Workers’ comp insurance cost for restaurants in California

Q: What does workers' comp cost full-service restaurants in California?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $3.11 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee restaurant lands around $1.9k–$7.6k 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. Full-service restaurants fall under NCCI class 9082 (Restaurant NOC) — table-service establishments; fast food (class 9083) and bars (9084) are rated separately.

Published 2026-06-05 · Updated 2026-06-11 · by Brokly

Direct answer: California full-service restaurants pay a filed workers’-comp manual rate of $3.11 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed rate) — the most expensive of 51 US jurisdictions. Modeled on real payrolls, most <5-employee full-service restaurants land around $1.9k–$7.6k/yr, before experience mods and schedule credits.

25% of CA full-service restaurants have <5 employees — the chart below prices every size band from its own observed payroll.
California sits 1st of 51: WI pays less ($1.46).
Workers’ comp is one of several coverages — see everything your restaurant needs in California →

What do California full-service restaurants pay for workers’ comp?

Modeled annual premium across the real size distribution of CA full-service restaurants

bar height = how many full-service restaurants are that size · figures = modeled annual cost

typical · most CA full-service restaurants

▼

<5 emp

≈$3.2k/yr

5–9 emp

≈$6.1k/yr

10–19 emp

≈$13k/yr

20–49 emp

≈$31k/yr

50–99 emp

≈$70k/yr

100–249 emp

≈$160k/yr

SMALLER

MID-SIZE

LARGER

A <5-employee CA restaurant: modeled $1.9k–$7.6k/yr in workers’-comp premium (that band’s own average wage, before experience mods and schedule credits). Bar heights show how many of the 31,333 CA full-service restaurants fall in each size band.

Cohort: size distribution of 31,333 CA full-service restaurants (Census CBP 2023); premiums modeled from one filed rate ($3.11/$100 payroll, 2024). Bands shown cover 31,317 of 31,333 establishments (99.9%) — 16 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 (CA)

$3.11 / $100 payroll

as of 2024

Typical <5-employee restaurant (25% of CA)

$1.9k–$7.6k / 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 (Full-service restaurants (NAICS 722511)) (as of 2023, retrieved 2026-06-05)

How does California compare to nearby ranks?

Calculated manual rates, $ per $100 payroll, NCCI class 9082 (Restaurant NOC), 2024. See all 51 jurisdictions →

Rank	State	Rate / $100 payroll
1	California	$3.11
2	Hawaii	$2.79
3	New Jersey	$2.54
4	New York	$1.81
5	Wyoming	$1.48

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 full-service restaurants in California?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $3.11 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee restaurant lands around $1.9k–$7.6k 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. Full-service restaurants fall under NCCI class 9082 (Restaurant NOC) — table-service establishments; fast food (class 9083) and bars (9084) are rated separately.

Restaurants in nearby-ranked states: Hawaii ($2.79) · New Jersey ($2.54) · New York ($1.81) · Wisconsin ($1.46)

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Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation. Figures are modeled from public filings and Census data for 31,333 California full-service restaurants; your premium depends on your payroll, claims history, and carrier.