California Electrical Workers Comp Rates (2026)
The published California pure premium for electrical workers comp, class 5190 (Electrical Wiring, within buildings (employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $40.00 per hour)), is $3.729 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 electrical
- 5190: Electrical Wiring, within buildings (employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $40.00 per hour)
- 5140: Electrical Wiring, within buildings (employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $40.00 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.
Electrical work carries shock, arc flash and fall hazards. Outside power line construction is a separate class, 7538.
What comp costs per electrician in California
The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts 73,310 electricians on payrolls in California (May 2025), the 2nd largest workforce among the 50 states and DC. The median wage is $36.62 an hour, 21% above the US median of $30.38.
Electricians make up about the same share of California jobs as they do nationally (location quotient 0.83).
At the published California pure premium of $3.73 per $100 of payroll for class 5190, which California carriers charge at about face value on average, comp on one worker at that wage costs about $1.37 for every hour worked, or $2,841 a year full time. A 2-person crew comes to roughly $5,682 a year in premium before any experience mod.
Because premium is charged on payroll, who you hire moves the bill. California pay runs from $22.50 an hour at the 10th percentile to $67.47 at the 90th, so the same rate costs $0.84 an hour on a new hire and $2.52 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 $1.31 per $100 of payroll
California has the highest electrical 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 electrical comp bill
- Electrical is one of the cheaper construction classes, so overstated payroll often costs more than the rate itself. Estimate payroll honestly at renewal and true it up at audit.
- Ladder falls and shocks are the typical claims. Lockout and tagout procedures that are actually followed are what keep the experience mod under 1.0.
- Low-voltage, alarm, and solar work can carry different class codes in some states. Ask your agent before you add those lines to the business.
- Office staff and estimators who stay out of the field can usually be rated as clerical. Keep their hours off the field timesheets.