NCCI Class Codes for South Carolina Contractors Workers Comp

Reviewed by Vic Morgano, licensed SC insurance agent, The Morgano Agency, 206B Pine Knoll Dr, Greenville SC. Last updated June 2026. NCCI workers comp class codes for South Carolina small contractors run from 5645 carpentry at $5 to $8 per $100 of payroll up to 5551 roofing at $15 to $25 per $100, with electrical, painting, and concrete in between. In our Greenville office the single thing that moves a contractor's premium most is not the carrier, it is the class code we put each crew member on. Most of the Upstate crews we write, from framers off Wade Hampton Boulevard to roofers working subdivisions out toward Greer and Mauldin, get misclassified somewhere, and that one line on the policy is worth thousands a year.

Reviewed by Vic Morgano, founder and licensed South Carolina insurance agent (SC insurance license #612823), The Morgano Agency Inc. Serving Greenville and the Upstate since 1998. Last updated June 10, 2026.

What is the NCCI class code for carpenters in SC?

Carpenters in South Carolina usually fall under NCCI class code 5645 (Carpentry NOC), which runs about $5 to $8 per $100 of payroll. Related work has its own codes: 5403 covers carpentry on detached one and two family dwellings, and 5651 covers cabinetry. The exact code depends on what the crew actually builds, and the carrier verifies it at the annual audit (you can confirm a class against the NCCI classification system). A contractor carrying $250,000 in carpenter payroll generally pays $12,500 to $20,000 a year for SC workers comp at that rate. Most of the framing crews we handle around Greenville are clean 5645, but finish carpenters who also hang drywall need that split documented or the auditor lumps everything at the higher rate.

What is the NCCI class code for roofers in SC?

Roofers in South Carolina fall under NCCI class code 5551 (Roofing, All Kinds and Drivers), which runs higher, in the $15 to $25 per $100 of payroll range, because of the fall exposure. That is the number that surprises people: a five person roofing crew with $250,000 in annual payroll commonly pays $37,500 to $62,500 a year for SC workers comp. We see a lot of general contractors on jobs out toward Simpsonville and Taylors try to slot roofers into carpentry code 5403 to save money, and that backfires at audit. If a GC subcontracts the roofing to a crew that carries its own coverage, that payroll comes off the GC's policy, which is usually the cheaper and cleaner route. Rates ride on filings the carrier submits through the SC Department of Insurance.

What are SC electrical contractor NCCI codes?

Electrical contractors in South Carolina generally use NCCI class code 5190 (Electrical Wiring Within Buildings), which runs about $5 to $9 per $100 of payroll. Outside line work, the utility and pole work, sits on a different code with a much higher rate, so a shop that does both needs the payroll split correctly. A four person electrical contracting business here in Greenville with $220,000 in annual payroll typically pays $11,000 to $20,000 a year for SC workers comp under 5190. I tell electricians the same thing every time: if you ever start picking up outside line work, call me before the audit, not after, because that is exactly the kind of thing the SC Workers' Compensation Commission and your carrier will reconcile.

Why does NCCI class code matter for SC contractors?

The class code sets the per $100 of payroll rate, and the spread is enormous: carpentry sits around $5 to $8, painting around $7 to $10, concrete around $10 to $15, and roofing $15 to $25. That means a four person contracting operation can pay roughly $15,000 or $45,000 on the same payroll depending entirely on how the crews are coded. When a code is too low for the actual work, the carrier catches it at the annual premium audit and back charges the difference plus penalties, which is a brutal bill to get in the middle of a busy season. We have walked too many Greenville County contractors through that surprise, so we review every class assignment before binding rather than after.

Can SC contractors split work across multiple class codes?

Yes. South Carolina contractors who do more than one type of work can split payroll across multiple NCCI codes and pay each code's own rate on its portion. Office and clerical staff, for instance, ride on code 8810 at roughly $0.30 per $100, far below any field code. The split is only valid with real documentation of time and task by employee, and the carrier audits it every year. In our Greenville office we sit down with contractor clients, walk through who actually does what, and pin down the legitimate splits that lower the overall premium without inviting an audit problem. If you want us to look at how your crews are currently coded, the workers comp team at The Morgano Agency can review your existing policy.

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