Tampa framing contractors: workers' comp rates and a real payroll example
Hillsborough County has 61 framing contractor businesses. Class 5645 is $7.689 per $100 of payroll in 2026; a 6-person Tampa crew runs about $23,605 a year.
Framing businesses in Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County had 61 framing contractors (NAICS 238130) establishments in 2023, employing 606 people, according to the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns.
That is 7.4% of the 821 such establishments statewide, and the second highest count among the nine counties that hold the ten cities in this guide series.
Divide their reported annual payroll by headcount and the average is about $51,096 per employee, the base your premium is calculated on.
Narrowing to ZIP codes with a Tampa postal address, the same Census program lists 20 framing contractor establishments in 2023.
Of all construction businesses in Hillsborough County, 1.4% are framing contractor firms (61 of 4,393).
For framing contractor firms, Hillsborough County's average pay of $51,096 sits above Broward County ($50,632) and below Orange County ($61,440).
The Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 5,370 carpenters in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro area in May 2024, at a median wage of $23.64 an hour, above the Florida median of $23.12.
At that metro median, one full-time worker earns about $49,170 a year, which adds roughly $3,781 of class 5645 premium.
2026 Florida class codes and rates
| Class | What it covers | Rate per $100 payroll | FWCJUA minimum premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5645 | CARPENTRY - DETACHED DWELLINGS | $7.689 | $2,900 |
| 5651 | CARPENTRY - DWELLINGS - 3 STORIES/LESS | $4.886 | $2,900 |
| 5403 | CARPENTRY NOC | $4.364 | $2,900 |
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
Take a 6-person Tampa crew paid the county average: $307,000 of annual payroll in class 5645.
At $7.689 per $100, the manual premium is about $23,605 a year, or about $3,934 per employee, before your experience modifier, credits and fees.
Without a voluntary carrier, the FWCJUA would charge about $45,558 (Tier 1, 93% surcharge) or $66,803 (Tiers 2 and 3, 183% surcharge) for the same Tampa payroll.
The experience modifier then moves that number: at a 0.85 mod the Tampa crew would pay about $20,064, and at a 1.25 mod about $29,506.
This is an illustration built from public averages, not a quote.
Class 5645 manual premium by headcount at Hillsborough County average pay
| Employees | Annual payroll | Manual premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $51,000 | $3,921 |
| 3 | $153,000 | $11,764 |
| 6 | $307,000 | $23,605 |
| 10 | $511,000 | $39,291 |
| 20 | $1,022,000 | $78,582 |
How framing contractors are classified
Framing payroll is split by the building, not the crew. Framing a detached single-family or duplex home is 5645, the highest of the three carpentry rates at $7.689 per $100. Framing larger residential buildings three stories or less is 5651 at $4.886, and commercial framing goes to 5403 at $4.364. A framer who works across all three must keep job-by-job payroll records, because without them the auditor can put every hour in 5645.
Usually included
- Wall, floor and roof framing
- Truss setting
- Sheathing installation
- Wood and light-gauge framing by the same crew
Rated separately
- Crane operators supplied by a crane company
- Finish carpentry and cabinet installation
- Clerical staff (8810)
At audit
- Record payroll by job and building type; without that split the auditor can rate every hour at the detached-dwelling rate.
- Truss setting with a crane operator on the payroll can bring in an additional code for the operator.
Permits and licensing in Tampa
Before a Tampa framing job starts, the contractor pulls framing work under the building permit from the City of Tampa Construction Services Division, and state law requires proof of workers' comp or an exemption as part of that application.
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 framing contractors in Tampa
Tampa framers work on infill homes, townhomes and renovations of storm-damaged houses, along with production housing in the outer parts of Hillsborough County. Wind-load requirements on coastal homes add strapping and sheathing nailing schedules that keep framers on top plates longer.
- Falls from top plates, trusses and wall openings
- Nail-gun puncture wounds
- Struck-by injuries when walls or trusses are raised
- Strains from carrying sheathing and lumber
- Heat illness on open-deck framing in summer
What to have ready for a Tampa framing quote
- Payroll for your Tampa framing work, split by class (5645, 5651, 5403) 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 framing 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 framing business
Send your payroll by class and your loss runs, and a licensed Bright Coast agent will shop the carriers writing framing contractors in Hillsborough County. Certificates can be issued the same day for qualified accounts.
Questions from Tampa framing contractors
How much is workers' comp for a framing business in Tampa?
Florida rates are set statewide, so a Tampa business pays the same $7.689 per $100 of payroll for class 5645 as anywhere else in the state. What changes is payroll: at Hillsborough County's 2023 average of about $51,096 per employee, each worker adds roughly $3,934 of manual premium a year before your experience modifier and credits.
How many framing contractor businesses operate in Tampa?
The Census Bureau's 2023 ZIP Code Business Patterns lists 20 framing contractor establishments in ZIP codes with a Tampa postal address, out of 61 across Hillsborough County and 821 statewide. Any of those Tampa firms with employees must insure them, which is why owners and GCs ask for a certificate before work starts.
Where do framing 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.
Why is single-family framing rated higher than commercial framing?
approved rates come from the loss history of each class. Florida's 2026 rate for 5645 (detached one- and two-family dwellings) is higher than 5651 or 5403 because that class has produced more and costlier claims per dollar of payroll.
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 framing contractors in Tampa?
The rate does not change with the season, but the bill can. Premium is calculated on audited payroll, so the storm-repair work that follows a hurricane in Tampa raises payroll and, with it, the final audited premium. Updating your payroll estimate mid-term avoids a large audit bill.
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.