North Carolina Workers Comp Class Codes & Coverage

North Carolina Workers' Comp Requirements & 2026 Rate Changes

North Carolina requires all employers with 3 or more employees to carry workers' compensation insurance. This is lower than many states — Florida requires 4 (non-construction) and Texas is optional. The lower threshold means more NC businesses are legally required to carry coverage than in most other states.

Rates are set by the North Carolina Rate Bureau (NCRB) and approved by the NC Commissioner of Insurance. The 2026 rates shown here became effective April 1, 2026. These are NCRB advisory loss costs — your carrier applies a loss cost multiplier (LCM) to arrive at the final rate. Most voluntary market carriers in NC have LCMs between 1.10 and 1.40.

NC construction employers face particularly strict enforcement. The NC Industrial Commission actively audits construction sites and can issue stop-work orders and fines for uninsured employers. Fines are assessed at $100 per day per uninsured employee.

Top North Carolina Class Codes