Contractors
Class Code 5474: Painting or Paperhanging NOC & Shop Operations, Drivers — Workers' Comp Insurance
Covers painting and paperhanging contractors working on interior and exterior surfaces, along with shop operations and drivers. It's the standard classification for general painting contracting work, including both residential and commercial jobs.
- Risk level:
- elevated
What code 5474 covers
Class 5474 applies to painting and paperhanging contractors performing interior and exterior painting, staining, and wallpaper installation on buildings, covering painters working from ladders and scaffolding, shop staff who prepare materials and equipment, and drivers who transport crews and supplies. The work involves surface preparation, ladder and scaffold use, and exposure to paint and solvent products, with exterior work adding fall exposure from ladders and, on larger jobs, scaffolding or lifts. This is an NOC classification covering painting broadly; specialized high-rise or industrial painting using swing-stage or rope-access equipment may be evaluated under different, more specialized rules given the added fall exposure. Painting contractors who also do drywall finishing, minor carpentry repairs, or pressure washing as part of a paint job are typically still covered under this classification for that incidental work.
Included operations
- Interior and exterior painting and staining
- Wallpaper and wall-covering installation
- Surface preparation, including scraping and light sanding
- Ladder and scaffold use for painting work
- Shop preparation of materials and drivers transporting crews and supplies
Assigned elsewhere
- High-rise or industrial painting using swing-stage or rope-access equipment, evaluated under specialized rules given the added fall exposure
- Drywall and wallboard installation performed as a primary service — see code 5445
- Plastering performed as a primary service — see code 5480
- Structural or industrial abrasive blasting, evaluated under the applicable specialized classification
Businesses that typically carry 5474
- Residential painting contractors
- Commercial painting contractors
- Wallpaper and wall-covering installers
- Small, owner-operated contracting businesses
- Regional trade contracting companies
- Subcontractors working for general contractors
- Design-build contracting firms
Common misclassifications
Code 5445
Painters who also do drywall patching and finishing sometimes blend that work into the paint code instead of evaluating it as a distinct drywall service if it becomes a significant part of the business.
Code 5606
A painting company's owner or project manager who is purely supervisory may qualify for the lower-hazard executive/supervisor classification instead of the field painter code.
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What drives the cost of code 5474
- Total payroll for employees performing the classified work, not gross receipts
- Experience modification factor built from claims history
- State-specific base rates and loss costs filed for this class code
- Use of subcontractors and whether they carry their own workers' comp coverage
- Safety programs, jobsite supervision, and documented training
- Payroll properly split across multiple classifications when work crosses trades
What underwriters look for
- Years in business and prior workers' comp loss history
- Types of jobs typically performed (new construction, remodel, residential vs. commercial) and average job size
- Whether subcontractors are used and certificates of insurance are collected and tracked
- Total payroll for employees actually performing the classified work
- Safety program, training documentation, and any OSHA history
Eligibility
State differences
This entry uses standard NCCI class code phraseology, which applies in most NCCI-governed states. Pennsylvania (PCRB), Delaware (DCRB), California (WCIRB), New Jersey (NJCRIB), Michigan, New York (NYCIRB), and Massachusetts maintain their own classification manuals, and code numbers or phraseology can differ there. Our agency confirms the correct classification for your state before quoting.
Where code 5474 fits
Quote class code 5474.
One application goes out to every carrier we can access for your class of business. You get a ranked comparison you can review and purchase online — with a licensed agent available whenever you want one.
Mon–Fri, 8:00am–6:00pm ET · Independent agency licensed in 23 states
Class code 5474 questions
Does this code cover both interior and exterior painting?
Yes, 5474 covers painting and paperhanging work broadly, both interior and exterior.
What about high-rise or industrial painting?
Painting performed with swing-stage or rope-access equipment at significant height involves added fall exposure and is typically evaluated under different, specialized rules.
Are our shop staff and drivers included?
Yes, shop preparation of materials and drivers transporting crews and supplies are part of this classification.
Does this cover wallpaper installation?
Yes, wallpaper and wall-covering installation is included in this classification.
Last reviewed · Reviewed by Provident Financial Group licensed agents