Class Code 7227
Auto/Truck Towing, Roadside Assistance Or Freeway Service Patrol
Class Code 7227 covers employees who perform auto and truck towing, roadside assistance, and freeway service patrol duties in California. This classification applies to operators of tow and recovery vehicles, roadside technicians and crews who work on or alongside roadways. The September 1, 2026 approved pure premium rate for this class is $7.919 per $100 of payroll.
What Class Code 7227 Covers
This classification includes on-scene towing and vehicle recovery operations: hooking and securing disabled cars and light- to heavy-duty trucks, winching and recovery from ditches or embankments, flatbed and wheel-lift loading, and highway/facility patrol work to clear hazards. Roadside assistance tasks such as jump starts, fuel delivery, tire changes, lockouts and minor on-scene repairs are included when performed by the same crews. It also covers freeway service patrols that routinely work in the right-of-way to remove hazards, direct traffic, and protect stranded motorists. Office, dispatch, and strictly clerical staff should be separately classified under clerical codes and not combined with this class.
Who It Applies To
- Independent towing companies operating tow trucks and flatbeds
- Emergency roadside assistance vendors for auto clubs and insurers
- Municipal or contractor-staffed freeway service patrol crews
- Private property tow operators and impound yards (when towing work is primary)
- Heavy-duty recovery operators who winch and recover commercial vehicles
Common Job Duties
- Driving and operating tow, flatbed, rollback and wheel-lift trucks
- Hooking, chaining, winching and securing vehicles for transport
- Performing jump starts, fuel delivery, tire changes and lockout services
- Stabilizing and rigging vehicles after accidents or rollovers
- Loading/unloading and securing vehicles on flatbeds; using jacks and lifts
- Working roadside to set traffic controls and assist stranded motorists
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $7.919 Rate
The pure premium rate of $7.919 per $100 of payroll represents the estimated cost of losses for the class before insurer expense loads and adjustments. To calculate base premium, divide total payroll for employees in this class by 100 and multiply by 7.919; carriers then add expense factors, assessments and any experience modification or retrospective adjustments to determine the final premium. Employers' actual costs are affected by claims history (experience mod), class splits, payroll reporting accuracy, deductible or retrospective rating programs, and loss control efforts.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
Employers must follow Cal/OSHA Title 8 requirements for hazard communication (chemical exposures), provide appropriate PPE and training, and comply with California's Heat Illness Prevention Standard (Title 8, Section 3395) for outdoor work. Work on or adjacent to roadways requires a documented traffic-control plan, trained flaggers or traffic control technicians, and high-visibility apparel that meets ANSI/ISEA 107 so workers are visible to motorists. Regular vehicle and equipment inspections, battery and fuel spill procedures, and written rescue/recovery methods are also required components of compliance.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 7227
A PEO like Key HR helps towing and roadside businesses by ensuring employees are correctly classified and payroll is reported accurately to avoid misclassification exposures. Key HR provides loss-control consulting, on-site safety program development (traffic control plans, PPE policies, heat illness prevention), managed claims handling and return-to-work coordination to limit indemnity exposure and improve experience modification. PEOs also offer group purchasing power for insurance and training platforms that reduce long-term workers' comp costs for high-risk operations.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Are jump-starts and fuel deliveries covered under Class Code 7227?
Yes. On-scene roadside services such as jump-starts, delivering fuel, tire changes and lockout assistance performed by tow or roadside crews are included in Class Code 7227 when they are part of the towing/assistance operation.
How should dispatchers and office staff be classified?
Dispatchers, clerical staff and purely office-based employees should be reported separately under clerical or administrative class codes. Only employees who perform towing, recovery or roadside service work on or near roadways belong in Class Code 7227.
Can proper safety programs lower my workers' comp costs for towing operations?
Yes. Strong traffic-control procedures, mandatory high-visibility PPE, formal winch and rigging training, written vehicle inspection programs, and a proactive return-to-work plan reduce claim frequency and severity. Those improvements can lower your experience modification and overall premium; a PEO can help implement and document these programs.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 7227
- Classification
- Auto/Truck Towing, Roadside Assistance Or Freeway Service Patrol
- Pure Premium Rate
- $7.919 / $100 payroll
- Effective Date
- September 1, 2026
- Source
- WCIRB Approved Filing
Manage Workers' Comp Through a PEO
Key HR provides pay-as-you-go workers' comp for California employers — no large deposits, no audits, better rates.
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