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California Class Codes

California Workers Comp Class Codes by Trade

California workers comp class codes come from the WCIRB, which publishes about 700 classifications, and several construction trades are split by hourly wage. Below are the published classifications that mention each trade's work, the wage thresholds for policies from September 1, 2026, and a way to search the full list.

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$300,000 to $500,000

Field payroll only. Leave out clerical staff and insured subcontractors.

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Published Classifications by Trade

Each row lists the published WCIRB classifications whose titles mention that trade's work. A trade can appear under more than one code, and a business may report more than one. Start from the page for your trade, such as the California plumbing wage split.

Published classifications that mention this work, by trade
TradePublished Classifications
Restaurants
  • 9080 RESTAURANTS — full service
  • 9083 RESTAURANTS — fast food or fast casual
  • 9081(1) RESTAURANTS — N.O.C.
Breweries
General Contractors
  • 5606 CONTRACTORS — construction or erection — executive level supervisors
  • 5610 CONTRACTORS — construction or erection — all construction subcontracted
  • 5403 CARPENTRY — including the installation of interior trim, doors and cabinet work in connection therewith — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $46.00 per hour
  • 5432 CARPENTRY — including the installation of interior trim, doors and cabinet work in connection therewith — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $46.00 per hour
Framing
  • 5403 CARPENTRY — including the installation of interior trim, doors and cabinet work in connection therewith — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $46.00 per hour
  • 5432 CARPENTRY — including the installation of interior trim, doors and cabinet work in connection therewith — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $46.00 per hour
  • 5632 STEEL FRAMING — light gauge — including the incidental installation of interior trim, doors and cabinet work — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $46.00 per hour
  • 5633 STEEL FRAMING — light gauge — including the incidental installation of interior trim, doors and cabinet work — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $46.00 per hour
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Insulation
  • 5479 INSULATION WORK
Flooring
  • 5436 HARDWOOD FLOOR LAYING
  • 5348 TILE, STONE, MOSAIC OR TERRAZZO WORK
  • 9521(2) FLOOR COVERING
Drywall
  • 5446 WALLBOARD INSTALLATION — within buildings — including finishing and preparation prior to painting — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $45.00 per hour
  • 5447 WALLBOARD INSTALLATION — within buildings — including finishing and preparation prior to painting — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $45.00 per hour
Painting
  • 5474(1) PAINTING OR WALLPAPER INSTALLATION — including shop, yard or storage operations — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $36.00 per hour
  • 5482(1) PAINTING OR WALLPAPER INSTALLATION — including shop, yard or storage operations — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $36.00 per hour
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Electricians
  • 5190 ELECTRICAL WIRING — within buildings — including installation or repair of electrical fixtures — including shop, yard or storage operations — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $40.00 per hour
  • 5140 ELECTRICAL WIRING — within buildings — including installation or repair of electrical fixtures — including shop, yard or storage operations — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $40.00 per hour
Plumbing
  • 5183(1) PLUMBING — including shop, yard or storage operations — gas, steam, hot water or other pipe fittings installation, including house connections installation — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $35.00 per hour — N.O.C.
  • 5187(1) PLUMBING — including shop, yard or storage operations — gas, steam, hot water or other pipe fittings installation, including house connections installation — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $35.00 per hour — N.O.C.
HVAC & Mechanical
  • 5183(3) HEATING OR AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT — installation, service or repair — including shop, yard or storage operations — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $35.00 per hour
  • 5187(3) HEATING OR AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT — installation, service or repair — including shop, yard or storage operations — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $35.00 per hour
  • 5538(2) HEATING OR AIR CONDITIONING DUCTWORK — installation or repair — including shop, yard or storage operations — including installation of furnaces or air conditioning equipment — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $37.00 per hour
  • 5542(2) HEATING OR AIR CONDITIONING DUCTWORK — installation or repair — including shop, yard or storage operations — including installation of furnaces or air conditioning equipment — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $37.00 per hour — N.O.C.
Sheet Metal
  • 5538(1) SHEET METAL WORK — erection, installation or repair — including shop, yard or storage operations — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $37.00 per hour
  • 5542(1) SHEET METAL WORK — erection, installation or repair — including shop, yard or storage operations — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $37.00 per hour
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Fire Sprinkler
  • 5185 AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER INSTALLATION — within buildings — including shop, yard or storage operations — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $36.00 per hour
  • 5186 AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER INSTALLATION — within buildings — including shop, yard or storage operations — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $36.00 per hour
Alarm Installers
  • 7605 SECURITY ALARM, FIRE ALARM OR LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS INSTALLATION, SERVICE OR REPAIR
Low Voltage Cabling
  • 5195 COMMUNICATIONS CABLING
  • 5193 COMPUTER OR TELEPHONE SYSTEM OR EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION, SERVICE OR REPAIR
Excavation & Grading
  • 6218(1) EXCAVATION — N.O.C. — including borrowing, filling or backfilling — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $45.00 per hour
  • 6218(2) GRADING LAND — N.O.C. — including borrowing, filling or backfilling — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $45.00 per hour
  • 6218(3) LAND LEVELING — grading farm lands — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $45.00 per hour
  • 6220(1) EXCAVATION — N.O.C. — including borrowing, filling or backfilling — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $45.00 per hour
  • 6220(2) GRADING LAND — N.O.C. — including borrowing, filling or backfilling — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $45.00 per hour
  • 6220(3) LAND LEVELING — grading farm lands — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $45.00 per hour
  • 5507 STREET OR ROAD CONSTRUCTION — grading
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Asphalt Paving
  • 5506 STREET OR ROAD CONSTRUCTION — paving or repaving, surfacing or resurfacing or scraping
Concrete
  • 5201(1) CONCRETE OR CEMENT WORK — pouring or finishing of concrete sidewalks, driveways, patios, curbs or gutters — including the making or stripping of forms — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $36.00 per hour
  • 5201(2) CONCRETE OR CEMENT WORK — pouring or finishing of concrete floor slabs, poured in place and on the ground, and concrete slab-type foundations… — including the making or stripping of forms — regular hourly wage does not = or > $36.00 per hour
  • 5205(1) CONCRETE OR CEMENT WORK — pouring or finishing of concrete sidewalks, driveways, patios, curbs or gutters — including the making or stripping of forms — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $36.00 per hour
  • 5205(2) CONCRETE OR CEMENT WORK — pouring or finishing of concrete floor slabs, poured in place and on the ground, and concrete slab-type foundations... — including the making or stripping of forms — regular hourly wage ≥ $36.00 per hour
  • 5213 CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION — N.O.C.
Masonry
  • 5027 MASONRY — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $37.00 per hour
  • 5028 MASONRY — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $37.00 per hour
Pool Builders
  • 6218(1) EXCAVATION — N.O.C. — including borrowing, filling or backfilling — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $45.00 per hour
  • 6220(1) EXCAVATION — N.O.C. — including borrowing, filling or backfilling — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $45.00 per hour
  • 5201(1) CONCRETE OR CEMENT WORK — pouring or finishing of concrete sidewalks, driveways, patios, curbs or gutters — including the making or stripping of forms — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $36.00 per hour
  • 5205(1) CONCRETE OR CEMENT WORK — pouring or finishing of concrete sidewalks, driveways, patios, curbs or gutters — including the making or stripping of forms — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $36.00 per hour
  • 5183(1) PLUMBING — including shop, yard or storage operations — gas, steam, hot water or other pipe fittings installation, including house connections installation — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $35.00 per hour — N.O.C.
  • 5187(1) PLUMBING — including shop, yard or storage operations — gas, steam, hot water or other pipe fittings installation, including house connections installation — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $35.00 per hour — N.O.C.
  • 5348 TILE, STONE, MOSAIC OR TERRAZZO WORK
  • 5027 MASONRY — employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $37.00 per hour
  • 5028 MASONRY — employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $37.00 per hour
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Landscaping
  • 0042 LANDSCAPE GARDENING
  • 0106 TREE PRUNING, REPAIRING OR TRIMMING
Tree Service
  • 0106 TREE PRUNING, REPAIRING OR TRIMMING
Fencing
  • 6400 FENCE CONSTRUCTION

