Can a business have multiple workers’ comp class codes including 5190?

Yes — most businesses carry several class codes with payroll divided among them under strict, state-specific rules, making accurate classification and documentation essential at audit.

The electricians’ class code — wiring within buildings, and the boundaries that separate it from higher-rated line work.

Workers’ Comp Class Code 5190: Electrical Wiring

Janitorial Services — what it covers, what it costs, and where businesses get it wrong.

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Class code 5190 covers electrical wiring within buildings — the electricians’ home code for interior installation and service work. Its most important feature is what it excludes: overhead line work and outdoor high-voltage jobs rate far higher elsewhere. Get multiple quotes within minutes.

Who falls under code 5190

Electricians and helpers wiring within buildings — residential, commercial, and service work. Line work, outdoor transmission, and alarm/low-voltage installation carry their own codes with very different rates.

The misclassification traps

Any overhead line or outdoor high-voltage exposure left inside 5190 — auditors reclassify it upward, retroactively
Low-voltage and alarm techs who may qualify for lower-rated codes left in 5190
Uninsured subs absorbed into payroll at audit

What drives your 5190 premium

Payroll in the class, your experience mod, state rates for 5190, and carrier appetite — which varies more for this class than owners expect. The 5190 boundary runs both directions — some work rates higher, some lower — so a classification review can cut premium, not just prevent audit pain. The fix for all of it is the same: accurate payroll split by class, clean documentation, and multiple carriers quoted side by side. See our full class code directory.

Frequently asked questions

What is workers’ comp class code 5190?

Code 5190 covers electrical wiring within buildings. Overhead line and outdoor high-voltage work rates under different, higher classes, while some low-voltage and alarm work can qualify for lower-rated codes — making classification review valuable in both directions.

Can one business have code 5190 and other class codes?

Yes — most businesses carry multiple class codes with payroll split among them. The rules for when payroll can be divided are strict and state-specific, which is exactly where a comp-focused agency earns its keep at audit time.

Think you’re misclassified — or overpaying? We review classifications as part of every quote. Get multiple quotes within minutes.