Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor Insurance in California (C-54)

What the C-54 license covers

The CSLB’s definition

“A ceramic and mosaic tile contractor prepares surfaces as necessary and installs glazed wall, ceramic, mosaic, quarry, paver, faience, glass mosaic and stone tiles; thin tile that resembles full brick, natural or simulated stone slabs for bathtubs, showers and horizontal surfaces inside of buildings, or any tile units set in the traditional or innovative tile methods, excluding hollow or structural partition tile.”

The expensive tile claim is rarely an injury. It is a leak that shows up months after you leave, in a bathroom, a shower or a commercial kitchen, and soaks the ceiling below. That is covered by the completed-operations part of general liability, so the limit and any water-damage exclusions on your policy matter more than the premium.

The C-54 coverage stack

General Liability — with completed-operations coverage for leaks that surface after the job
Workers’ Compensation — rated 5348, a single code with no wage split
Commercial Auto — vans carrying tile, saws and mortar
Inland Marine — wet saws, mixers and tile stock in transit
CSLB license bond — the $25,000 bond every C-54 license needs
Excess & Umbrella — for commercial and multifamily contracts

C-54 requirements

What California requires of a C-54 licensee

Requirement	What applies to C-54 tile setters
Contractor’s license bond	A $25,000 bond is required to activate and keep the license. LLC licensees also need a $100,000 LLC employee/worker bond. How the bond works
Workers’ compensation	Required now if you have even one employee. With no employees you can file a CSLB exemption, but that option ends for every classification on January 1, 2028. Check your requirement
General liability	Required by the CSLB only for LLC licensees (at least $1 million). General contractors and owners require it anyway, usually with additional insured status.

Workers’ comp class code and 2026 rate

Class code	Description	Advisory rate per $100 payroll
5348	Tile, stone, mosaic or terrazzo work	$5.05

Source: WCIRB California, approved September 1, 2026 advisory pure premium rates and classification descriptions. These are benchmark loss costs, not quotes: each carrier files its own rates, and your experience mod and credits adjust the final premium.

Tile has a single class code, so there is no wage line to manage. Your rate moves mainly with your experience mod and how cleanly your payroll is reported.

Code 5348

one workers’ comp code for tile, stone and terrazzo

Completed ops

where most tile liability claims land

WC by 2028

every C-54 needs a policy, employees or not

Common questions

C-54 coverage, answered

What is the workers’ comp class code for tile contractors in California?

Tile, stone, mosaic and terrazzo work is code 5348. The WCIRB’s 2026 advisory rate is $5.05 per $100 of payroll; carriers file their own rates on top of it.

Does general liability cover a leaking shower I installed last year?

Usually, through the completed-operations coverage in a general liability policy, as long as the policy was in force and has no exclusion that applies. Check the completed-operations limit and any water-damage or mold exclusions.

Is general liability required for a C-54 license?

Only for LLC licensees, which must carry at least $1 million. Everyone else isn’t required to by the CSLB, but general contractors and property managers will ask for it.

Do tile contractors need workers’ comp with no employees?

A C-54 with no employees can file the CSLB exemption until January 1, 2028. After that every licensee needs a policy. Any employee means you need one now.

Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor Insurance in California

The CSLB’s definition

The C-54 coverage stack

What California requires of a C-54 licensee

Workers’ comp class code and 2026 rate

C-54 coverage, answered

Get a C-54 quote that fits the work