- AZ-ROOF is the site identifier for the CR-42 Roofing exam, administered by PSI for the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.
- The exam has 50 questions, a 120-minute limit, and requires a 70% passing score.
- Roofing systems, including BUR and waterproofing, is the largest domain with 20 of 50 items.
- The exam is partly open book: OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 materials and IBC/IRC editions 2009-2018 are allowed.
What AZ-ROOF Actually Means
AZ-ROOF is the identifier PSI uses for the Arizona Roofing Contractor Trade Exam - the trade competency test tied to the CR-42 Roofing (Residential/Commercial) classification issued by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC). If you're pursuing a roofing contractor license in Arizona, this is the exam PSI schedules you for once your application clears the eligibility stage. It is not a national certification, a manufacturer credential, or a voluntary designation - it's a state-mandated trade exam that a qualifying party must pass to demonstrate the competency required for the license.
Because "AZ-ROOF" is also used loosely online to describe other unrelated credentials, it's worth being precise here: this article, and every fact in it, refers specifically to the CR-42 exam PSI administers on behalf of the AZ ROC. If you want the full breakdown of the acronym itself, see AZ-ROOF Meaning and What Does AZ-ROOF Stand For?
Exam Format and Question Breakdown
The CR-42 trade exam consists of 50 scored questions delivered in a fixed 120-minute window at a PSI test center. To pass, candidates need a 70% score - meaning a specific number of correct answers out of 50, not a curved or scaled result.
PSI publishes the item counts by section, and they aren't evenly distributed. Understanding this distribution matters because it tells you exactly where to spend your study hours:
| Domain Area | Approx. Item Count |
|---|---|
| Estimating and Plan Reading | 5 |
| Surface Preparation and Planning | 5 |
| Steep and Low Slope Roofing (incl. BUR and Waterproofing) | 20 |
| Roofing Components | 10 |
| Safety | 6 |
| Repairs and Reroofing | 4 |
Notice that one section - roofing systems, including built-up roofing (BUR) and waterproofing - accounts for 20 of the 50 questions. That's 40% of the exam concentrated in a single content area. Any serious prep plan has to treat this domain as the priority, not an afterthought. For a deeper walkthrough of every section, see AZ-ROOF Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 6 Content Areas.
Key Takeaway
With 20 of 50 questions concentrated in steep/low slope roofing systems, BUR, and waterproofing, mastering that single domain has more impact on your score than any other single study decision.
The Six Content Domains
PSI's outline for CR-42, last revised June 8, 2023, organizes the exam into six domains. Each one reflects real job-site competencies expected of a licensed Arizona roofing contractor.
Domain 1: Estimating and Plan Reading
Covers reading construction drawings, calculating material quantities, and translating specs into a bid.
- Interpreting roof plans and elevation details
- Calculating squares, waste factors, and material takeoffs
Domain 2: Surface Preparation and Planning
Focuses on evaluating existing substrates and planning the job before materials go down.
- Deck inspection and moisture assessment
- Sequencing work around weather and substrate condition
Domain 3: Steep and Low Slope Roofing, including BUR and Waterproofing
The largest domain on the exam. Covers shingle, tile, and metal steep-slope systems alongside low-slope membrane systems, built-up roofing, and waterproofing details.
- Flashing, ventilation, and drainage principles
- BUR layering and membrane application methods
Domain 4: Roofing Components
Covers the parts and materials that make up a complete roofing assembly.
- Underlayment, fasteners, and flashing components
- Component compatibility across different roof systems
Domain 5: Safety
Job-site safety practices tied to Arizona's climate and roofing hazards.
- Fall protection and ladder safety
- OSHA-referenced safe work practices on roofing sites
Domain 6: Repairs and Reroofing
Focuses on diagnosing failures and correctly executing repair or reroofing work.
- Identifying leak sources and failure patterns
- Reroofing over existing systems versus tear-off decisions
If you're trying to gauge how difficult this breadth of material actually is to master in a 120-minute window, How Hard Is the AZ-ROOF Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 walks through the format-specific challenges in more detail.
Open-Book Rules and Approved References
One detail that surprises first-time candidates: CR-42 is partly open book. You're not walking in with a blank memory and nothing else - but the allowed materials are strictly defined.
- Permitted: OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 materials (the specific listed sections) and IBC/IRC code editions from 2009, 2012, 2015, or 2018.
- Study-only, not exam-room permitted: Roofing Construction & Estimating and the listed NRCA manuals. These are excellent for building foundational knowledge but cannot be brought into the testing room.
- Annotation rules: Pre-existing highlighting, underlining, and permanent tabs in your approved references are allowed. Loose papers, temporary sticky tabs, and writing anything new into the books during the test are prohibited.
- Calculator: A silent, nonprinting, nonprogrammable calculator is permitted for estimating and quantity calculations.
