Short answer. Mandatory for any employer with at least one employee.
At a glance
- Who must carry it
- Mandatory for any employer with at least one employee.
- Agriculture
- Agricultural laborers earning under $1,200 per person per calendar year may be excluded, with conditions.
- Domestic work
- Domestic workers may be excluded unless the employer has elected coverage with the department.
- Owners and officers
- Sole proprietors or general partners with no other employees are excluded, as are LLCs whose only employees are members. Executive officers can be excluded with the department's approval.
- Independent contractors
- Calling someone an independent contractor doesn't settle it; supervision, tools and set hours can point to employee status.
- Self-insurance
- Allowed individually or as a group with the department's approval.
- Going without
- A misdemeanor carrying a $2,500 fine and up to a year in prison for each day; an intentional violation is a felony with up to a $15,000 fine per day and up to seven years.
- Workplace notice
- Post a notice with the insurer's name, address and phone number.
- Agency
- Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers' Compensation (Department of Labor & Industry)
In the agency's words
The rule
"mandatory for any employer that employs at least one employee"
Agriculture
"Agricultural laborers earning under $1200 per person per calendar year"
Domestic work
"Domestic workers who have not elected with the Department of Labor & Industry"
Owners
"Executive officers who have been granted exclusion by the Department of Labor & Industry"
Contractors
"Just because an employer considers someone an independent contractor does not necessarily mean the person qualifies as such."
Going without
"a $2,500 fine and up to one year in imprisonment"
Notice
"a notice containing the name, address and telephone number of the insurer."
Three example businesses
What the stated rule says for three common setups:
- 2 employees, most businesses (not construction), llc: Required. See why
- 4 employees, construction, corporation: Required. See why
- 6 employees, most businesses (not construction), sole proprietor: Required. See why
Your own numbers: open the checker for Pennsylvania.
Not stated on the pages we read: how to check an employer's coverage.
Official sources
- LIBC-200 Employer Information (Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry) (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 Pennsylvania?
Mandatory for any employer with at least one employee. The agency puts it as "mandatory for any employer that employs at least one employee."
Do owners and officers need coverage in Pennsylvania?
Sole proprietors or general partners with no other employees are excluded, as are LLCs whose only employees are members. Executive officers can be excluded with the department's approval.
What about independent contractors in Pennsylvania?
Calling someone an independent contractor doesn't settle it; supervision, tools and set hours can point to employee status.
What happens to a Pennsylvania employer with no coverage?
A misdemeanor carrying a $2,500 fine and up to a year in prison for each day; an intentional violation is a felony with up to a $15,000 fine per day and up to seven years.
What notice must a Pennsylvania employer post?
Post a notice with the insurer's name, address and phone number.
Can an employer self-insure in Pennsylvania?
Allowed individually or as a group with the department's approval.
All states: workers' comp requirements by state · Oklahoma · Rhode Island