Arkansas Workers' Compensation Cost Calculator
Key facts: workers' comp in Arkansas
- Who must be covered
- Mandatory from 2 employees in construction, 3 employees elsewhereOfficial agency: AWCC
- Average rate
- $0.53 per $100 of payrollRank #50 of 51 (#1 = most expensive), below the $1.09 national median
- Rating organization
- NCCINational Council on Compensation Insurance · Private insurers
- Verified from official records
- October 3, 2026Rates: Oregon DCBS study, June 2025
Arkansas generally requires workers' comp from three employees, from two in building or building repair work, and from one for contractors that subcontract and for subcontractors. Employers buy coverage through a workers' comp insurance agent.
Rates in effect July 1, 2023 · Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, 2024 study (June 2025) · Nothing you enter leaves your browser
2024 study rate for all industries in Arkansas. Edit it if your policy shows a different rate.
For the class you're pricing. Insurers rate each class code's payroll separately.
Printed on your experience rating worksheet or renewal. New or small employers that don't qualify for experience rating are rated at 1.00.
Estimated premium
$5,300
per year at an EMR of 1.00
At an average mod
$5,300
per year at an EMR of 1.00
Your EMR's impact
$0
no adjustment
Effective cost: $0.53 per $100 of payroll.
At an EMR of 1.00, your claims history neither raises nor lowers this premium.
Every claim from now on counts toward your next three renewals. IncidentLog makes the first step — a complete, same-day incident report — take about 90 seconds from a job-site QR code.
Create a free accountEstimate before schedule credits or debits, premium discounts, expense constants, state assessments and minimum premiums — your insurer's quote will differ.
Who must carry workers' comp in Arkansas?
Mandatory from 2 employees in construction, 3 employees elsewhere
- Construction
- From 2 employees
- Other industries
- From 3 employees
Construction here means building or building repair work. A contractor that subcontracts any part of a contract, and any subcontractor, needs coverage from one employee.
Official agency
Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission (AWCC)
Market: Private insurers
Arkansas workers' comp rates by business type
Rate per $100 of payroll for common class codes in Arkansas, against the median of the 51 jurisdictions in the study.
| Business type (NCCI code) | Arkansas | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office and clerical staff (8810) | $0.07 | $0.11 | −36% |
| Retail store (8017) | $0.55 | $1.20 | −54% |
| Restaurant (full service) (9082) | $0.48 | $1.09 | −56% |
| Restaurant (fast food) (9083) | $0.46 | $1.09 | −58% |
| Hotel (all other employees) (9052) | $0.70 | $1.79 | −61% |
| Assisted living / retirement center (care staff) (8824) | $0.96 | $2.03 | −53% |
| Hospital (professional staff) (8833) | $0.42 | $0.82 | −49% |
| Electrical contractor (5190) | $1.17 | $2.37 | −51% |
| Plumbing contractor (5183) | $1.31 | $2.70 | −51% |
| Residential carpentry (up to 3 stories) (5645) | $5.98 | $8.71 | −31% |
| Roofing (5551) | $1.62 | $9.64 | −83% |
| Trucking (7219) | $0.97 | $5.72 | −83% |
Arkansas uses NCCI class codes. Your insurer applies the rate for your own classes, then your EMR.
What a bad EMR costs in Arkansas
Take $500,000 of payroll at Arkansas's $0.53 index rate: $2,650 a year at an average mod of 1.00.
- EMR 0.85
- $2,253/yr
- EMR 1.25
- $3,313/yr
- Difference
- +$1,060/yr
A claim year usually stays in the mod for three renewals, so the gap adds up to about $3,180. The mod is built from claims, and the cheapest claim is the injury caught early.
IncidentLog lets crews report an injury or near miss from a job-site QR code in about 90 seconds, so you hear about it the same shift and see patterns on your OSHA 300 log before they become claims.
Create a free accountArkansas workers' comp FAQ
Is workers' comp insurance mandatory in Arkansas?
It depends on the industry. In Arkansas, construction employers need coverage from 2 employees, other employers from 3 employees. Construction here means building or building repair work. A contractor that subcontracts any part of a contract, and any subcontractor, needs coverage from one employee. Source: Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission.
How are workers' comp rates set in Arkansas?
Employers buy coverage from private insurance companies. The Oregon DCBS study lists NCCI (the National Council on Compensation Insurance) as Arkansas's rating organization. Your own premium then depends on your class codes, your payroll and your experience modification rate (EMR).
What is the average workers' comp rate in Arkansas?
The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services's 2024 study puts Arkansas's all-industry index rate at $0.53 per $100 of payroll for rates in effect on July 1, 2023, 48% of the study's national median of $1.09. That ranks Arkansas #50 of 51 jurisdictions, where #1 is the most expensive (#49 in the 2022 study). Your own rate depends on your class codes.
Sources
Official texts behind this page (2 quotes)
“Arkansas law generally requires workers’ compensation insurance for every employment: (a) in which three (3) or more employees are employed by the same employer; (b) in which two (2) or more employees are engaged in building or building repair work; (c) in which one (1) or more employee is employed by a contractor who subcontracts any part of his contract; (d) in which one (1) or more employee is employed by a subcontractor.”
Application for Certificate of Non-Coverage (Form A) — Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission (opens in a new tab) · checked October 3, 2026
“Any questions or comments may be referred to your workers’ compensation insurance agent or the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission.”
Application for Certificate of Non-Coverage (Form A) — Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission (opens in a new tab) · checked October 3, 2026
An estimate for planning, not a quote, legal or insurance advice. IncidentLog is not an insurer or broker. Median rate across all industries: $1.09 per $100.