Workers' Comp for Roofing Contractors in Georgia
Yes, once you regularly employ three or more people. Georgia's threshold under O.C.G.A. §34-9-2 counts full-time, part-time and seasonal workers alike — and if you are incorporated or an LLC, officers and members count toward the three.
The rule in Georgia
- Coverage is required once you regularly employ three or more people. Full-time, part-time and seasonal all count.
- If the business is a corporation or an LLC, officers and members count toward the three — a three-person incorporated crew is in scope even with no outside hires.
- Up to five corporate officers or LLC members may exempt themselves from coverage by filing Form WC-10, but the exemption does not remove them from the head count that triggers the requirement.
- There is no construction-specific lower threshold in Georgia — the rule is the same three-employee test for every industry.
A three-person incorporated roofing outfit is in scope in Georgia, because officers count toward the three under O.C.G.A. §34-9-2. Georgia has no lower construction threshold — the same three-employee test applies.
The most common Georgia mistake: two owners plus one helper, incorporated, assuming they are under the limit. They are not.
The class codes that apply to roofing
Your class code decides your rate basis, and in Georgia it can decide whether you are covered by the requirement at all. These are the NCCI classifications that normally carry roofing payroll.
| Code | Classification | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
5551 | Roofing — All Kinds & Drivers | The core roofing code. Covers tear-off, installation and repair of all roof types, plus the drivers who haul material to the job. |
5645 | Carpentry — Detached One- or Two-Family Dwellings | Where a residential roofer also builds the roof deck, sheathing and framing on detached one- or two-family homes, that work is described by 5645. |
5403 | Carpentry NOC | Commercial and mixed-use carpentry, including work on buildings that combine residential and commercial use. |
Classification wording follows the NCCI Scopes manual. Your governing code is assigned by the carrier or rating bureau on the facts of your operation — treat this as orientation, not an assignment.
What underwriters will ask you
Roofing is one of the hardest classes in the country to place. Carriers decline it outright, appetite shifts by season, and the contractor usually finds out only after a week of waiting.
- Percentage of work at height, and maximum height worked
- Residential versus commercial split, and steep-slope versus low-slope
- Hot-work / torch-down exposure and any kettle use
- Subcontractor payroll and whether you collect certificates from every sub
- Three to five years of loss runs, and your experience modifier if you have one
- Fall-protection program, tie-off policy, and who enforces it on site
Having these answers ready is the difference between a quote this week and a quote next month. Our intake asks for them once, in plain language.
Why roofing is hard to place
Because 5551 is a high-hazard code, roofing gets filtered out of the instant-quote platforms that advertise to "small business." That is precisely the gap Anvil exists to close.
Get roofing coverage moving in Georgia
Answer a handful of questions about your crew, your payroll and your Georgia operations. We route it to licensed agents who actually write 5551.
Start a quote — 3 minutesNo premium quoted on this site. We route your details to licensed agents who write your class of work.
Common questions
Do Georgia roofing contractors need workers' compensation insurance?
Yes, once you regularly employ three or more people. Georgia's threshold under O.C.G.A. §34-9-2 counts full-time, part-time and seasonal workers alike — and if you are incorporated or an LLC, officers and members count toward the three.
What workers' comp class code applies to roofing work?
5551 — Roofing — All Kinds & Drivers. The core roofing code. Covers tear-off, installation and repair of all roof types, plus the drivers who haul material to the job. Related codes that often carry part of the payroll: 5645 (Carpentry — Detached One- or Two-Family Dwellings), 5403 (Carpentry NOC).
Does Anvil quote a premium?
No. Anvil is a lead-generation and referral service, not an insurance agency or carrier. We collect your details once and connect you with licensed agents who write your class of work. We do not quote premiums, name carriers or recommend coverage.
How fast can a roofing contractor get a certificate of insurance?
That depends on the agent and carrier, not on us. What we control is the handoff: your details reach an agent who writes your class of work the same business day, instead of you re-typing the same information into five forms.