--- title: "Missouri Workers' Comp Requirements for Employers | MCC" description: "Missouri workers' comp: 5 or more employees, construction 1+, owners and officers, penalties and the required notice, in the agency's words." url: "https://mcc-solutionsnj.com/bookkeeping/workers-comp-missouri" --- Workers' comp · Missouri # Missouri workers' compensation requirements Which employers must carry coverage, how owners and contractors are treated, and what the agency's pages say about penalties, the workplace notice, self-insurance and checking a policy. [![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) **Short answer.** Employers with five or more employees; corporate officers count toward the total. Construction: Construction-industry employers with one or more employees. ## At a glance Who must carry it Employers with five or more employees; corporate officers count toward the total. Construction Construction-industry employers with one or more employees. Farm labor and domestic work Farm labor and domestic servants in a private home are exceptions. Owners and officers Sole proprietors and partners aren't covered unless they elect it. LLC members are presumed covered unless they opt out with their insurer. Self-insurance Employers and groups of employers may apply to the division to self-insure. Going without Knowingly failing to insure is a class A misdemeanor (a later violation a class E felony), with a penalty of up to three times the annual premium or $50,000, whichever is greater. Workplace notice The department's mandatory poster list includes the Workers' Compensation Law poster (WC-106), citing RSMo 287.127. Check a policy The division's 'Are You Covered?' page lets you check coverage, for example for subcontractors. [Open the lookup](https://labor.mo.gov/areyoucovered) Agency Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation ## In the agency's words **The rule** Hiring in another state? [Employer registration in Missouri, done for you](/bookkeeping/out-of-state-employer-registration), or [a free bookkeeping health check](/bookkeeping/health-check). "Missouri Employers are required to carry workers' compensation insurance if they have five or more employees." **Construction** "Missouri Employers involved in the construction industry are required to carry the coverage" **Farm labor and domestic work** "Other exceptions include: farm labor, domestic servants in a private home." **Owners** "Members of a limited liability company are presumed to be covered unless they opt out with their insurer." **Going without** "An employer who knowingly fails to insure its workers' compensation liabilities is guilty of a class A misdemeanor" **Notice** "Workers' Compensation Law (WC-106)" ## Three example businesses What the stated rule says for three common setups: - **2 employees, most businesses (not construction), llc:** Not required by the headcount rule. [See why](/bookkeeping/do-i-need-workers-comp-checker?state=mo&employees=2&industry=other&biz=llc) - **4 employees, construction, corporation:** Required. [See why](/bookkeeping/do-i-need-workers-comp-checker?state=mo&employees=4&industry=construction&biz=corporation) - **6 employees, most businesses (not construction), sole proprietor:** Required. [See why](/bookkeeping/do-i-need-workers-comp-checker?state=mo&employees=6&industry=other&biz=sole) Your own numbers: [open the checker for Missouri](/bookkeeping/do-i-need-workers-comp-checker?state=mo). ## Worth knowing An employer below the threshold that carries no coverage can be sued by an injured employee, the division notes. **Not stated on the pages we read:** independent contractors. ## Official sources - [Workers' Compensation Insurance | Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations](https://labor.mo.gov/dwc/employers/insurance) (checked November 2026) - [When an Employer Doesn't Have Workers' Compensation Insurance | Missouri DOLIR](https://labor.mo.gov/dwc/injured-workers/employer-without-insurance) (checked November 2026) - [Mandatory Posters/Notices | Missouri DOLIR](https://oembed-labor.mo.gov/posters) (checked November 2026) - [Employers, Insurers, and TPAs | Missouri DOLIR](https://labor.mo.gov/dwc/employers) (checked November 2026) General information, not legal or insurance advice; we are not lawyers or insurance agents. Rules as published on the pages above, checked November 2026. We don't recommend or sell any insurer; the agency or a licensed agent can say how a rule applies to your business. ## Common questions **Who has to carry workers' comp in Missouri?** Employers with five or more employees; corporate officers count toward the total. The agency puts it as "Missouri Employers are required to carry workers' compensation insurance if they have five or more employees." **Is the rule different for construction in Missouri?** Yes. Construction-industry employers with one or more employees. **Do owners and officers need coverage in Missouri?** Sole proprietors and partners aren't covered unless they elect it. LLC members are presumed covered unless they opt out with their insurer. **What happens to a Missouri employer with no coverage?** Knowingly failing to insure is a class A misdemeanor (a later violation a class E felony), with a penalty of up to three times the annual premium or $50,000, whichever is greater. **What notice must a Missouri employer post?** The department's mandatory poster list includes the Workers' Compensation Law poster (WC-106), citing RSMo 287.127. **Can an employer self-insure in Missouri?** Employers and groups of employers may apply to the division to self-insure. All states: [workers' comp requirements by state](/bookkeeping/workers-comp-requirements-by-state) · [Idaho](/bookkeeping/workers-comp-idaho) · [Nevada](/bookkeeping/workers-comp-nevada) Keeping coverage records in Missouri? ## Workers' Comp and Business Insurance Records Kit A state coverage checklist with Missouri's rule and official link, a certificate of insurance log for subcontractors, an injury report and claim log, and a workbook that flags policy renewals and expiring certificates, 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 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)