How AZ-ROOF Fits Into the AZ ROC Licensing Path
Passing the CR-42 trade exam is one piece of a larger licensing sequence, not the whole process. The Arizona Registrar of Contractors also requires the Statutes and Rules Examination (SRE) as a separate component - CR-42 tests trade knowledge, while the SRE tests knowledge of contracting law and business rules.
Beyond the exams, the qualifying party generally must document a statutory baseline of four years of trade experience, including at least two within the last ten years, though authorized training-credit, reduction, and documentation-waiver provisions can apply depending on circumstances. Required written examinations generally must be taken within two years before application, so timing your exam relative to your licensing application matters.
Licensing isn't just about the individual, either. It also involves business eligibility review, applicable background checks, and maintaining the required bond. Importantly, the license belongs to the business, not the qualifying party - a distinction that affects how contractors structure their companies and manage qualifying-party status. For the full breakdown of eligibility mechanics, see AZ-ROOF Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Key Takeaway
Passing CR-42 does not equal a license. You still need the SRE, documented trade experience, business eligibility review, and the bond - all before the license issues to the business entity.
Who Actually Needs This Certification
The CR-42 exam is specifically for individuals acting as the qualifying party for a roofing contracting business in Arizona - the person whose trade knowledge legally backs the company's license. This typically includes:
- Roofing company owners establishing a new licensed entity
- Experienced roofing foremen or superintendents stepping into a qualifying-party role
- Contractors expanding an existing license to cover residential/commercial roofing work under CR-42
Employers hiring for qualifying-party or senior roofing management roles in Arizona often list CR-42/AZ-ROOF familiarity as a prerequisite, since it directly reflects the trade competency the state requires for the license itself. If you're evaluating whether pursuing this path makes sense for your career, Is the AZ-ROOF Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and AZ-ROOF Jobs cover the practical career angle, while AZ-ROOF Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis looks at earnings considerations.
Fees and Renewal Costs
Once licensed, contractors under the Specialty Dual classification face a standard renewal cost. The Specialty Dual renewal totals $650 per two-year cycle, broken down as a $380 renewal fee plus a $270 recovery-fund assessment. This is a recurring cost of maintaining licensure, separate from any exam or application fees paid during the initial licensing process.
For a complete line-item look at what candidates pay from exam scheduling through renewal, see AZ-ROOF Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Preparing for the June 2023 Outline
PSI's current CR-42 outline dates to June 8, 2023, and it's the version you should be studying against. Because the outline weights roofing systems (Domain 3) at 20 of 50 items, an efficient study sequence front-loads that domain rather than spreading time evenly across all six.
Domain 3 Foundations
- Study steep-slope systems, BUR layering, and waterproofing details - the highest-weighted domain
- Review flashing, drainage, and ventilation principles alongside NRCA manual references
Roofing Components and Repairs/Reroofing
- Cover Domain 4 component knowledge and Domain 6 diagnosis/reroofing decisions
- Cross-reference IBC/IRC editions for component and repair code requirements
Estimating, Prep, and Safety
- Practice takeoffs and quantity calculations for Domain 1
- Study surface prep (Domain 2) and OSHA-based safety rules (Domain 5)
Full Review and Open-Book Practice
- Run full-length practice sessions under the 120-minute limit
- Practice navigating approved OSHA and IBC/IRC references quickly, since they're allowed in-room
For a more detailed week-by-week strategy, including how to pace practice exams against the 70% passing threshold, see AZ-ROOF Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. You can also review exactly what score you need and how it's calculated in AZ-ROOF Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass, and check current testing windows in AZ-ROOF Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
If you want a condensed reference for last-minute review, the AZ-ROOF Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts summarizes the domain weights and reference rules covered here. And when you're ready to test your readiness under real time pressure, a full practice test that mirrors the 50-question, 120-minute format is the most direct way to find weak spots before exam day.
Once you've built domain knowledge, running timed practice on our practice test platform helps confirm whether your pacing matches the 50-question, 120-minute constraint - a separate skill from knowing the material itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. AZ-ROOF is the site identifier PSI uses for the Arizona Roofing Contractor Trade Exam, which is officially the CR-42 Roofing (Residential/Commercial) exam administered on behalf of the AZ ROC.
The exam has 50 questions with a 120-minute time limit. A 70% score is required to pass.
Only approved references are allowed: the listed OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 materials and IBC/IRC editions from 2009, 2012, 2015, or 2018. Study resources like Roofing Construction & Estimating and the listed NRCA manuals are for preparation only and cannot be brought into the testing room.
No. Passing CR-42 satisfies the trade exam requirement, but licensure also requires passing the separate Statutes and Rules Examination (SRE), meeting the statutory trade experience baseline, clearing business eligibility and background checks, and maintaining the required bond.
Steep and Low Slope Roofing, including BUR and Waterproofing, is the largest domain with 20 of the 50 exam questions, making it the highest-priority area for study time.