Class Code 9501
Painting – Shop Only; Painting – Auto/Truck Bodies
Class Code 9501 covers shop-only painting of automobile and truck bodies — the controlled production and repair painting done inside booths and shops. The approved pure premium rate for California (effective Sept 1, 2026) is $4.439 per $100 of payroll, which matters because painting operations have specific chemical, fire, and ventilation risks that drive workers' comp exposure.
What Class Code 9501 Covers
This classification applies to painting work performed in a shop environment on auto and truck bodies, including spray-booth application of primers, basecoats and clearcoats, oven curing, and final polishing. It includes surface preparation tasks directly tied to painting such as sanding, masking, solvent cleaning, and minor body prep performed by painters in the shop. The code is limited to shop-only operations; mobile or field painting, structural painting, heavy industrial coatings, or unrelated collision repairs requiring extensive mechanical work generally fall under different classifications. Activities like mixing paint pigments, operating spray guns and booths, and maintaining paint equipment are part of this class when they occur as part of the shop painting process.
Who It Applies To
- Automotive and truck body shops with dedicated painting departments
- Collision repair centers that perform in-shop refinishing
- Fleet maintenance shops that repaint vehicle bodies in a booth
- Vehicle restoration shops that do in-shop finishing work
- Spray booth operators, paint prep technicians, and paint-mixing staff
Common Job Duties
- Preparing surfaces: washing, sanding, feathering, and masking panels
- Mixing and tinting paint, reducers, hardeners and adhesives
- Operating spray guns and computerized paint dispensing systems
- Running and maintaining spray booths and oven-bake curing equipment
- Cleaning and disposing of solvent-soaked rags and paint waste
- Inspecting, buffing and polishing finished paint surfaces
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $4.439 Rate
The pure premium rate of $4.439 per $100 of payroll represents the insurer's estimate of expected claim costs for this classification before expenses and profit. Your actual workers' compensation premium will be this rate multiplied by your payroll for employees assigned to 9501, then adjusted by experience modification, deductible programs, insurer expense loads, and state assessments. Factors that can materially change what you pay include your loss history (experience mod), accurate employee classification and payroll reporting, safety and prevention programs, and claim management practices.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
Cal/OSHA requirements commonly applicable to shop-only auto/truck painting include a written Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP), Hazard Communication for all paints and solvents, a respiratory protection program with medical evaluation and fit testing, and controls for air contaminants and spray booth ventilation. Employers must also follow flammable and combustible liquid storage rules, maintain proper spray booth fire protection and exhaust systems, and provide PPE and training on solvent handling, spill response, and emergency procedures.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 9501
Key HR can help California employers in class 9501 by centralizing claims management, administering respiratory and fit-testing programs, and providing standardized safety plans and training for spray-booth operations. We deliver payroll and classification accuracy, return-to-work coordination, and loss-control consulting to reduce frequency of claims and lower experience modification impacts, which together help control workers' comp costs.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
How do I know whether a worker belongs in class 9501 or a different painting code?
Assign employees to 9501 when their primary duties are shop-only painting and related prep/mixing for auto or truck bodies. Field painters, structural/coating contractors, or employees whose primary work is mechanical repair or body replacement should be classified under other, more appropriate codes. Regular payroll reviews and job descriptions help ensure correct classification.
What on-the-job controls most reduce injuries and insurance costs for auto body painters?
Effective controls include properly designed and maintained spray booth ventilation, a formal respiratory protection program with fit testing, solvent substitution where feasible, locked and vented flammable storage, rigorous housekeeping to prevent solvent buildup, and documented training programs. Consistent controls reduce both the frequency and severity of claims, improving your experience modification over time.
Are prep and minor bodywork included in 9501 or charged separately?
Minor prep work directly tied to painting—sanding, masking, solvent cleaning—are typically included in 9501. Major collision repair tasks, frame straightening, welding, or mechanical repairs are separate operations and should be reported under the appropriate class codes to avoid misclassification and inaccurate premiums.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 9501
- Classification
- Painting – Shop Only; Painting – Auto/Truck Bodies
- Pure Premium Rate
- $4.439 / $100 payroll
- Effective Date
- September 1, 2026
- Source
- WCIRB Approved Filing
Manage Workers' Comp Through a PEO
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Get a Quoteor call (800) 922-4133Ready to Simplify Workers' Comp for Class Code 9501?
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