Workers' Comp Rates for Roofing - All Employees (Class Code 5551)
Last verified: 2026-06-02 · Reviewed against NCCI and state rating-bureau filings — how we verify
Description
Covers all employees of roofing companies including helpers, laborers, and skilled roofers.
Common Businesses
Hazard Group
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National Avg Rate
$26.78
per $100 payroll
Most Expensive States
- New York$36.25
- Alaska$35.50
- California$33.75
Rates by State for Class Code 5551
47 jurisdictions rate this code per $100 of payroll. North Dakota, Ohio, Washington and Wyoming are not included. Each is a monopolistic state fund that sets premium on its own basis rather than on an NCCI class-code rate per $100 of payroll, so there is no comparable figure to average or rank.
| State | Rate per $100 | vs. National Avg | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | $19.50 | -7.28 | 2026-01-01 |
| Texas | $19.73 | -7.05 | 2026-07-01 |
| Virginia | $20.75 | -6.03 | 2026-04-01 |
| Utah | $21.25 | -5.53 | 2026-02-01 |
| Arkansas | $22.00 | -4.78 | 2026-07-01 |
| Colorado | $22.25 | -4.53 | 2026-01-01 |
| Tennessee | $22.75 | -4.03 | 2026-03-01 |
| Arizona | $23.00 | -3.78 | 2026-01-01 |
| South Dakota | $23.25 | -3.53 | 2026-07-01 |
| Nebraska | $23.50 | -3.28 | 2026-02-01 |
| North Carolina | $23.50 | -3.28 | 2026-04-01 |
| Idaho | $23.75 | -3.03 | 2026-01-01 |
| Kansas | $24.00 | -2.78 | 2026-01-01 |
| Mississippi | $24.25 | -2.53 | 2026-03-01 |
| New Mexico | $24.50 | -2.28 | 2026-01-01 |
| South Carolina | $24.75 | -2.03 | 2026-04-01 |
| Kentucky | $25.00 | -1.78 | 2026-01-01 |
| Iowa | $25.50 | -1.28 | 2026-01-01 |
| Missouri | $25.75 | -1.03 | 2026-01-01 |
| Nevada | $26.00 | -0.78 | 2026-03-01 |
| Georgia | $26.25 | -0.53 | 2026-03-01 |
| Maryland | $26.25 | -0.53 | 2026-01-01 |
| Oregon | $26.50 | -0.28 | 2026-01-01 |
| West Virginia | $26.75 | -0.03 | 2026-01-01 |
| Alabama | $27.00 | +0.22 | 2026-03-01 |
| Minnesota | $27.00 | +0.22 | 2026-01-01 |
| New Hampshire | $27.00 | +0.22 | 2026-01-01 |
| Delaware | $27.50 | +0.72 | 2025-12-01 |
| Maine | $27.50 | +0.72 | 2025-04-01 |
| Wisconsin | $27.50 | +0.72 | 2025-10-01 |
| Michigan | $28.00 | +1.22 | 2026-01-01 |
| Vermont | $28.00 | +1.22 | 2026-04-01 |
| Rhode Island | $28.50 | +1.72 | 2026-08-01 |
| Florida | $28.75 | +1.97 | 2026-01-01 |
| Montana | $28.75 | +1.97 | 2026-07-01 |
| District of Columbia | $29.50 | +2.72 | 2026-01-01 |
| Massachusetts | $29.50 | +2.72 | 2024-07-01 |
| Oklahoma | $29.50 | +2.72 | 2026-01-01 |
| Illinois | $30.00 | +3.22 | 2026-01-01 |
| Connecticut | $30.50 | +3.72 | 2026-01-01 |
| Louisiana | $31.25 | +4.47 | 2026-05-01 |
| Hawaii | $32.00 | +5.22 | 2026-01-01 |
| Pennsylvania | $32.00 | +5.22 | 2026-04-01 |
| New Jersey | $32.50 | +5.72 | 2026-01-01 |
| California | $33.75 | +6.97 | 2025-09-01 |
| Alaska | $35.50 | +8.72 | 2026-01-01 |
| New York | $36.25 | +9.47 | 2025-10-01 |
How Class Code 5551 Rates Are Spread Across the States
Across 47 states, the estimated workers' comp rate for NCCI class code 5551 (Roofing - All Employees) ranges from $19.50 to $36.25 per $100 of payroll, with a national average of $26.78 and a median of $26.75. Each bar counts the states whose estimated rate falls in that range — shaded cheaper (green) to pricier (red). The dashed line marks the national average.
Distribution across 47 states. Rates are a modeled benchmark (NCCI base-rate catalogue × state rate multiplier, catalogue retrieved 2026-06-02) and are not reconciled to filed state loss costs — see the calibration measurement and our rate disclaimer.
View the rate distribution as a data table
| Rate range / $100 | States | Which states |
|---|---|---|
| $19.50–$21.59 | 4 | Indiana, Texas, Virginia, Utah |
| $21.59–$23.69 | 7 | Arkansas, Colorado, Tennessee, Arizona, South Dakota, Nebraska, North Carolina |
| $23.69–$25.78 | 8 | Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Carolina, Kentucky, Iowa, Missouri |
| $25.78–$27.88 | 11 | Nevada, Georgia, Maryland, Oregon, West Virginia, Alabama, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Delaware, Maine, Wisconsin |
| $27.88–$29.97 | 8 | Michigan, Vermont, Rhode Island, Florida, Montana, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Oklahoma |
| $29.97–$32.06 | 5 | Illinois, Connecticut, Louisiana, Hawaii, Pennsylvania |
| $32.06–$34.16 | 2 | New Jersey, California |
| $34.16–$36.25 | 2 | Alaska, New York |
| Summary | 47 | Min $19.50 · Median $26.75 · Avg $26.78 · Max $36.25 |
The rates above are manual rates — step 1 of the eight-step rating-bureau premium algorithm. See what your carrier applies after that, or estimate premium for code 5551 with your own payroll and experience mod.
