Exemption eligibility screener
The rule finder answers “what is the rule for this state and owner type.” This screener answers a different question first: given your facts, which owner-exemption path should you research, and what is the trap to avoid? It routes you to the matching state guide and official form. It never asks for a name, a business, payroll, or a quote.
- 1
Where will the business or worker perform the work you are checking?
Workers’ compensation owner rules are state-specific; the selected state is used to route the result to the matching state guide.
- 2
How is the business organized?
- 3
Does the business have anyone working other than owners?
Include part-time, family, temporary, and potentially misclassified workers; the state test controls whether a contractor is actually an employee.
- 4
Is the work construction, building trades, contracting, roofing, or a similar field?
Construction and licensed trades often have lower coverage thresholds or tighter owner-exemption rules.
- 5
Are you an owner who also holds the officer/member/manager role required by the business records?
Some states require a specific officer or elected/appointed manager role; ownership by itself may not be enough.
- 6
Do you have a documented ownership stake in the business?
Some exemption paths require a minimum ownership percentage; the percentage varies by state and entity type.
- 7
Is the document being requested for a government license, permit, or contract?
This matters for state-specific certificates such as New York CE-200; private customers can ask for different proof.
- 8
Do you want workers’ compensation coverage to remain on you personally?
An owner exemption removes or rejects personal workers’ compensation benefits; some otherwise excluded owners can elect coverage instead.
Answer all eight to see which owner-exemption path to research first.
How the screener decides
Your answers are matched against a short, ordered list of rules, first match wins. A result of “a common owner-only path may fit” means the facts line up with a frequently used route, not that your state has approved anything. Anything involving employees, construction, or a government proof request is sent to a more cautious result on purpose.
What it deliberately does not do
- It does not tell you whether an exemption is a good idea. An exempt owner has no workers' compensation benefit for their own injury.
- It does not estimate premium savings, file anything, or connect you to an agent.
- It is not a 51-state law engine. The state guide is the next layer, and the state agency is the authority.