New York Plumbing Workers Comp Rates (2026)
The published New York loss cost for plumbing workers comp, class 5183 (Plumbing - NOC - All Operations to Completion & Drivers), is $3.519 per $100 of payroll (effective October 1, 2026). Carriers multiply it by their own filed multiplier, so a typical premium is about $5.28.
A loss cost covers expected claims only. Each carrier files its own multiplier for expenses; in the states that publish the full list, the median is about 1.5, which is what the typical premium here uses. Your quote can be lower or higher. Source.
New York class code for plumbing
- 5183: Plumbing - NOC - All Operations to Completion & Drivers
New York is an independent bureau state: it uses 4-digit codes that look like NCCI codes, but several NCCI classes do not exist in New York (no 5551, 5537, 5478 or 5436), roofing is split by roof pitch, and carpentry is split by building type and height.
Plumbing work involves back strain, cuts, burns from soldering and hot water, and work in crawl spaces and other confined spaces.
What comp costs per plumber in New York
The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts 23,210 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters on payrolls in New York (May 2025), the 4th largest workforce among the 50 states and DC. The median wage is $37.26 an hour, 21% above the US median of $30.67.
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make up about the same share of New York jobs as they do nationally (location quotient 0.80).
At a typical New York premium of about $5.28 per $100 of payroll (the published loss cost of $3.52 for class 5183 times a 1.5 carrier multiplier), comp on one worker at that wage costs about $1.97 for every hour worked, or $4,092 a year full time. A 2-person crew comes to roughly $8,184 a year in premium before any experience mod.
Because premium is charged on payroll, who you hire moves the bill. New York pay runs from $22.18 an hour at the 10th percentile to $62.70 at the 90th, so the same rate costs $1.17 an hour on a new hire and $3.31 on a senior hand.
Workers comp requirements in New York
- Coverage required: 1 employee
- Owners and sole proprietors: A sole proprietor with no employees is exempt; adding one employee triggers the full requirement
- State fund: Competitive state fund (New York State Insurance Fund)
- Waiting period: 7 days; retroactive to day one if disability extends beyond 14 days
- Penalty for going without: $2,000 per 10-day period (under 10 employees), $5,000 for larger, plus criminal exposure
New York uses the independent NYCIRB (not NCCI) and separately mandates statutory Disability Benefits Law coverage alongside workers comp.
New York vs neighboring states
- Connecticut: about $3.81 per $100 of payroll
- Massachusetts: about $2.22 per $100 of payroll
- New Jersey: about $4.46 per $100 of payroll
- Pennsylvania: about $2.47 per $100 of payroll
- Vermont: about $4.28 per $100 of payroll
New York has the highest plumbing 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 plumbing comp bill
- Plumbing rates sit in the middle of the construction classes; the swing comes from your experience mod. Trench and excavation injuries are the costly claims, so trench-safety training pays back quickly.
- Some states split residential and commercial plumbing into different classes. If you do both, make sure the payroll for each is recorded so the cheaper work is not rated at the higher class.
- Apprentices carry the same class rate as journeymen, but their lower wages mean less premium per hour. Your payroll mix matters as much as the rate.
- Uninsured subs (excavators, drywall patchers) get added to your payroll at audit unless you collect certificates before they start.