Plumbing is construction under Florida law, so coverage starts with your first employee. Compare carriers, get the 2026 class 5183 rate applied correctly, and get same-day certificates for permits and general contractors.
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Last updated · Sources: Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, NCCI, and the Florida Division of Workers' Compensation
Florida plumbing workers' comp: quick facts for 2026
Plumbing is one of the less expensive construction trades for workers' comp in Florida. Class 5183 is $2.74 per $100 of payroll for 2026. Common injuries are back and shoulder strains, cuts, and injuries from working in trenches and tight crawl spaces.
Florida plumbers do a mix of new-construction rough-ins, remodels, and service and repair calls. All of it falls under the construction rules, which means one employee triggers the coverage requirement.
Plumbing companies that also do excavation, septic or underground utility work should tell their carrier. That work may belong in a separate, higher-rated class.
These are the NCCI class codes most often used for plumbing contractors in Florida. Rates shown are 2026 Florida manual rates per $100 of payroll and apply statewide. "Quoted" means the rate for that code is provided with your quote. The right code depends on the work each employee actually does.
| NCCI Code | Classification | Rate per $100 | Premium on $100K payroll* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5183 | Plumbing | $2.74 | $2,900 |
| 8742 | Sales — Outside (estimators) | $0.38 | $540 |
| 8810 | Clerical / Office Employees | $0.17 | $330 |
* Includes the $160 expense constant, at a 1.0 experience mod, before Drug-Free Workplace (5%) or other credits. See the full Florida rate table.
Yes, with one employee. Florida treats this work as construction under its workers' compensation law (Chapter 440), so coverage is required as soon as the business has one employee, and corporate officers and LLC members count unless they have filed an exemption. Up to three officers or members who each own at least 10% can file a $50 construction exemption, but it covers only the owners.
For 2026, included officers are rated on a minimum payroll of $33,800 each for construction businesses and $67,600 each for non-construction businesses. Operating without required coverage can lead to a Stop-Work Order and penalties based on the premium you should have paid.
Plumbing contractors save by keeping office and estimator payroll in 8810 and 8742, keeping a low experience mod with trench and lifting safety, earning the 5% Drug-Free Workplace credit, and using Pay As You Go billing so premium tracks seasonal payroll. Because every Florida carrier starts from the same manual rates, a specialist who knows your industry can make a real difference in how your policy is classified, credited and audited.
Florida uses the same NCCI base rates for every carrier. Premium is (annual payroll ÷ $100) × class code rate × experience mod, plus a $160 expense constant. For example, a plumbing contractor with $350,000 in payroll (class 5183, $2.74 per $100) pays about $9,750 a year at a 1.0 experience mod, before credits such as the 5% Drug-Free Workplace credit. 2026 Florida rates decreased 6.9% on average.
Yes, with one employee. Florida treats this work as construction under its workers' compensation law (Chapter 440), so coverage is required as soon as the business has one employee, and corporate officers and LLC members count unless they have filed an exemption. Up to three officers or members who each own at least 10% can file a $50 construction exemption, but it covers only the owners.
The 2026 Florida rate for plumbing (class 5183) is $2.74 per $100 of payroll. A plumbing contractor with $350,000 in payroll would pay about $9,750 a year at a 1.0 experience mod, including the $160 expense constant, before credits.
Yes. Plumbing is a construction class under Florida's workers' comp rules, so service and repair companies need coverage with one employee, the same as new-construction plumbers.
The Florida Division of Workers' Compensation can issue a Stop-Work Order that shuts down the business until coverage is obtained and a penalty is paid. The penalty is generally twice the premium the employer would have paid over the prior two years, with a $1,000 minimum, and working in violation of a Stop-Work Order adds further daily penalties. Uninsured employers can also be sued directly by injured workers.
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