What Does the Arizona B-1 General Commercial Contractor License Cover?

Arizona's B-1 General Commercial Contractor classification is broad.

It covers construction, alteration, and repair connected with structures built for the support, shelter, and enclosure of people, animals, movable property, and similar uses.

The scope also includes supervision and management of covered construction work.

B-1 includes many specialty scopes within Arizona's commercial and dual specialty classifications, but there are important limitations.

The B-1 classification also does not simply replace Arizona's A General Engineering, B General Residential, or B-3 General Remodeling and Repair classifications.

Step 1: Confirm the B-1 Experience Requirements

Arizona currently requires four years of qualifying hands-on and/or managerial experience for the B-1 General Commercial Contractor classification.

The standard exam requirements include:

• The Arizona Statutes and Rules Exam, or SRE.
• The applicable commercial general building trade examination.

Exam waivers may be available under specific conditions, so always review your individual situation before registering.

Visit the Arizona ROC classification requirements to confirm the current licensing path.

Step 2: Understand Your Two Trade-Exam Options

Arizona B-1 applicants currently have a choice between two trade-exam paths.

The two examinations are not identical. They use different content structures, references, registration procedures, and exam rules.

If you plan to pursue commercial contractor licenses in multiple NASCLA-participating jurisdictions, the NASCLA route may be worth comparing carefully.

Passing a NASCLA exam is not an Arizona contractor license by itself. You still have to satisfy Arizona ROC's licensing requirements.

Step 3: Know the Current Arizona B-1 Exam Numbers

Four hours sounds generous until you meet a code question that sends you wandering through the IBC like you forgot where you parked.

Time management matters just as much as construction knowledge.

Step 4: Learn the Current B-1 Exam Breakdown

PSI's current combined General Commercial examination uses ten subject areas.

Concrete is the largest individual category, but the exam is intentionally broad. No single trade controls the test.

Successful candidates usually prepare as general contractors, not as specialists hoping the exam accidentally asks 100 questions about their favorite trade.

Step 5: Make Concrete a Major Study Priority

Concrete contains 14 questions, the largest section on the current exam.

Study:

• Concrete materials.
• Mixing and placement.
• Forms.
• Reinforcement.
• Footings.
• Slabs.
• Columns and walls.
• Concrete curing.
• Joints.
• Weather considerations.
• Concrete quantities.
• Common defects.

Know how concrete is placed, reinforced, protected, cured, and inspected.

Concrete is very cooperative until someone gets the water ratio, reinforcement, placement, or curing wrong. Then it tends to preserve the mistake permanently.

Step 6: Study Metals and Structural Steel

Metals contributes 13 questions.

Review:

• Structural steel.
• Steel framing.
• Steel joists.
• Steel decking.
• Connections.
• Bolts.
• Welding concepts.
• Metal stairs and miscellaneous metals.
• Handling and erection.
• Safety during steel work.

This section may require practical knowledge beyond what you find in the permitted code books.

Study the listed non-exam-room steel references before test day so the concepts already make sense when you see them.

Step 7: Prepare for Carpentry

Carpentry contributes 12 questions.

Review:

• Wood framing.
• Wall construction.
• Floor framing.
• Roof framing.
• Sheathing.
• Wood materials.
• Fasteners.
• Connections.
• Layout.
• Basic construction math.

Even though B-1 is a commercial classification, carpentry remains a major part of the current combined exam.

Do not assume commercial means "nothing made of wood."

Step 8: Treat OSHA Safety as a Major Section

Safety contributes 12 questions, tying Carpentry for the third-largest section.

Review OSHA topics involving:

• Fall protection.
• Scaffolds.
• Ladders.
• Excavation and trenching.
• Electrical hazards.
• Personal protective equipment.
• Cranes and material handling.
• Concrete and masonry work.
• Steel erection.
• Hand and power tools.
• Housekeeping.
• Jobsite access.

Twelve questions is 12% of the entire exam.

OSHA is not something to study on the drive to the test center while hoping traffic lights stay red.

Step 9: Study Masonry

Masonry contributes 10 questions.

Review:

• Concrete masonry units.
• Brick.
• Mortar.
• Grout.
• Reinforcement.
• Bond patterns.
• Lintels.
• Movement joints.
• Flashing.
• Basic masonry construction.

Understand both materials and installation.

Masonry questions may test practical trade knowledge even when the exact answer is not sitting politely under a bright red tab.

Step 10: Master Thermal and Moisture Protection

Thermal and Moisture Protection contributes 10 questions.

Study:

• Roofing systems.
• Waterproofing.
• Dampproofing.
• Flashing.
• Insulation.
• Air barriers.
• Sealants.
• Roof drainage concepts.
• Moisture control.
• Weather protection.

