California Roofing Workers Comp Rates (2026)

The published California pure premium for roofing workers comp, class 5552 (Roofing, all kinds, including shop, yard or storage operations (employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $33.00 per hour)), is $20.827 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 roofing

5552: Roofing, all kinds, including shop, yard or storage operations (employees whose regular hourly wage does not equal or exceed $33.00 per hour)
5553: Roofing, all kinds, including shop, yard or storage operations (employees whose regular hourly wage equals or exceeds $33.00 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.

Falls are the main hazard in roofing. In 2023 roofing contractors accounted for 110 fatal falls, 26 percent of all fatal falls in construction (BLS).

What comp costs per roofer in California

The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts 21,190 roofers on payrolls in California (May 2025), the 2nd largest workforce among the 50 states and DC. The median wage is $30.58 an hour, 15% above the US median of $26.65.

This trade is a bigger part of the California job market than it is nationally: roofers hold 1.3 times their national share of jobs there.

At the published California pure premium of $20.83 per $100 of payroll for class 5552, which California carriers charge at about face value on average, comp on one worker at that wage costs about $6.37 for every hour worked, or $13,249 a year full time. A 4-person crew comes to roughly $52,997 a year in premium before any experience mod.

Because premium is charged on payroll, who you hire moves the bill. California pay runs from $23.38 an hour at the 10th percentile to $42.79 at the 90th, so the same rate costs $4.87 an hour on a new hire and $8.91 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 $8.63 per $100 of payroll

California has the highest roofing 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 roofing comp bill

Falls drive roofing claims, and one serious fall can push your experience mod well above 1.0 for three policy years. A written fall-protection plan and documented toolbox talks are what carriers ask to see before they offer a safety credit.
Uninsured subcontractors are the most common audit surprise in roofing. If a sub cannot show you a certificate of insurance, the auditor adds what you paid them to your own payroll at the roofing rate.
Estimators and salespeople who never go on a roof can often be classed separately at a far lower rate, but only if your payroll records show their hours apart from field work.
Overtime premium (the extra half in time and a half) is excluded from comp payroll in most states. Record it separately so you are not charged the roofing rate on it.