These are published classifications that mention this kind of work. The right classification depends on the actual duties performed and the carrier’s determination; we do not assign or confirm class codes. California classification codes do not carry over to Arizona or Nevada.

List read from the WCIRB on . Each code links to its WCIRB entry.

Wage-Split Classifications from September 1, 2026

California dual-wage thresholds for policies from September 1, 2026
TradeUnder the ThresholdAt or AboveHourly Threshold
Carpentry54035432$46.00
Steel framing56325633$46.00
Wallboard54465447$45.00
Excavation and grading62186220$45.00
Electrical51905140$40.00
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Masonry50275028$37.00
Sheet metal55385542$37.00
Painting54745482$36.00
Automatic sprinkler51855186$36.00
Concrete52015205$36.00
Plumbing51835187$35.00

The threshold is compared with each employee's regular hourly wage, not the crew average, so payroll records need to show it person by person. Several codes carry numbered parts, such as 5183(1) for plumbing; the trade table above lists each part.

How to Read a California Class Code

  • Numbered parts. A number in parentheses, as in 5187(1), marks one part of a classification with its own wording.
  • N.O.C. means not otherwise classified: the code applies only when no more specific classification describes the work.
  • The work decides, not the license. A plumbing license and a plumbing class code are separate things; the code follows what crews actually do.
  • California only. These codes come from the WCIRB and don't carry over to Arizona or Nevada, which use NCCI classifications. Nevada restaurant industrial insurance shows how payroll rules differ there.

The workers comp class codes by state page explains who publishes the lists in each state.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Swipe or use the arrows for every answer.

  • How many workers comp class codes does California have?

    The WCIRB describes about 700 classifications in its standard classification system. The search on this site shows the row count of the list it uses beside the date that list was read from the WCIRB, so you can see exactly what you are searching.

  • Who decides which class code my business uses?

    The carrier assigns classifications under the WCIRB's rules, based on the work your business and crews actually do, and the WCIRB can review a classification. We don't assign or confirm class codes; a broker can help you gather what the carrier needs to decide.

  • What does dual wage mean on a California class code?

    Several construction trades have two classifications for the same work, split by each employee's regular hourly wage. Payroll for people paid under the threshold goes to one code and payroll at or above it to the other, for policies from September 1, 2026.

  • Do California class codes work in Arizona or Nevada?

    No. California's codes come from the WCIRB, while Arizona and Nevada use NCCI classifications with their own numbers and wording. A crew working in more than one state is classified under each state's system.

  • What if I think my class code is wrong?

    Start with the carrier that issued the policy and ask how it reached the classification. The WCIRB has a process for classification questions, and a broker can help you assemble job duties and payroll records before you raise it.

Official Sources

3 official sources, every one checked

Reviewed by David Gleason, Principal, on .

Next Level Experience. Insurance Done Right.

California class codes by trade, read from the WCIRB published list.

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