Workers' comp cost for electrical contractors in Tampa
Hillsborough County has 388 electrical contractor businesses. Class 5190 is $2.969 per $100 of payroll in 2026; a 6-person Tampa crew runs about $11,045 a year.
Electrical businesses in Hillsborough County
According to County Business Patterns, 6,197 people worked at 388 electrical contractors (NAICS 238210) establishments in Hillsborough County in 2023.
That is 6.0% of the 6,480 such establishments statewide, and the fourth highest count among the nine counties that hold the ten cities in this guide series.
Annual payroll at those firms works out to about $62,082 per employee, which is the number that drives a workers' comp premium.
ZIP Code Business Patterns puts 235 electrical contractor establishments in ZIP codes whose postal city is Tampa.
Out of 4,393 construction establishments in Hillsborough County, 8.8% are electrical contractor firms.
For electrical contractor firms, Hillsborough County's average pay of $62,082 sits above Orange County ($59,529) and below Broward County ($67,492).
In the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro, 7,110 people worked as electricians in May 2024, earning a median $25.86 an hour against $25.53 for Florida as a whole.
At that metro median, one full-time worker earns about $53,790 a year, which adds roughly $1,597 of class 5190 premium.
2026 Florida class codes and rates
| Class | What it covers | Rate per $100 payroll | FWCJUA minimum premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5190 | ELECTRICAL WIRING W/IN BUILDING AND DRIVERS | $2.969 | $2,831 |
Rates are the 2026 Florida manual rates published by the FWCJUA, matching the standard filing approved by the Office of Insurance Regulation for policies effective on or after January 1, 2026.
Worked example for a Tampa crew
Picture 6 employees of a Tampa electrical business, each earning the Hillsborough County average, for $372,000 of payroll in class 5190.
At $2.969 per $100, the manual premium is about $11,045 a year, or about $1,841 per employee, before your experience modifier, credits and fees.
A Tampa business that ends up in the FWCJUA, Florida's market of last resort, pays a 93% surcharge in Tier 1 or 183% in Tiers 2 and 3, about $21,316 or $31,256 on that payroll.
The experience modifier then moves that number: at a 0.85 mod the Tampa crew would pay about $9,388, and at a 1.25 mod about $13,806.
These Tampa figures are an illustration from public data; a real quote uses your own payroll and loss history.
Class 5190 manual premium by headcount at Hillsborough County average pay
| Employees | Annual payroll | Manual premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $62,000 | $1,841 |
| 3 | $186,000 | $5,522 |
| 6 | $372,000 | $11,045 |
| 10 | $621,000 | $18,437 |
| 20 | $1,242,000 | $36,875 |
How electrical contractors are classified
Electricians wiring inside buildings are classed 5190, Electrical Wiring Within Buildings and Drivers. Outdoor line work, such as utility poles and overhead distribution, is classified separately (for example 7538 for power-line construction), so a contractor that does both must keep separate payroll records for each or the carrier can assign unrecorded payroll to the higher-rated class. Generator installs and post-storm service calls stay in 5190 when the work is on the building side of the meter.
Usually included
- Wiring, panels and fixtures inside buildings
- Service calls and generator connections on the building side
- Low-voltage and data cabling installed by electricians
- Drivers of company vehicles
Rated separately
- Utility line and pole construction
- Clerical staff (8810)
- Outside salespeople
At audit
- Separate any line or pole work from inside wiring in the payroll records; mixed records let the auditor pick the higher-rated class.
- Apprentices and helpers are rated in 5190 the same as licensed journeymen.
Permits and licensing in Tampa
In Tampa, the City of Tampa Construction Services Division handles electrical permits. Under section 440.103 of Florida law, an electrical business has to show proof of workers' comp or an exemption to receive a building permit.
To register a license with the City of Tampa Construction Services Division, every license type must show a certificate of workers' compensation insurance or proof of exemption, along with the state license and a registration form. Florida's 2021 occupational-licensing preemption (HB 735) ended most local contractor licensing once the grandfather period expired on July 1, 2025, so most Tampa contractors now work under a state-certified or state-registered license and use Hillsborough County's HillsGovHub portal. Tampa sits on the bay, and storm surge risk shapes a large share of repair work after every hurricane season.
Tampa's work mixes downtown and Water Street towers, Westshore office projects, Port Tampa Bay and MacDill Air Force Base, hospital expansions, and a large residential market across Hillsborough County. Storm repair after Helene and Milton can put unfamiliar subs on a job, so check every sub's certificate in the state Proof of Coverage database. Contractors who keep current certificates on file with their regular GCs get mobilized faster after a storm. Ybor City is a National Historic Landmark District, and exterior changes there go through the city's Barrio Latino Commission, which adds a design review step for roofers, masons and window installers. Downtown, the Water Street district has added towers, hotels and offices along the Channel District, while Tampa Electric and the city's water department coordinate the utility side of new connections.
- Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024 drove a long repair cycle across Tampa Bay, and payroll for repair trades rose with it.
- Port Tampa Bay, MacDill Air Force Base and the hospital systems keep institutional and industrial jobs in the mix.
Common claims for electrical contractors in Tampa
Tampa electricians work on downtown towers, hospital expansions and the many homes that needed electrical repairs after storm surge flooding in 2024. Salt air corrodes panels and connections on coastal buildings, so service calls often involve damaged, energized equipment.
- Shock and arc-flash burns
- Falls from ladders and lifts while pulling wire overhead
- Knee and back injuries from crawl-space and attic work
- Cuts from conduit and cable
- Heat illness on outdoor service and generator installs after storms
What to have ready for a Tampa electrical quote
- Payroll for your Tampa electrical work, split by class (5190) and with office staff listed separately
- Certificates or exemptions for every sub on your Tampa jobs, checked in the Proof of Coverage database
- Three years of loss runs for the electrical business, plus your current experience modifier if you have one
- Recent permits pulled with the City of Tampa Construction Services Division, which show the volume and type of Tampa work
- Any jobs planned outside Hillsborough County or outside Florida this year, so the policy covers them
Get a workers' comp quote for your Tampa electrical business
Send your payroll by class and your loss runs, and a licensed Bright Coast agent will shop the carriers writing electrical contractors in Hillsborough County. Certificates can be issued the same day for qualified accounts.
Questions from Tampa electrical contractors
What does workers' comp cost electrical contractors in Tampa, FL?
About $1,841 per worker per year in manual premium, if your pay matches the Hillsborough County average of $62,082. That comes from the statewide class 5190 rate of $2.969 per $100 of payroll; the location inside Florida does not change the rate.
How many electrical contractor businesses operate in Tampa?
The Census Bureau's 2023 ZIP Code Business Patterns lists 235 electrical contractor establishments in ZIP codes with a Tampa postal address, out of 388 across Hillsborough County and 6,480 statewide. Each of them needs workers' comp once it has an employee, so a current certificate is part of almost every Tampa bid package.
Where do electrical contractors in Tampa get permits, and is proof of coverage required?
Permits inside Tampa come from the City of Tampa Construction Services Division. County-level trade licensing in Hillsborough County runs through Hillsborough County contractor licensing (HillsGovHub). Construction employers in Tampa need workers' comp from their first hire; the policy or exemption shows up in the state's Proof of Coverage records that permit offices check.
Does solar panel installation stay in 5190?
Wiring inside the building and the electrical tie-in are 5190 work. Racking and panel mounting on the roof can be classified differently by the carrier, so solar contractors should confirm the split before binding.
Do Tampa contractors have to register their insurance with the city?
Yes. The City of Tampa's contractor registration asks for a certificate of workers' compensation insurance or proof of exemption, along with the state license. Keep the registration current when your policy renews, or permits can be held.
Does hurricane season change workers' comp costs for electrical contractors in Tampa?
Rates stay fixed for the policy year. What moves is payroll: after a storm, Tampa electrical contractors often add crews and overtime, and the year-end audit charges premium on every added dollar. Tell your agent when you staff up so the deposit premium keeps pace.
Sources
- Florida DBPR, Construction Industry Licensing Board
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 (metropolitan areas and Florida)
- U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 (establishments by size class, ZIPs grouped by postal city)
- Florida Statutes, Section 440.103 — Building permits; proof of workers' compensation coverage
- Florida Workers' Compensation Joint Underwriting Association, 2026 rates and minimum premiums by class
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Commissioner approves 6.9% workers' compensation rate decrease effective January 1, 2026
- FWCJUA, Bulletin 25-9: 2026 Tier 1, 2 and 3 surcharges
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 (establishments, employment and annual payroll by county and NAICS)
- Florida Statutes, Section 440.02 — Definitions (employer, construction industry, corporate officers)
- Florida Statutes, Section 440.05 — Election of exemption
- Florida Statutes, Section 440.10 — Liability for compensation (contractors and subcontractors)
- Florida Statutes, Section 440.107 — Compliance, stop-work orders and penalties
- Florida Division of Workers' Compensation, Proof of Coverage database
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census population, QuickFacts
- City of Tampa, Construction Services
- City of Tampa, Guide to contractor license registrations and insurance updates (2026)
- Hillsborough County, Apply for a Hillsborough County contractor license (HillsGovHub)
- Florida Legislature, HB 735 (2021) — Preemption of Local Occupational Licensing
- Florida Legislature, CS/HB 1579 (2024) — Occupational Licensing (local licensing sunset July 1, 2025)
- NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical cyclone climatology (Atlantic season June 1 – November 30)
Reviewed 2026-10-13. Rates and figures are for illustration; a quote depends on your payroll, classifications, experience modifier and carrier.