What code 5479 covers
Typical duties
- Blowing cellulose or fiberglass into attics in Florida homes
- Installing batts in walls before drywall goes up
- Fitting rigid board and radiant barrier foil under roof decks
- Installing sound attenuation batts in commercial partitions
- Dense-packing walls in existing homes through drilled holes
- Loading the blowing machine truck and driving it between jobs
Operations included
- Acoustical or thermal insulation in buildings or within building walls
- Flexible, loose-fill, board and reflective insulation, by hand, blower, nailing or adhesive
- Drivers for the insulation contractor
- Insulation done as its own job, not as part of the same contractor’s other construction work on that site
What code 5479 does not cover
- Suspended acoustical grid ceilings: Code 5020
- Insulating boilers and steam pipes: Code 5183
- Asbestos abatement: Code 5473, or 5472 for pipe and boiler work
- Insulation a roofer installs as part of a roofing job: Code 5551
Code 5479 rate and cost context
5479 was $8.25 on the 2022 FWCJUA table and is $4.587 for 2026, close to half of where it was four years earlier.
The FWCJUA rate table prints 5479 as Acoustical Material Installation, while Florida’s construction class list in rule 69L-6.021 names it Insulation Work NOC. It is the same code and the same rate.
| Year | Rate per $100 |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $8.25 |
| 2023 | $7.05 |
| 2024 | $5.59 |
| 2025 | $5.18 |
| 2026 | $4.587 |
If you are placed in the FWCJUA
Florida’s residual market charges the voluntary rate plus a surcharge on the voluntary premium: 93% in Tier 1 and 183% in Tiers 2 and 3 for 2026. On this code that works out to about $8.85 (Tier 1) or $12.98 (Tiers 2–3) per $100 of payroll before any experience mod.
Example: estimating code 5479 premium
An insulation contractor with three blow-in crews reports this payroll in 5479.
| Annual payroll in this code | $210,000 |
| Voluntary-market premium (rate × payroll ÷ 100) | $9,633 |
| FWCJUA Tier 1 (with 93% surcharge) | $18,591 |
| FWCJUA Tiers 2–3 (with 183% surcharge) | $27,261 |
Example only. Assumes no experience modification, schedule credits, expense constant or taxes. Minimum premium applies if the result is lower ($619 / FWCJUA $2,900).
Misclassification pitfalls for code 5479
Using 5479 for insulation that is part of another trade
If a roofer, drywall contractor or builder installs the insulation as part of its own job on the site, that work stays in that contractor’s code. 5479 is for specialists doing insulation as a separate operation.
Putting grid ceilings in the insulation code
Acoustical ceilings sound like acoustical insulation, but suspended grid ceiling installation is Code 5020. Keep those hours apart.
Assuming spray foam is automatically 5479
The NCCI scope for 5479 names blankets, loose fill, mineral wool, board stock and reflective foil, but it does not name spray-applied foam. Before you bind, get the underwriter to confirm in writing which code they will use for foam crews, especially if the foam is applied to a roof.
Missing certificates from install crews
Insulation installers are often paid per job. Under section 440.10 a contractor is liable for an uninsured sub’s workers, and Florida construction coverage starts at one employee.
Codes that sit next to 5479
- Code 5020: for suspended acoustical grid ceiling installation.
- Code 5183: for plumbing, which also covers boiler and steam pipe insulating.
- Code 5473: for asbestos removal contractors.
- Code 5551: for roofing, including insulation the roofer installs on its own jobs.
- Code 5445: for wallboard installation within buildings.
Payroll and audit notes for code 5479
Payroll in 5479 includes installers, blower operators, helpers and drivers.
Per-job or per-square-foot pay to installers counts as payroll unless the installer has a policy or a valid Florida exemption.
Keep the job tickets that show insulation was a separate contract.
Who usually reports code 5479
- Attic and wall insulation contractors
- Blown-in cellulose specialists
- Radiant barrier installers
- Commercial acoustical insulation subs
Code 5479 questions
What is class code 5479?
It is Insulation Work NOC and Drivers, for specialists who install thermal or acoustical insulation in buildings. Florida’s 2026 rate is $4.587 per $100 of payroll.
Why does the FWCJUA table say Acoustical Material Installation for 5479?
That is the label on the FWCJUA rate table. Florida’s construction class list names 5479 Insulation Work NOC. The code and rate are the same.
Is spray foam insulation 5479?
NCCI’s 5479 scope does not name spray foam, so confirm the code with the underwriter. Foam a roofer applies as part of a roofing job stays in roofing.
Is 5479 a construction code in Florida?
Yes. It is on Florida’s construction class list, so coverage is required from the first employee.
What is the minimum premium for 5479?
For 2026 it is $619 in the voluntary market and $2,900 in the FWCJUA.
Sources
- NCCI: Summary of the Florida Workers Compensation Rate Filing Recommendation Effective January 1, 2026
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation: Commissioner approves 6.9% workers’ compensation rate decrease effective January 1, 2026 (Nov. 17, 2025)
- Florida Workers’ Compensation Joint Underwriting Association (FWCJUA): Rates (2022–2026 rate tables and minimum premiums)
- FWCJUA: Bulletins (Bulletin 25-9: 2026 Tier 1, 2 and 3 surcharges)
- NCCI Scopes Manual: National Scopes, Code 5479 (Insulation Work NOC & Drivers)
- Florida Administrative Code: Rule 69L-6.021 — Construction Industry Classification Codes, Descriptions, and Operations Scope of Exemption
- Florida Statutes: Section 440.10 — Liability for compensation (contractors and subcontractors)
Facts checked October 19, 2026.