Workers’ comp insurance cost for carpenters in Virginia

Q: What does workers' comp cost carpentry contractors in Virginia?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $3.76 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee carpentry shop lands around $1.7k–$6.7k per year before experience mods and schedule credits.

Q: What drives the rate up or down?

Three levers: payroll (the exposure base), claims history (the experience modifier), and schedule credits/debits the insurer applies. Finish carpentry work is NCCI class 5437 (Carpentry — Cabinet and Trim Work) — jobsite installation of cabinetry, interior trim, stairs, and millwork; framing and general carpentry (class 5403) and new-dwelling construction are rated separately.

Published 2026-06-11 · by Brokly

Direct answer: Virginia carpentry contractors pay a filed workers’-comp manual rate of $3.76 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed rate) — the 37th-highest of 51 US jurisdictions. Modeled on real payrolls, most <5-employee carpentry contractors land around $1.7k–$6.7k/yr, before experience mods and schedule credits.

73% of VA carpentry contractors have <5 employees — the chart below prices every size band from its own observed payroll.
Virginia sits 37th of 51: NE pays more ($4.30), NV less ($3.26).
Workers’ comp is one of several coverages — see everything your carpentry shop needs in Virginia →

What do Virginia carpentry contractors pay for workers’ comp?

Modeled annual premium across the real size distribution of VA carpentry contractors

bar height = how many carpentry contractors are that size · figures = modeled annual cost

typical · most VA carpentry contractors

▼

<5 emp

≈$2.7k/yr

5–9 emp

≈$13k/yr

10–19 emp

≈$32k/yr

20–49 emp

≈$75k/yr

SMALLER

MID-SIZE

LARGER

A <5-employee VA carpentry shop: modeled $1.7k–$6.7k/yr in workers’-comp premium (that band’s own average wage, before experience mods and schedule credits). Bar heights show how many of the 727 VA carpentry contractors fall in each size band.

Cohort: size distribution of 727 VA carpentry contractors (Census CBP 2023); premiums modeled from one filed rate ($3.76/$100 payroll, 2024). Bands shown cover 723 of 727 establishments (99.4%) — 4 establishments in larger, very small-count, or data-suppressed size bands are not shown. 2023 payroll dollars, not inflation-adjusted. Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation.

Filed manual rate (VA)

$3.76 / $100 payroll

as of 2024

Typical <5-employee carpentry shop (73% of VA)

$1.7k–$6.7k / yr modeled

as of 2024 · CBP 2023

Sources: Oregon DCBS workers' compensation premium rate ranking study, June 2025 (calendar-year 2024 rates) (as of calendar year 2024, retrieved 2026-06-04) · US Census County Business Patterns 2023, state file (Finish carpentry contractors (NAICS 238350)) (as of 2023, retrieved 2026-06-05)

How does Virginia compare to nearby ranks?

Calculated manual rates, $ per $100 payroll, NCCI class 5437 (Carpentry — Cabinet and Trim Work), 2024. See all 51 jurisdictions →

Rank	State	Rate / $100 payroll
33	Oregon	$4.09
34	Iowa	$3.97
35	District of Columbia	$3.89
36	Kansas	$3.88
37	Virginia	$3.76
38	Delaware	$3.74
39	Kentucky	$3.52
40	Wyoming	$3.32
41	Utah	$3.27

Sources: Oregon DCBS workers' compensation premium rate ranking study, June 2025 (calendar-year 2024 rates) (as of calendar year 2024, retrieved 2026-06-04)

Frequently asked questions

What does workers' comp cost carpentry contractors in Virginia?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $3.76 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee carpentry shop lands around $1.7k–$6.7k per year before experience mods and schedule credits.

What drives the rate up or down?

Three levers: payroll (the exposure base), claims history (the experience modifier), and schedule credits/debits the insurer applies. Finish carpentry work is NCCI class 5437 (Carpentry — Cabinet and Trim Work) — jobsite installation of cabinetry, interior trim, stairs, and millwork; framing and general carpentry (class 5403) and new-dwelling construction are rated separately.

Carpenters in nearby-ranked states: Oregon ($4.09) · Utah ($3.27) · North Carolina ($4.38) · Tennessee ($3.15)

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Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation. Figures are modeled from public filings and Census data for 727 Virginia carpentry contractors; your premium depends on your payroll, claims history, and carrier.