Commercial buildings have a surprisingly strong preference for keeping rain outside.

Understand how roofs, flashing, membranes, insulation, and sealants work together to make that happen.

Step 11: Do Not Underestimate Sitework

Sitework contributes nine questions.

Review:

• Site preparation.
• Excavation.
• Grading.
• Compaction.
• Soils.
• Drainage.
• Trenching.
• Earthwork quantities.
• Site safety.
• Equipment concepts.

Commercial construction begins long before the building rises above grade.

If the sitework is wrong, the rest of the building gets the privilege of being wrong on top of it.

Step 12: Learn the 2018 International Building Code

General Building Code contributes nine questions.

The 2018 International Building Code is one of the main approved exam-room references.

Become comfortable locating requirements involving:

• Occupancy classifications.
• Construction types.
• Allowable building area and height.
• Fire-resistance concepts.
• Means of egress.
• Exit requirements.
• Accessibility-related building provisions.
• Structural provisions.
• Special inspections.
• General code administration.

You do not need to memorize the entire IBC.

You need to know its organization well enough to find an answer before lunch becomes dinner.

Step 13: Why Is the 2018 IRC on a Commercial Exam?

The current combined PSI examination covers B-1, B-2, KB-1, and KB-2 classifications.

Because the trade test is shared across those classifications, PSI currently lists both the 2018 International Building Code and the 2018 International Residential Code as approved exam-room references.

Even if you are pursuing B-1 only, bring and prepare the approved references listed for the combined examination.

Step 14: Study Doors and Windows

Doors and Windows contributes five questions.

Review:

• Door types.
• Door frames.
• Hardware.
• Fire-rated openings.
• Window installation.
• Flashing.
• Weather protection.
• Basic egress-related opening requirements.

Five questions may look small compared with Concrete, but on a 100-question exam those are still five points you would rather keep.

Step 15: Review Interior and Exterior Finishes

Finishes contributes six questions.

Study:

• Gypsum board.
• Plaster concepts.
• Painting.
• Surface preparation.
• Floor finishes.
• Wall finishes.
• Ceiling finishes.
• Finish-material installation.

This section can pull from practical knowledge across several trades.

A general commercial contractor does not have to personally perform every specialty task, but the exam expects broad construction understanding.

Step 16: Get the Correct Approved Exam References

For the current combined Arizona General Commercial examination, PSI lists the following references as allowed in the examination center:

• 29 CFR Part 1926 OSHA, with the latest available amendments or the applicable PSI OSHA selections.
• International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, 2018.
• International Building Code, 2018.

If you are building your study system, browse the Arizona exam prep collection for Arizona contractor preparation resources.

Step 17: Know the Current Study-Only References

PSI also identifies references used to develop questions that are not allowed inside the examination center.

The current combined outline lists:

• Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures.
• Pipe and Excavation Contracting.
• Handling and Erection of Steel Joists and Joist Girders.
• Carpentry and Building Construction.
• Modern Masonry: Brick, Block, Stone.

These books are still important because the exam may contain questions based on general trade knowledge and industry practices.

Study them before the test. Just do not plan to carry them into the exam room unless PSI changes the current reference policy.

Step 18: Prepare the Open-Book References Correctly

PSI permits approved references to be prepared before the exam.

Approved books may be:

• Highlighted.
• Underlined.
• Annotated before the examination.
• Indexed.
• Tabbed with 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.

Candidates may not bring unauthorized additional loose or attached papers into the testing center with approved references.

Approved references downloaded from the internet must be properly bound.

Step 19: Practice IBC Lookup Skills

One of the best ways to improve your score is to get faster at using the International Building Code.

Practice finding topics such as:

• Occupancy.
• Construction type.
• Fire resistance.
• Building height.
• Building area.
• Means of egress.
• Exit width.
• Travel distance.
• Accessibility.
• Special inspections.

Start with the index when appropriate, then verify the actual code section.

Do not stop at a table title and assume it says what you hoped it said. Tables have ruined many beautiful guesses.

Step 20: Study Construction Math

General commercial construction involves calculations across several trades.

Practice:

• Area.
• Volume.
• Cubic yards.
• Concrete quantities.
• Masonry quantities.
• Roofing areas.
• Material quantities.
• Linear measurements.
• Slope.
• Basic estimating calculations.

PSI permits a silent, nonprinting, non-programmable calculator.

Practice with the same style of calculator before your examination.

Step 21: Consider the NASCLA Option Carefully

Arizona B-1 applicants currently have the option to use the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors instead of Arizona's General Commercial trade examination.

