What code 5551 covers
Typical duties
- Tearing off old roofing and loading debris into dumpsters
- Installing underlayment and secondary water barriers for dry-in
- Setting shingles, tile and metal panels
- Torch-applied and self-adhered flat-roof membranes
- Flashing, vents and roof penetrations
- Loading materials onto roofs with conveyors and lifts
Operations included
- Residential and commercial roofing contractors
- Re-roofing and repair work of all kinds
- Roof coating and restoration done by roofing crews
- Drivers and helpers of the roofing business
What code 5551 does not cover
- Fabricating and installing sheet metal ductwork and architectural metal that is not roofing: 5535
- Framing roof trusses and decking on new homes: carpentry 5645 for detached dwellings
- Executive supervisors who never go on roofs: possibly 5606
- Roof consultants and engineers who inspect but do not install: 8601
- Estimators and office staff in a separated office: 8810
Code 5551 rate and cost context
The 2026 rate for 5551 is $6.752 per $100 of payroll. That is a large drop from the 2022 filed rate, which was above eleven dollars, so roofing contractors who last priced coverage a few years ago are working from a much higher number than today’s.
Falls drive roofing losses, followed by heat illness and burns from torch work. Carriers that write roofing look for written fall-protection programs and evidence they are enforced.
Many new or small roofing companies end up in the FWCJUA, where the 93% or 183% surcharge applies on top of this rate, along with a minimum premium of up to $2,900. Clean loss history and a few years in business usually open voluntary-market options.
| Year | Rate per $100 |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $11.41 |
| 2023 | $10.57 |
| 2024 | $8.24 |
| 2025 | $7.59 |
| 2026 | $6.752 |
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 $13.03 (Tier 1) or $19.11 (Tiers 2–3) per $100 of payroll before any experience mod.
Example: estimating code 5551 premium
Take a roofing company with two residential crews and $500,000 of annual payroll in code 5551.
| Annual payroll in this code | $500,000 |
| Voluntary-market premium (rate × payroll ÷ 100) | $33,760 |
| FWCJUA Tier 1 (with 93% surcharge) | $65,157 |
| FWCJUA Tiers 2–3 (with 183% surcharge) | $95,541 |
Example only. Assumes no experience modification, schedule credits, expense constant or taxes. Minimum premium applies if the result is lower ($835 / FWCJUA $2,900).
Misclassification pitfalls for code 5551
Laborers paid as subcontractors
A tear-off crew working under your direction is employees for workers comp purposes unless each member has a valid exemption or coverage. Auditors add payments to uninsured subs to 5551 payroll.
Expired officer exemptions
Florida construction exemptions expire. An owner with a lapsed exemption is an uncovered worker on the job, and the Division of Workers’ Compensation can issue a stop-work order.
Carpentry crews moved off roofing
Replacing rotted decking during a re-roof is part of the roofing job. Trying to report it as carpentry without separate jobs and records rarely survives audit.
Sheet metal shops on a roofing policy
Fabrication of non-roofing sheet metal is a different code. If your company runs a metal shop, keep its payroll and jobs separate.
Codes that sit next to 5551
- Code 5535: for sheet metal installation that is not roofing.
- Code 5645: for framing carpentry on detached dwellings, including trusses and decking on new homes.
- Code 5606: for executive supervisors who do not perform or directly supervise hands-on work.
- Code 8601: for engineers and consultants who inspect roofs.
- Code 8810: for office and estimating staff in a separated office.
Payroll and audit notes for code 5551
Payroll includes hourly pay, per-square piece rate, bonuses and cash paid to laborers. The premium portion of overtime is excluded when recorded separately.
Collect a certificate of insurance or an exemption from every subcontractor before they start, and verify it on the state’s Proof of Coverage database.
Florida allows up to three corporate officers of a construction business to be exempt if each owns at least 10% of the company. Exempt officers are not reported as payroll, but the exemption must be active on every job date.
Who usually reports code 5551
- Residential re-roofing contractors
- Commercial flat-roof contractors
- Tile and metal roofing specialists
- Storm-restoration roofing companies
- Roof repair and maintenance services
Code 5551 questions
What is the workers comp code for roofers in Florida?
Code 5551, Roofing All Kinds and Drivers.
What is the 2026 Florida rate for roofing code 5551?
The OIR-approved NCCI rate is $6.752 per $100 of payroll, effective January 1, 2026. FWCJUA policies add a 93% (Tier 1) or 183% (Tiers 2 and 3) surcharge.
Does a roofing company with one employee need workers comp in Florida?
Yes. Roofing is construction, so coverage is required from the first employee. Owners can apply for an exemption instead of covering themselves.
Why is roofing workers comp so expensive?
Falls from heights cause severe injuries, and the rate reflects that loss history. The 2026 rate is much lower than in 2022, but it is still one of Florida’s higher construction rates.
Can I get roofing coverage outside the JUA?
Often yes, through a standard carrier or a PEO, depending on years in business and losses. Comp Ninjas reviews the operation and quotes the options available.
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 Statutes: Section 440.02 — Definitions (employee, employer, construction industry)
- Florida Statutes: Section 440.10 — Liability for compensation (contractors and subcontractors)
- Florida Statutes: Section 440.107 — Compliance, stop-work orders and penalties
- Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation: Certificates of election to be exempt
- Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation: Proof of Coverage database
- OSHA: Fall protection in construction
Facts checked October 12, 2026.