California Drywall Workers Comp Rates (2026)
The published California pure premium for drywall workers comp, class 5446 (Wallboard Installation, within buildings (employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $45.00 per hour)), is $6.233 per $100 of payroll (effective September 1, 2026). California carriers currently charge about this level on average.
California carriers file their own rates. Rating bureau data shows the average charged rate running at about the level of the average advisory pure premium, so the figure is used as-is here. Your quote can be lower or higher. Source.
California class codes for drywall
- 5446: Wallboard Installation, within buildings (employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $45.00 per hour)
- 5447: Wallboard Installation, within buildings (employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $45.00 per hour)
California does not use NCCI: the WCIRB is an independent rating bureau with its own classification system and codes, and many construction trades are split into dual wage classes where each employee's payroll goes to a low-wage or high-wage code based on that employee's regular hourly wage.
Drywall work carries lifting injuries from heavy sheets, dust exposure, and ladder and scaffold falls on high walls and ceilings.
What comp costs per drywall installer in California
The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts 27,280 drywall and ceiling tile installers on payrolls in California (May 2025), the 1st largest workforce of the 49 states with published figures. The median wage is $31.67 an hour, 12% above the US median of $28.33.
This trade is a bigger part of the California job market than it is nationally: drywall and ceiling tile installers hold 2.8 times their national share of jobs there.
At the published California pure premium of $6.23 per $100 of payroll for class 5446, which California carriers charge at about face value on average, comp on one worker at that wage costs about $1.97 for every hour worked, or $4,104 a year full time. A 3-person crew comes to roughly $12,312 a year in premium before any experience mod.
Because premium is charged on payroll, who you hire moves the bill. California pay runs from $22.14 an hour at the 10th percentile to $57.81 at the 90th, so the same rate costs $1.38 an hour on a new hire and $3.60 on a senior hand.
Workers comp requirements in California
- Coverage required: 1 employee
- Owners and sole proprietors: Owners excluded only by written waiver; licensed roofers must carry even with no employees
- State fund: Competitive state fund (State Compensation Insurance Fund)
- Waiting period: 3 days; waived if hospitalized or disability exceeds 14 days
- Penalty for going without: Misdemeanor; fine of at least $10,000, stop-work orders, and CSLB license suspension
California uses its own WCIRB rating bureau, and SB 216 will require every licensed contractor to carry coverage even with no employees (effective 2028; roofers already).
California vs neighboring states
- Oregon: about $4.06 per $100 of payroll
California has the highest drywall comp rate in its region; every neighboring state charges less per $100 of payroll.
If your crews work across the line, list those states under item 3.A or 3.C of your policy before the job starts. Rates follow the state where the work is done, not where your office is.
What moves a drywall comp bill
- Drywall hangers and tapers usually share one class. Stilt and scaffold falls and lifting injuries are the claims to manage.
- Piece-rate pay is common in drywall. Comp is still charged on the full amount paid, so piece-rate crews do not lower premium.
- Drywall subs without their own coverage are the largest audit risk in this trade. Collect certificates before the first board goes up.
- If you also frame or do acoustic ceilings, those can be separate classes. Record payroll for each kind of work.