--- title: "Do I Need Workers' Comp? Free Checker by State | MCC" description: "Enter the state, your employee count, industry and business type to see if workers' comp is required, with the agency's wording and link." url: "https://mcc-solutionsnj.com/bookkeeping/do-i-need-workers-comp-checker" --- Free checker ยท Employer insurance # Do I need workers' comp? Checker Find out whether the state where your employees work requires workers' compensation insurance for a business your size, in your industry, with your ownership setup. [![Intuit ProAdvisor Gold tier badge](/img/credentials/intuit-proadvisor-gold.png)](https://proadvisor.intuit.com/app/accountant/search?searchId=matthew-coleman77)Gold tier in Intuit's ProAdvisor program. [See my Intuit listing](https://proadvisor.intuit.com/app/accountant/search?searchId=matthew-coleman77) Keeping your own books? Tallyfinch does invoices, bank import and reports on your computer. [See Tallyfinch](/bookkeeping/mcc-books-downloadable-bookkeeping-software) **How it works.** Pick the state where your employees work, enter how many you have, and choose construction or another industry and your business type. You get whether coverage is required under that state's stated rule, in the agency's own words, with the official link. ## Do I need workers' comp? Choose a state, enter how many employees you have (not counting owners), and pick your industry and business type. Then select Check. ## Reading the result "Required" means the state's stated rule covers a business like yours. "Not required by the headcount rule" means you're under the number the agency gives; it doesn't stop you buying a policy, and a client may still ask for a certificate of insurance. "Depends" means the trigger is payroll or industry rather than headcount, and "Not confirmed" means we couldn't find the rule on an official page, so we don't guess. Employees who work in more than one state, out-of-state employers and leased or temporary staff can change which state's rule applies. For every state on one page, see [workers' comp requirements by state](/bookkeeping/workers-comp-requirements-by-state). General information, not legal or insurance advice; we are not lawyers or insurance agents. Checked November 2026 against the official pages linked in each result. Rules, exemptions and penalties change; the state agency, an attorney or a licensed insurance agent can tell you how a rule applies to one business. We don't recommend or sell any insurer. ## Questions about the checker **Who counts as an employee for the checker?** Count everyone you pay through payroll, full-time or part-time, other than the owners. Most states on our list count part-time workers the same way, and several count family members too. Owners are handled separately by business type, because states treat sole proprietors, partners, LLC members and officers differently. **Why does construction change the answer?** Several states set a lower threshold for construction, often a single employee, and some require construction business owners to cover themselves. When a state has no separate construction rule on its pages, the checker uses the general rule and says so. **What does 'Required for most employers' mean?** Some agencies say most or almost all employers must carry coverage and list the exceptions elsewhere, usually narrow ones such as certain farm or household work. Unless an exception clearly fits, plan on needing coverage. **What if I'm under the threshold?** Coverage isn't required by that rule, but you can still buy it, a client or general contractor may demand a certificate of insurance, and an uninsured employer can be sued directly over an injury in some states. Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina also have second tests the checker points out. **Does the checker save what I enter?** No. The page reads your choices from the address bar, works out the answer and shows it. Nothing is stored, and it works without JavaScript. Keeping coverage records? ## Workers' Comp and Business Insurance Records Kit A workbook that tracks your policies, renewal dates and every subcontractor's certificate of insurance with expiry alerts, plus a state coverage checklist, a COI collection log and an injury report and claim log, as Word files and PDFs. [Get the kit ($15)](/toolkits/workers-comp-and-insurance-records-kit) [Free sample](/toolkits/workers-comp-and-insurance-records-kit#free-starter)14-day full refund Share ## Add this calculator to your site Free to use. Paste this where you want it to appear. It runs in the visitor's browser, so nothing they enter is sent to us. **No frames on your site?** Link to the tool instead: [See every calculator you can embed](/embed#tool-bookkeeping-do-i-need-workers-comp-checker) Tallyfinch ### Books you keep on your own computer Tallyfinch does invoices, bills, bank import, reconciliation and the main reports, in a file you own. $99 once, then $5 a month for updates; the app keeps working if you stop the plan. It does not do payroll or sales tax filing. The free download records up to 60 entries. [See Tallyfinch](/bookkeeping/mcc-books-downloadable-bookkeeping-software) [Download it free](/tools/pro/trial/mccBooks) [Compare the three apps](/software) ## Want payroll and insurance records kept for you? [See bookkeeping services](/bookkeeping/)[Call (908) 444-6373](tel:+19084446373)