A general contractor's workers comp is priced on the payroll of its own people, and it may also pick up what the firm paid subs who can't show coverage of their own. California reports GC payroll under published WCIRB classifications, while Arizona and Nevada use NCCI's system, and each of the three states has its own rule for when a sub's workers count as yours.
California. GCs are licensed by the CSLB as B General Building or B-2 Residential Remodeling. Coverage is required from the first employee, and a licensee with no employees can file an exemption that is scheduled to end on January 1, 2028. Labor Code 2750.5 presumes that an unlicensed person doing licensed work for you is your employee. The details, from supervisor classes to sub certificates, are on the California general contractor workers comp page.
Arizona. Under Arizona Revised Statutes 23-902, when a GC keeps supervision or control over work that is part of its regular business, a sub and the sub's crew may be counted as the general contractor's own employees. A related section, Arizona Revised Statutes 23-961, requires written audit findings before premium is charged for workers treated that way. The owner rules, subs and audit records for Arizona are covered in Arizona general contractor workers compensation.
Nevada. Workers comp is called industrial insurance, and a principal contractor is treated as the employer of its subs, independent contractors and their workers. The exception for an independent enterprise doesn't reach a principal contractor licensed under Nevada's contractor licensing chapter. The Nevada contractor workers comp rules explain the state's payroll limit and owner elections. The payroll limit, owner rules and audit records for Nevada are covered in Nevada general contractor workers compensation.
California's class panel for general contractors lists four published classifications: one that mentions executive-level construction supervisors, one for firms whose construction is all subcontracted, and the carpentry pair split at $46.00 an hour for policies from September 1, 2026. Arizona and Nevada classify GC payroll through NCCI, which this site doesn't publish, and a California code never carries over to either state. The workers comp class code lookup explains who publishes each state's list.
In each state, classification depends on what your people actually do and the carrier's determination. A GC whose own crews frame walls shares questions with the carpentry workers comp page.
Workers comp answers for injuries to your employees and, in some states, to workers the law treats as yours. Injury to a client or passerby, damage to the property you're building or a claim of faulty work typically falls to general liability, builder's risk or a bond. For a single large job, some GCs look at liability insurance written for one project. Contracts often name an employers liability amount too; employers liability limit in a contract explains what that request means.
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It depends on the state and the sub. In California, payments to a sub without its own coverage may be added at audit, and Labor Code 2750.5 presumes an unlicensed sub is your employee. Arizona can treat a sub's workers as yours when you control work that is part of your trade. Nevada treats a principal contractor as the employer of its subs' workers.
No. California uses WCIRB classifications, and Arizona and Nevada use NCCI's system. A California number doesn't carry over, and payroll for work in another state is classified under that state's rules and the carrier's determination.
A current certificate of workers comp with policy dates that run through the job, plus the sub's license number. In Arizona, a written agreement with an independent contractor creates a rebuttable presumption about that status under Arizona Revised Statutes 23-902. Keep each record with the payments you make.
In California, one published classification mentions construction that is entirely subcontracted, and it is separate from the supervisor and carpentry classifications. Whether it fits your firm depends on what your own people do and the carrier's determination.
For a GC the lowest quote often hides the sub question. If a policy is priced without your subcontracted work, what you paid subs lacking proof of insurance can be picked up as your payroll when the policy is audited. Supervisor classifications, certificate turnaround and the employers liability limit your prime contracts ask for are worth comparing too, because each carrier and program handles them differently. See what makes one workers comp quote cheaper.
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Reviewed by David Gleason, Principal, on .
Next Level Experience. Insurance Done Right.
General contractor workers comp in California, Arizona and Nevada, subs included.
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