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Last updated · Sources: Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, NCCI, and the Florida Division of Workers' Compensation
St. Petersburg workers' comp: quick facts for 2026
St. Petersburg is Pinellas County's largest city, with an economy built on healthcare, tourism, marine science, financial services and light manufacturing — and a construction and restoration sector that expanded rapidly after Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024.
Pinellas is Florida's most densely populated county, so most St. Petersburg employers are small and mid-sized businesses: restaurants, medical practices, professional offices, and specialty contractors. Many of them sit right around Florida's four-employee threshold for non-construction businesses.
Storm surge and wind damage along the Gulf beaches created a long tail of rebuilding work. Roofing, drywall, carpentry, electrical and restoration contractors in St. Pete need workers' comp from their first employee.
These are 2026 NCCI Florida manual rates per $100 of payroll for class codes common among St. Petersburg employers. They apply statewide; your final premium also reflects your experience mod and any carrier credits.
| NCCI Code | Industry | Rate per $100 | Premium on $100K payroll* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9082 | Restaurant / Food Service | $1.16 | $1,320 |
| 5645 | Carpentry / Framing — Residential | $7.69 | $7,850 |
| 5551 | Roofing — All Kinds | $8.24 | $8,400 |
| 5474 | Painting — Residential | $4.48 | $4,640 |
| 5190 | Electrical Wiring | $2.97 | $3,130 |
| 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.
Florida's workers' compensation law (Chapter 440, Florida Statutes) applies the same way in St. Petersburg as everywhere else in the state. Construction businesses need coverage with one or more employees, and corporate officers and LLC members count. Non-construction businesses need coverage with four or more employees, full or part time. Agricultural employers need coverage with six or more regular employees or twelve or more seasonal workers.
Eligible business owners can reduce cost with an exemption. Up to three officers or LLC members of a construction company who each own at least 10% can file a construction exemption for $50, and non-construction officers can elect exemption through the Division of Corporations. Exemptions only cover the owners. Any employees still require a policy.
Because Florida carriers must start from the same manual rates, savings come from getting the details right: accurate class codes for every employee, a lower experience mod through safety programs and prompt claim reporting, the 5% Drug-Free Workplace credit under F.S. 440.102, certificates of insurance from every subcontractor, and Pay As You Go billing that matches premium to real payroll. A specialist can review all of these when quoting your St. Petersburg policy.
Florida uses the same NCCI base rates statewide, so a St. Petersburg business pays the same manual rate as a business anywhere else in Florida for the same class code. Premium is (annual payroll ÷ $100) × class code rate × experience mod, plus a $160 expense constant. For example, a St. Petersburg carpentry contractor (class 5645, Carpentry / Framing — Residential, $7.69 per $100) with $180,000 in payroll would pay about $14,002 a year before experience mod and credits. 2026 rates in Florida decreased 6.9% on average.
Yes, for most employers. Florida law applies the same requirements in St. Petersburg and Pinellas County as everywhere in the state: construction businesses need coverage with 1 or more employees (including officers and LLC members), non-construction businesses with 4 or more employees, and agricultural businesses with 6 or more regular employees or 12 or more seasonal workers.
Yes. Under Florida Statute 440.103, building departments in Pinellas County and across Florida must receive proof of workers' compensation coverage or a valid Certificate of Election to be Exempt before issuing a building permit to a contractor.
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.
Yes, once they have four or more employees, including corporate officers or LLC members. The 2026 Florida rate for restaurant class code 9082 is $1.16 per $100 of payroll, so a restaurant with $300,000 in payroll would pay roughly $3,640 a year before experience mod and credits, including the $160 expense constant.
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