All 686 California workers' compensation classifications from the WCIRB Uniform Statistical Reporting Plan effective September 1, 2026 — including every dual-wage trade and its hourly threshold.
A class code is a four-digit number the WCIRB assigns to a type of work, and it determines the rate applied to that portion of your payroll. California classifies by the nature of the business as a whole rather than by each employee's individual job, which is why a single company usually carries one governing code plus a few standard exceptions. Clerical office employees, outside sales staff and drivers are the most common separately classifiable groups, and splitting that payroll correctly is often the difference between a competitive quote and an expensive one.
California is one of the few states that splits many construction classifications by hourly wage. Fifty of the entries in this list are dual-wage, paired across nine thresholds from $33 to $46 per hour. Payroll below the threshold is assigned to one code and payroll at or above it to the other, and the two halves of a pair can be rated very differently.
Two things catch contractors out. The thresholds change between plan years, so a figure that was correct last year may not be correct now. And qualification is tested at audit against actual payroll records — a contractor reported at the higher-wage code who cannot document the wages will be re-rated to the lower-wage code, which is usually the more expensive one, and billed the difference.
A class code is a four-digit number the WCIRB assigns to a type of work. It determines the rate applied to that portion of your payroll. Most employers carry more than one code, because clerical, sales and driving payroll are often classified separately from the primary operation.
California splits many construction trades into two codes separated by an hourly wage threshold. Payroll for employees earning below the threshold is assigned to one code, and payroll at or above it to the other. Fifty of the entries in this list are dual-wage, across thresholds from $33 to $46 per hour.
Classification follows the nature of the business as a whole, not each employee's individual duties. The description in this list is the starting point, but final classification is determined by the carrier and the WCIRB, and it is tested at audit against your actual records.
An incorrect code can be corrected at audit and applied retroactively, which produces either a refund or an additional premium bill. Dual-wage codes are the most common source of adjustment, because qualification for the higher-wage code has to be supported by payroll records.
Some classifications carry sub-designations that distinguish related operations within one code family. They are part of the classification and should be reported exactly as shown, since the sub-designations can be rated differently.
The codes and descriptions come from the WCIRB's published Uniform Statistical Reporting Plan effective September 1, 2026. This page is a searchable reference compiled by Wellington Partners for convenience; it is not a substitute for the WCIRB's own publications or a carrier's classification determination.
This list is a reference, not a determination. Final classification is assigned by your carrier and the WCIRB and is verified at audit. If you want a second set of eyes on how your payroll is currently classified, we review it at no charge — that review is where most of the money in a workers' compensation policy actually sits.
Misclassification is the most common reason California employers overpay for workers' compensation. Send us your current policy and we will tell you what we find.