What this lookup does, and what it deliberately does not do
Type a trade, a keyword or a four-digit number and this returns every matching California workers compensation classification, with the full published wording of each one. Searching “roofing” returns five; searching “5552” returns the roofing classification that carries the hourly-wage threshold.
It reports what the WCIRB publishes. It does not tell you which classification applies to your business, because that depends on what your employees actually do, how the work is split, and how a carrier's auditor reads it — which is a question for your broker and ultimately for the carrier, not for a web page.
Nothing typed here is sent anywhere or stored. If you go on to request a quote, our privacy policy sets out what we do with what you send.
Two things this list cannot keep current on its own. Fifty of these classifications carry a dual wage hourly threshold written into their published wording — $35.00 through $46.00 — and those are revised periodically, so the figures shown here are current as of the verification date rather than permanently. Verify the classification and any applicable wage threshold with the WCIRB and with the carrier before relying on either. Outside California, workers compensation classifications are generally published by NCCI rather than the WCIRB, and some states operate their own system, so confirm against the rating organization for the state the payroll is actually in.
Why the classification matters more than most employers expect
On a workers compensation policy the classification and the payroll assigned to it are what drive the premium. Two contractors with identical payroll can pay very different premiums because the work sits in different classifications.
Most contractors carry more than one — commonly at least one field or labor classification and one clerical classification — and the split of payroll between them is what an audit examines. A classification that was right when the policy was written can stop being right when the operations change, which is a common reason an audit produces an unexpected result.
That is the case this lookup is built for: checking what the published list actually says, for a first policy or for operations that have changed since the last one.
Frequently asked questions
10 questions — start typing to filter
Does State Compensation Insurance Fund use these same class codes?
Yes. Every workers compensation carrier writing in California rates from the same WCIRB classification system, State Compensation Insurance Fund included, so the code you find here is the code that applies whichever carrier writes the policy. What differs between workers comp insurance companies is the rate applied to the code, the credits available and how an audit is handled — not the classification itself.
Does this tool tell me which class code to use?
No. It searches and displays the classifications the WCIRB publishes, with their full wording. Which one applies to a particular business depends on what the employees actually do and how a carrier's auditor reads it, so that is a question for your broker and the carrier rather than for a lookup tool.
Where does the classification list come from?
The California Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB), which publishes the classification system used in California. This copy was verified against their classification search on September 26, 2026, and every result links back to their own entry for that code.
Can I search by number as well as by trade?
Yes. Type a four-digit code such as 5552 to see that classification's full published wording, or type a trade or keyword such as roofing, drywall or HVAC to see every classification that mentions it.
Is anything I type here sent to Gleason Insurance Brokers?
No. The search runs entirely in your browser against a list loaded with the page. Nothing is sent or stored, and nothing is entered into a quote form.
How many classifications are there?
692 in the California system as published by the WCIRB at the date this list was verified. The bureau updates the classification system periodically, so the WCIRB's own search remains the authority and every result here links to it.
Why do most contractors have more than one class code?
Because different work falls into different classifications. It is common for a contractor to carry at least one field or labor classification and one clerical classification, with payroll split between them. How that split is reported is a routine subject of a premium audit.
What happens if the classification on a policy is wrong?
It commonly surfaces at a premium audit, and the result can be an additional premium or a return premium depending on which direction the error ran. Outcomes vary by carrier and by the facts, so an audit result is not something that can be predicted from the classification alone.
Do the hourly wage thresholds in these classifications change?
Yes. A number of California classifications are split by a dual wage threshold — the same trade is classified differently depending on whether employees earn at or above a stated hourly wage — and those thresholds are revised periodically. Fifty of the classifications in this list carry one. What is shown here is current as of the verification date above, so confirm the present threshold with the WCIRB before relying on it, particularly where a payroll sits close to the line.
Does this help outside California?
Only as background. This list is the California classification system published by the WCIRB. In other states workers compensation classifications are generally published by NCCI, and some states operate their own system, so a California code should not be assumed to carry over. Confirm against the rating organization for the state the payroll is in.