Washington Workers' Compensation Cost Calculator
Key facts: workers' comp in Washington
- Who must be covered
- Mandatory starting at 1 employeeOfficial agency: L&I
- Average rate
- $1.35 per $100 of payrollRank #12 of 51 (#1 = most expensive), above the $1.09 national median
- Rating organization
- State fund (L&I)Exclusive state fund
- Verified from official records
- October 3, 2026Rates: Oregon DCBS study, June 2025
Washington makes coverage mandatory for any worker who isn't exempt. Private workers' comp isn't allowed: employers buy coverage from L&I or qualify as certified self-insured employers.
Rates in effect January 1, 2024 · Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, 2024 study (June 2025) · Nothing you enter leaves your browser
2024 study rate for all industries in Washington. 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
$13,500
per year at an EMR of 1.00
At an average mod
$13,500
per year at an EMR of 1.00
Your EMR's impact
$0
no adjustment
Effective cost: $1.35 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 Washington?
Mandatory starting at 1 employee
Every worker who doesn't meet the rules for exemption must be covered.
Official agency
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I)
Market: Exclusive state fund
Washington workers' comp rates by business type
Rate per $100 of payroll for common class codes in Washington, against the median of the 51 jurisdictions in the study.
| Business type (NCCI code) | Washington | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office and clerical staff (8810) | $0.04 | $0.11 | −64% |
| Retail store (8017) | $1.05 | $1.20 | −12% |
| Restaurant (full service) (9082) | $1.17 | $1.09 | +7% |
| Restaurant (fast food) (9083) | $1.19 | $1.09 | +9% |
| Hotel (all other employees) (9052) | $3.20 | $1.79 | +79% |
| Assisted living / retirement center (care staff) (8824) | $2.14 | $2.03 | +5% |
| Hospital (professional staff) (8833) | $4.64 | $0.82 | +466% |
| Electrical contractor (5190) | $2.07 | $2.37 | −13% |
| Plumbing contractor (5183) | $3.31 | $2.70 | +23% |
| Residential carpentry (up to 3 stories) (5645) | $8.17 | $8.71 | −6% |
| Roofing (5551) | $13.46 | $9.64 | +40% |
| Trucking (7219) | $7.79 | $5.72 | +36% |
Washington doesn't use NCCI class codes; the study maps each class to the closest Washington equivalent. Your insurer applies the rate for your own classes, then your EMR.
What a bad EMR costs in Washington
Take $500,000 of payroll at Washington's $1.35 index rate: $6,750 a year at an average mod of 1.00.
- EMR 0.85
- $5,738/yr
- EMR 1.25
- $8,438/yr
- Difference
- +$2,700/yr
A claim year usually stays in the mod for three renewals, so the gap adds up to about $8,100. 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 accountWashington workers' comp FAQ
Is workers' comp insurance mandatory in Washington?
Yes. Washington requires workers' compensation coverage from the first employee. Every worker who doesn't meet the rules for exemption must be covered. Source: Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.
How are workers' comp rates set in Washington?
Washington has an exclusive (monopolistic) state fund run by Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), and the Oregon DCBS study lists that fund as the state's rating organization, so the fund sets the rates. 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 Washington?
The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services's 2024 study puts Washington's all-industry index rate at $1.35 per $100 of payroll for rates in effect on January 1, 2024, 123% of the study's national median of $1.09. That ranks Washington #12 of 51 jurisdictions, where #1 is the most expensive (#24 in the 2022 study). Your own rate depends on your class codes.
Sources
Official texts behind this page (3 quotes)
“Employers purchase coverage through the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). L&I manages all claims and pays benefits out of an insurance pool called the Washington State Fund.”
Employers' Guide to Workers' Compensation Insurance in Washington State (F101-002-000) — L&I (opens in a new tab) · checked October 3, 2026
“As an employer or prospective employer, you must provide workers’ compensation insurance coverage for any worker who doesn’t meet the rules for exemption. Coverage is mandatory.”
Employers' Guide to Workers' Compensation Insurance in Washington State (F101-002-000) — L&I (opens in a new tab) · checked October 3, 2026
“Washington State does not allow private workers' compensation coverage. You must purchase your coverage from L&I or be a certified self-insured employer.”
Do I need a workers' comp account? — L&I (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.