The NASCLA exam is particularly worth researching if you expect to seek licenses in multiple jurisdictions that participate in the NASCLA program.

A passed NASCLA examination can be used to satisfy the trade-exam requirement in participating jurisdictions, but every state still controls its own license application, business-law requirements, financial requirements, experience requirements, and other licensing rules.

Contractor Exam Preps offers an Arizona NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor Online Exam Prep Course for applicants choosing that route.

Compare the current Arizona and NASCLA candidate information before deciding which examination better matches your plans.

Step 22: Use a Six-Week B-1 Study Plan

Step 23: Practice Under the Real Four-Hour Limit

At least some practice sessions should match the actual examination.

Set a timer for 240 minutes and complete 100 questions.

Use a three-pass strategy:

1. First pass: Answer questions you know without opening a book.
2. Second pass: Complete straightforward code and reference lookups.
3. Third pass: Return to difficult calculations and longer code searches.

Do not allow one ugly IBC question to consume ten minutes while six easier safety questions are still waiting.

Your goal is to pass 100 questions, not win a personal disagreement with Question 27.

Step 24: Build a Reference Search System

Practice recognizing the likely reference before searching.

• IBC: commercial building code, occupancy, egress, construction types, fire protection, structural provisions, and general building requirements.
• IRC: residential code questions included through the combined trade exam.
• OSHA: construction safety and worker protection.
• Study-only trade books: concrete, masonry, carpentry, sitework, and structural-steel knowledge that should already be learned before test day.

The fastest search is the one where you open the correct book first.

Step 25: Use an Arizona B-1 Exam Prep Course

Candidates who want structured preparation can review the Arizona B-1 General Commercial Contractor Online Exam Prep Course.

A structured course can help organize a broad exam into manageable subjects such as:

• Sitework.
• Concrete.
• Masonry.
• Metals.
• Carpentry.
• Thermal and moisture protection.
• Doors and windows.
• Finishes.
• Safety.
• General building code.

The goal is not simply to answer practice questions. Use every wrong answer to identify which topic, code chapter, or trade concept needs more work.

Step 26: Know the Current PSI Fees and Retake Rules

PSI currently charges $66 for one Arizona trade examination.

The Arizona Statutes and Rules Exam currently costs $61.

Candidates who fail must currently wait 30 days before retaking the failed exam.

Candidates have three attempts. After three unsuccessful attempts, the current rules require a 90-day waiting period before another attempt.

Exam fees apply again when retesting.

Step 27: Remember the Arizona Statutes and Rules Exam

The B-1 trade examination tests commercial-building construction knowledge.

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

The SRE is currently an online course and examination maintained by Arizona ROC.

New applicants generally need to complete it unless they qualify for an applicable waiver.

Review the Arizona ROC contractor licensing process before completing your application.

Step 28: Passing the Trade Exam Does Not Automatically Issue a License

Passing the Arizona B-1 trade exam or accepted NASCLA examination is one major step, but it does not automatically create an Arizona contractor license.

The licensing process can also include:

• Selecting the B-1 General Commercial classification.
• Designating a qualifying party.
• Documenting four years of qualifying experience.
• Completing the applicable trade-exam requirement.
• Completing the SRE unless waived.
• Completing background checks.
• Obtaining the required contractor license bond.
• Providing identification and business information.
• Submitting the Arizona ROC license application.
• Paying applicable licensing fees.

Current PSI instructions tell applicants to complete all licensing requirements and submit the completed license application and score documentation to Arizona ROC within two years after passing the required examination.

Arizona B-1 Exam Roadmap

1. Confirm that B-1 matches your intended commercial construction work.
2. Verify the four-year qualifying experience requirement.
3. Determine whether any waiver applies.
4. Choose between the Arizona ROC trade exam and the NASCLA Commercial General Building exam.
5. Prepare for the Arizona SRE.
6. If taking the Arizona exam, use the current combined B-1/B-2/KB-1/KB-2 outline.
7. Obtain the 2018 IBC, 2018 IRC, and OSHA reference.
8. Study the non-exam-room trade references.
9. Prepare approved books with permanent tabs and highlighting.
10. Make Concrete a major priority.
11. Study Metals, Carpentry, and Safety heavily.
12. Review Masonry and Thermal and Moisture Protection.
13. Study Sitework and General Building Code.
14. Review Doors and Windows and Finishes.
15. Practice construction math.
16. Practice fast IBC, IRC, and OSHA lookups.
17. Complete full 240-minute practice exams.
18. Review every missed question.
19. Check the latest PSI bulletin before test day.
20. Complete the Arizona ROC licensing process after satisfying all requirements.