Related Class Codes
About Class Code 5551: Scope, Inclusions, and Common Misclassifications
NCCI Class Code 5551 — officially "Roofing — All Kinds & Drivers" — is the workers' compensation classification for roofing contractors. It applies to roofing of every type, whether the roof is flat, sloped, or built-up, and covers new roof installation as well as repair and replacement work. The classification includes the drivers who transport crews and materials, and the NCCI scope also picks up the pressure washing of roofs. It is one of the highest-rated common construction codes because of severe fall exposure: workers operate at height, on pitched and slippery surfaces, and around roof edges and openings.
5551 is an "all employees" roofing code — the laborers, skilled roofers, and drivers who make up a roofing crew are generally reported together under this single classification rather than split by job title, which is why the site labels it "Roofing — All Employees." Because of the fall hazard it sits in a high hazard group and typically carries a base rate several times higher than light-construction trades and an order of magnitude above clerical codes. This page compares filed base-rate estimates for 5551 across states so a roofing contractor can see the spread before requesting a quote, and explains where the classification boundary falls.
What's Included Under Class Code 5551
5551 contemplates all kinds of roofing work — built-up, flat, sloped, shingle, membrane, metal, and tile roofing — performed by a roofing contractor, including both new installation and the repair or replacement of existing roofs. Drivers transporting the crew and materials to the job site are included in the classification, which is why the title ends in "& Drivers," and the NCCI scope also brings in the pressure washing of roofs. The classification reflects the dominant exposure of the trade: working at height on roof surfaces.
As with all contractor codes, 5551 is assigned from the operations actually performed during the policy year rather than from the contractor's license category, and it is the governing classification for a dedicated roofing operation. Because roofing is a high-severity exposure, carriers scrutinize fall-protection practices, and the experience modification factor on a roofing account can swing the premium dramatically — a clean loss history is one of the few levers a roofer has against the high base rate.
When Roofing Work Is NOT Coded 5551
The common boundary issues involve adjacent sheet-metal and structural work. Architectural and ornamental sheet-metal work, gutter and downspout installation done as a standalone sheet-metal operation, and the installation of skylights or HVAC equipment on a roof can fall under their own classifications rather than 5551, depending on the scope language and whether the work is a standalone operation or incidental to a roofing job. Spray or foam roofing and certain specialty membrane systems may also have classification nuances, so payroll should be tracked by operation when a contractor's work spans more than straight roofing.
Independent-bureau states are important for 5551. California (WCIRB), Pennsylvania (PCRB), Delaware (DCRB), New Jersey (NJCRIB), Michigan (CAOM), and North Carolina (NCRB) run their own rating bureaus and may use different roofing code numbers, phraseology, or separation rules than NCCI's 5551 — California in particular does not use the national 5551 number, so a California roofing contractor should check WCIRB's classification system rather than relying on the national comparison on this page.
Sources
- GeneralLiabilityInsure — NCCI Class Code 5551 Roofing — All Kinds & Drivers (flat/sloped/built-up roofing, new and repair, drivers, pressure washing) (retrieved 2026-06-02)
- Class Codes — Workers Compensation Code 5551 Roofing — All Kinds & Drivers (scope and classification guidance) (retrieved 2026-06-02)
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is workers' comp class code 5551?
- Class code 5551 is "Roofing — All Kinds & Drivers," the NCCI classification for roofing contractors. It covers all kinds of roofing — flat, sloped, and built-up — including new installation, repair, and replacement, plus the drivers who transport the crew and materials and the pressure washing of roofs. It is one of the highest-rated common construction codes because of severe fall exposure, and it groups a roofing crew's laborers, skilled roofers, and drivers under one classification.
- How much is workers' comp insurance for class code 5551?
- The national average rate for class code 5551 is $26.78 per $100 of payroll, across the 47 jurisdictions rated on that basis. Cheapest states: Indiana ($19.50), Texas ($19.73), Virginia ($20.75). Most expensive: New York ($36.25), Alaska ($35.50), California ($33.75). Actual premium depends on your state, payroll, experience modifier, and carrier. North Dakota, Ohio, Washington and Wyoming are not included. Each is a monopolistic state fund that sets premium on its own basis rather than on an NCCI class-code rate per $100 of payroll, so there is no comparable figure to average or rank.
- What businesses use workers' comp class code 5551?
- Class code 5551 typically applies to Roofing companies, Residential roofers, Commercial roofing firms, Roof maintenance services, Flat roof specialists.
- Why is class code 5551 so expensive?
- Roofing carries one of the highest base rates of any common construction class because falls from roofs are frequent and severe. Workers operate at height on pitched, slippery, or fragile surfaces near edges and openings, so both claim frequency and claim severity are elevated. That places 5551 in a high hazard group with a base rate several times that of light-construction trades. The largest lever a roofing contractor controls is the experience modification factor — a strong fall-protection program and a clean loss history can meaningfully reduce premium even though the base rate stays high.
- Does class code 5551 include drivers?
- Yes. The full NCCI title is "Roofing — All Kinds & Drivers," so the drivers who transport the roofing crew and materials to and from job sites are included in the 5551 classification rather than reported under a separate drivers code. The scope also includes the pressure washing of roofs. Adjacent operations such as standalone architectural sheet-metal work may break out to their own codes depending on whether they are incidental to the roofing job or a separate operation.
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