam is not the final step. Applicants still need to satisfy applicable Arizona ROC requirements involving the qualifying party, experience, SRE, background checks, bonding, and the license application.

For books, tabs, and Arizona preparation materials, visit the Contractor Exam Preps Arizona collection.