Arizona B-1 General Commercial Contractor Exam Prep Resources

B-1 is one of Arizona's broadest contractor examinations. The good news is that PSI tells you exactly how the 100 scored questions are distributed.

Concrete, Metals, Carpentry, and Safety deserve heavy attention, but you still need solid knowledge of Masonry, Sitework, roofing and moisture protection, building codes, openings, and finishes.

Strong preparation combines real construction experience with organized code books, broad trade knowledge, construction math, and repeated timed practice.

Conclusion: How to Pass the Arizona B-1 General Commercial Contractor Exam

Passing the Arizona B-1 General Commercial Contractor exam requires broad construction knowledge, good code-book navigation, and a study plan that respects the official subject breakdown.

Start with the current exam format. The Arizona ROC General Commercial examination contains 100 questions and allows four hours. The passing score is 70%. That gives you enough time to work carefully, but only if you already know how your approved references are organized.

Concrete is the largest section with 14 questions. Metals follows with 13. Carpentry and Safety contribute 12 questions each. Those four subjects alone account for more than half the examination, so they deserve a large part of your preparation.

Masonry and Thermal and Moisture Protection contribute another 20 questions. Sitework and General Building Code add nine each. Doors and Windows and Finishes complete the exam. The result is a test that rewards general-contractor knowledge rather than narrow specialization.

The current exam-room reference list is much smaller than the full study list. PSI currently allows OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926, the 2018 International Building Code, and the 2018 International Residential Code. Several trade references are identified as study materials but are not permitted inside the examination center.

That means preparation should happen in two stages. First, learn the construction subjects using all relevant study materials. Second, become extremely comfortable navigating the three books you will actually use during the Arizona examination.

Practice IBC lookups repeatedly. Learn occupancy, construction type, means of egress, fire resistance, building height, area, special inspections, and other major code sections. Practice OSHA lookups for fall protection, scaffolds, trenching, steel erection, tools, PPE, and similar safety topics.

Full-length practice tests are important too. One hundred questions in four hours feels very different from answering ten questions at the kitchen table with no timer. Practice the real pace. Answer easy questions first, perform quick lookups next, and return to harder questions after securing easier points.

B-1 applicants should also compare the Arizona examination with the NASCLA Commercial General Building exam. Arizona accepts either trade path for B-1. Contractors interested in licensing across multiple participating jurisdictions may find NASCLA useful, but it does not replace Arizona's other licensing requirements.

Finally, remember that passing an exam is not the same thing as receiving a license. Arizona still requires the qualifying party to satisfy experience, SRE, background-check, bonding, application, and other requirements.

Build your preparation the same way you would build a commercial project: start with the plans, organize the materials, handle the structural work first, inspect the details, and do not wait until the final hour to discover the code book you needed has never been opened.

Plain-Language Summary

The Arizona B-1 General Commercial Contractor license is a broad commercial construction classification. It covers construction, alteration, repair, supervision, and management connected with many types of commercial structures.

B-1 currently requires four years of qualifying hands-on and/or managerial experience. Applicants also need to satisfy the Arizona Statutes and Rules Exam requirement and the trade-exam requirement unless an approved waiver applies.

B-1 applicants currently have two trade-exam options. They can take the Arizona ROC General Commercial examination or use the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors.

The current Arizona General Commercial examination has 100 questions, gives candidates 240 minutes, and requires a 70% passing score.

Concrete is the largest category with 14 questions. Metals has 13. Carpentry and Safety have 12 questions each. Masonry and Thermal and Moisture Protection have 10 questions each. Sitework and General Building Code have nine each. Finishes has six questions, and Doors and Windows has five.

Candidates should study concrete placement and reinforcement, structural steel, wood framing, OSHA safety, masonry, roofing and waterproofing, excavation and grading, building codes, doors, windows, and finish systems.

The current Arizona exam allows three main references inside the examination center: OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926, the 2018 International Building Code, and the 2018 International Residential Code.

Other construction books covering concrete, excavation, steel, carpentry, and masonry are used as study references but are not currently permitted inside the testing center. These books are still important because PSI may test general industry knowledge that should be learned before exam day.

Candidates should prepare permitted references with permanent tabs, highlighting, annotations, and indexing according to PSI rules. Then practice finding information quickly.

A six-week preparation plan works well for many candidates. Begin with code navigation, then study concrete and masonry, metals and carpentry, sitework and moisture protection, safety and finishes, and finish with full-length timed practice tests.

Remember that passing the exam is only part of licensing. Applicants still need to satisfy Arizona ROC requirements involving qualifying experience, the qualifying party, the SRE, background checks, bonding, business information, and the license application.

For Arizona B-1 study resources, courses, and contractor exam preparation, browse the Contractor Exam Preps Arizona collection.