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Workers' Comp for Landscapers in Florida

Code 0042 — 2026 FL filed rate: $4.14/100 — See what you're paying and what you could save.

Workers' Comp for Florida Landscaping Businesses

Florida is one of the top states in the country for landscaping employment - year-round warm weather means year-round crews and year-round workers' comp exposure. The 2026 Florida filed rate for NCCI code 0042 (Landscaping) is $4.14 per $100 of payroll.

For a landscaping company with $300,000 in annual payroll, that's $12,420 in workers' comp premium at the standard rate - before any experience modifier is applied. Through a PEO, many Florida landscaping businesses pay significantly less.

Florida's landscaping season never ends. That's good for business - but it means your crews are exposed to heat illness, equipment injuries, and vehicle accidents 52 weeks a year. Workers' comp isn't optional for most Florida landscaping employers, and getting the right rate matters.

What Drives Landscaping Workers' Comp Claims in Florida

The most common injuries in the Florida landscaping industry include:

Equipment injuries - mowers, edgers, chainsaws, and chippers are responsible for a significant share of landscaping claims
Heat illness - Florida's heat and humidity put outdoor workers at serious risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, particularly in summer months
Vehicle accidents - landscaping crews spend significant time on Florida roads between job sites, often towing trailers
Slip and fall - wet grass, uneven terrain, and working on slopes create constant slip hazards
Struck-by injuries - from thrown debris, falling branches, and objects ejected by mowers

Seasonal Crews and the 1099 Problem

Many Florida landscaping businesses rely on seasonal or part-time workers, and a common mistake is misclassifying those workers as 1099 contractors to avoid payroll taxes and workers' comp obligations. Florida enforcement is aggressive: if your 1099 workers don't carry their own coverage or a valid exemption certificate, your carrier can add their wages to your audit retroactively.

PEO programs are especially well-suited for landscaping businesses with variable crew sizes, because premium is collected each payroll cycle based on actual wages - you're not locked into an annual estimate that may not match your real payroll.

Frequently Asked Questions - Florida Landscapers

In Florida, most non-construction businesses must carry workers' comp when they have four or more employees (including part-time). However, if your landscaping business is classified under a construction NCCI code - which some landscaping work can be - the threshold drops to one employee. When in doubt, err on the side of coverage: the fines for non-compliance are steep, and a stop-work order can shut down your operation on the spot.

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Yes, if the coverage threshold applies. Florida's workers' comp law covers part-time and seasonal employees the same as full-time employees. If a part-time crew member is injured, they're entitled to the same benefits. Pay-as-you-go PEO programs handle this naturally - you only pay premium on wages actually paid that cycle, so slow winter months cost less automatically.

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Officers of a landscaping company that is not classified as a construction employer may qualify for an exemption, but landscaping is sometimes treated as construction depending on the work performed. The exemption covers only the officer personally - employees cannot be exempted. We recommend confirming the classification with the Florida Division of Workers' Compensation before relying on an exemption.

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Code 0042 covers general landscaping - mowing, planting, mulching, irrigation, and maintenance. Code 0106 (Tree Pruning) covers tree trimming and pruning at height. If your crew does both, the payroll should be separated by classification. Tree service work generally carries a higher rate than standard landscaping. If you do significant tree work, see our dedicated tree service workers' comp page.

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A PEO pools your workforce with hundreds of other businesses, giving you access to group workers' comp rates that individual carriers won't offer standalone. For landscaping companies - especially those with any claims history - this can translate to 10–30% or more in savings compared to a standard market policy. Add the elimination of the year-end audit and pay-as-you-go billing, and the total cost advantage is often significant.

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