10 permits · verified 2026-10-05
What permits do you need to open a contractor or trade in Pima County?
In short
A contractor or trade in Pima County, AZ has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 6 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Arizona Corporation Commission, Corporations Division charges $45 a year for a corporation; $10 for a nonprofit — an LLC files none for the annual report. 2 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-05 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a contractor or trade in Pima County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contractor Licenseonly if it applies to you | Arizona Registrar of Contractors | $580–$1,050 new license for two years, by class; $480 to $750 to renew | 2 years, on a staggered cycle | 2026-09-03 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Pima County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Tucson Business License | City of Tucson License Section | No fee | not stated in the cited source | 2026-10-05 |
| Town of Marana Standard Business License | Town of Marana Finance Department, Business Licenses | No fee | annual; the Town's page states that business licenses expire annually | 2026-10-05 |
| Onsite Wastewater Treatment Facility Construction Authorization and Discharge Authorizationonly if it applies to you | Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ) | No fee | not stated in the cited sources | 2026-10-05 |
| Zoning Use Approval (Building Permit or Zoning Use Permit) | Pima County Development Services Department | No fee | not stated in the cited sources | 2026-10-05 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
AZ registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | Arizona Corporation Commission, Corporations Division | $45 a year for a corporation; $10 for a nonprofit — an LLC files none | annual, in the corporation's anniversary month on a date the Commission sets | 2026-09-03 |
| Publication of the Formation Noticeonly if it applies to you | Arizona Corporation Commission, Corporations Division | No fee | within 60 days of approval, in three consecutive publications | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Arizona Corporation Commission, Corporations Division | $50 one-time filing; $85 expedited | perpetual — Arizona LLCs file no annual report | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Arizona Corporation Commission, Corporations Division | $60 one-time filing; $95 expedited | perpetual, but an annual report is due each anniversary month | 2026-09-03 |
| Transaction Privilege Tax License | Arizona Department of Revenue | Varies — formula on the AZ page | calendar year — renewal is due 1 January and delinquent after January | 2026-09-03 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
How much does it actually cost to permit a contractor or trade in Pima County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 10 records listed for a contractor or trade in Pima County, AZ, 4 apply to every business of this type and 6 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
2 of the 10 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 5 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Contractor License: $580–$1,050 new license for two years, by class; $480 to $750 to renew
The other 1 variable fee belongs to permits that apply to every type of business here; its formula is set out on the Pima County permits page and the AZ state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Pima County?
Permits for a contractor or trade in Pima County, AZ come from 7 separate offices: City of Tucson License Section, Town of Marana Finance Department, Business Licenses, Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ), Pima County Development Services Department, Arizona Corporation Commission, Corporations Division, Arizona Registrar of Contractors, Arizona Department of Revenue. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- City of Tucson License SectionIssues 1 permit on this page: City of Tucson Business LicensePO Box 27210, Tucson, AZ 85726-7210www.tucsonaz.gov/Departments/Business-Services-Department/Apply-for-a-Business-License
- Town of Marana Finance Department, Business LicensesIssues 1 permit on this page: Town of Marana Standard Business Licensewww.maranaaz.gov/Departments/Finance/Business-Licenses/Standard-Business-License
- Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ)Issues 1 permit on this page: Onsite Wastewater Treatment Facility Construction Authorization and Discharge Authorizationwww.pima.gov/509/Fees-Payments-Instructions
- Pima County Development Services DepartmentIssues 1 permit on this page: Zoning Use Approval (Building Permit or Zoning Use Permit)www.pima.gov/1056/Requirements-for-Business-Startup-Operat
- Arizona Corporation Commission, Corporations DivisionIssues 4 permits on this page: Annual Report, Publication of the Formation Notice, Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation1300 West Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ 85007 · (602) 542-3026ArizonaBusinessCenter.azcc.gov
- Arizona Registrar of ContractorsIssues 1 permit on this page: Contractor License1700 West Washington Street, Suite 105, Phoenix, AZ 85007 · (602) 542-1525roc.az.gov
- Arizona Department of RevenueIssues 1 permit on this page: Transaction Privilege Tax License1600 West Monroe Street, Phoenix, AZ 85007 · (602) 255-3381azdor.gov/transaction-privilege-tax/tpt-license
What does a contractor or trade need in Pima County that other businesses do not?
1 of the 1 permit particular to a contractor or trade here applies to no other business type we cover in Pima County: Contractor License.
Contractor License
Arizona licenses commercial and residential work separately, with dual licenses covering both, and the price follows: a specialty commercial license is $580 new while a general dual license is $1,050. Residential and dual licensees pay a further recovery fund assessment of $370 on a new license and $270 on renewal, unless they post a $200,000 bond instead; commercial-only licensees pay neither. The ordinary bond is separate again and scales with the volume of work contemplated, from $2,500 for a small commercial specialty up to $100,000 for a general commercial contractor above ten million dollars, and it must be continuous with no termination date. The exemption threshold is the number to know and it is not only about money: work under $1,000 in aggregate is exempt, but not if a building permit is required, not if it is part of a larger project split up to evade the rule, and not if you advertise without stating that you are not a licensed contractor. Three classifications carry hard project caps — small commercial at two million, carpentry and remodelling at fifty thousand, minor home improvements at five thousand. A license suspends automatically the next business day after its renewal date.
The other 4 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Pima County, AZ; what each one involves is set out on the Pima County permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across AZ and are covered on the AZ state page.
How does a contractor or trade compare with other businesses in Pima County?
The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A contractor or trade also needs Contractor License. A auto repair shop needs Automotive Repair Licensing — State of Arizona position, which a contractor or trade does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a contractor or trade | Only a contractor or trade needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Coffee shops | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Food trucks | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Restaurants | 5 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Retail stores | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Sources
Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Pima County permits page and the AZ state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Arizona Registrar of Contractors — licensing fees (Internet Archive capture of the official page, 26 July 2026; the live host refuses automated clients)Arizona Registrar of Contractors · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
- Arizona Revised Statutes section 32-1152 — contractor bonds and the residential contractors' recovery fundArizona State Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
- Arizona Revised Statutes section 32-1121 — exemptions from contractor licensing, including the sub-$1,000 thresholdArizona State Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.