What code 0042 covers
Typical duties
- Mowing, edging, string-trimming and blowing on residential and commercial accounts
- Planting shrubs, trees, sod and annual beds
- Spreading mulch, rock and fertilizer, and hand weeding
- Low hedge and shrub trimming done from the ground
- Seasonal cleanup and debris hauling
- Driving crew trucks and trailers between properties
Operations included
- Lawn care and grounds maintenance contractors
- Landscape installation of plants, sod and mulch
- Fertilization and weed control done as part of landscape service
- Drivers and helpers of the landscaping business
What code 0042 does not cover
- Tree pruning, trimming, removal and climbing work: 0106
- Growing plants for sale at a nursery: farm nursery code 0005
- Pavers, retaining walls and stone hardscape: masonry codes such as 5022
- Metal fence installation: 6400
- Groundskeepers employed by a park operator: 9102 Park NOC
Code 0042 rate and cost context
The 2026 rate for 0042 is $4.144 per $100 of payroll. It has dropped every year since 2022, and the cumulative change is large, so a landscaping policy priced on an old quote is likely overpriced.
Mower and trimmer injuries, heat illness and lifting strains drive most 0042 claims in Florida. Heat-safety routines and blade-guard checks are worth documenting because they show up in the experience mod.
The tree-work code 0106 is filed much higher, which is why the line between ground-level trimming and climbing or bucket work is the single most important classification question for a landscaper.
| Year | Rate per $100 |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $6.69 |
| 2023 | $5.83 |
| 2024 | $4.81 |
| 2025 | $4.63 |
| 2026 | $4.144 |
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 $8.00 (Tier 1) or $11.73 (Tiers 2–3) per $100 of payroll before any experience mod.
Example: estimating code 0042 premium
Take a landscaping company with three mowing crews and an install crew, $350,000 of annual payroll in code 0042.
| Annual payroll in this code | $350,000 |
| Voluntary-market premium (rate × payroll ÷ 100) | $14,504 |
| FWCJUA Tier 1 (with 93% surcharge) | $27,993 |
| FWCJUA Tiers 2–3 (with 183% surcharge) | $41,046 |
Example only. Assumes no experience modification, schedule credits, expense constant or taxes. Minimum premium applies if the result is lower ($574 / FWCJUA $2,900).
Misclassification pitfalls for code 0042
Doing tree work under 0042
If crews climb, use bucket trucks or fell trees, that payroll belongs in 0106. Keep tree jobs on separate invoices and time records, or the auditor may apply 0106 to the whole crew.
Hardscape crews in the lawn code
Paver patios, retaining walls and stonework are masonry operations. A landscape company that installs hardscape should report that payroll in the masonry code.
Seasonal and day labor left off
Florida’s non-construction threshold is four employees, and part-time and seasonal workers count. Day laborers paid in cash are still payroll at audit.
Using an outdated code from an old page
0042 has been confused with other numbers on older sites, including 7720, which is the security guard code. The landscaping code is 0042.
Codes that sit next to 0042
- Code 0106: for tree pruning, trimming and removal, including climbing and aerial lift work.
- Code 0005: for nurseries that grow plants for sale rather than install them.
- Code 5022: for paver, stone and retaining-wall installation.
- Code 6400: for metal fence erection.
- Code 9102: for employees of a park operator who maintain the grounds.
Payroll and audit notes for code 0042
Count hourly pay, piece-rate pay per yard or property, bonuses and cash paid to day labor. Payments to an uninsured subcontracted crew are usually added at audit.
Splitting a worker between 0042 and 0106 requires time records by job. A simple daily log of which jobs were tree work is usually enough.
Keep invoices that describe the service. The auditor reads them to confirm what share of your work was lawn maintenance versus tree or hardscape work.
Who usually reports code 0042
- Residential lawn-maintenance companies
- Commercial grounds contractors for HOAs, offices and retail centers
- Landscape installation firms
- Golf and resort landscape subcontractors
- Property-management landscape crews contracted to multiple owners
Code 0042 questions
What is the workers comp class code for landscaping in Florida?
Code 0042, Landscape Gardening and Drivers. Tree trimming and removal is classified separately as 0106.
What is the 2026 rate for code 0042 in Florida?
The OIR-approved NCCI rate is $4.144 per $100 of payroll, effective January 1, 2026. FWCJUA policies add a 93% or 183% surcharge.
Is lawn care considered construction in Florida?
Lawn and landscape maintenance is generally not construction, so Florida’s four-employee threshold applies. Installing hardscape or irrigation as part of a building project can raise construction questions; ask before you bid that work.
Can I split payroll between 0042 and 0106?
Yes, when your records show the hours each employee spent on tree work. Without those records the auditor can use the higher code.
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: Summary of the Florida Workers Compensation Rate Filing Recommendation Effective January 1, 2027 (filed Aug. 21, 2026)
- Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation: Coverage requirements for employers
- Florida Statutes: Section 440.02 — Definitions (employee, employer, construction industry)
Facts checked October 12, 2026.