# Ohio contractor insurance requirements

> What Ohio law says about workers' comp, contractor license insurance and indemnity clauses, and what to check on a contractor COI for a project there.

Reviewed Oct 28, 2026 by Forsured. Source: https://forsured.ai/coi-requirements/ohio/

## The short version

- Workers' comp required at: 1 employee (state fund)
- License insurance minimum: No statewide minimum
- Anti-indemnity statute voids: Own negligence, even in part

## Workers' comp in Ohio

Ohio employers with employees must carry workers' comp through the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) or be approved to self-insure. Private carriers can't write it.

Agency: [Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation](https://info.bwc.ohio.gov/for-employers)

## Contractor licensing and insurance

We found no statewide general liability minimum tied to a general contractor license. Ohio has no statewide general contractor license. Cities and counties can set their own licensing and insurance rules, so check where the project is.

## Indemnity and additional insured clauses

Ohio's anti-indemnity statute (Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2305.31) voids construction contract clauses that make a contractor indemnify another party for that party's own negligence, even in part. Clauses limited to the contractor's own share of fault generally hold up.

## What to check on a contractor COI for a Ohio project

1. **Workers' comp.** Ohio workers' comp comes only from the state fund, so a private carrier's workers' comp line on the COI doesn't cover work there. Ask for the state fund certificate, and look for stop gap employers liability, which is usually added to the general liability policy.
2. **General liability.** Ohio doesn't set a statewide floor for a general contractor license, so your project requirements set the bar. Compare each limit on the COI with what the contract asks for.
3. **Additional insured.** The endorsement is a separate promise from the indemnity clause, so check both. Ask for the endorsement itself, not just a box ticked on the certificate.
4. **Dates.** Every policy should run through the end of the job. A COI only shows coverage on the day it was issued, so check again at each renewal.

## Common questions

### Do contractors need workers' comp in Ohio?

Ohio employers with employees must carry workers' comp through the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) or be approved to self-insure. Private carriers can't write it.

### Does Ohio require contractors to carry general liability insurance?

We found no statewide general liability minimum tied to a general contractor license. Ohio has no statewide general contractor license. Cities and counties can set their own licensing and insurance rules, so check where the project is.

### Can a Ohio construction contract make a contractor cover another party's negligence?

Ohio's anti-indemnity statute (Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2305.31) voids construction contract clauses that make a contractor indemnify another party for that party's own negligence, even in part. Clauses limited to the contractor's own share of fault generally hold up.

## Sources

1. [Ohio workers' comp requirements](https://onpay.com/insights/workers-comp-requirements-by-state/ohio/), OnPay, Dec 2025
2. [What is stop gap coverage?](https://www.hubinternational.com/en-us/insurance-glossary/s/stop-gap-coverage/), HUB International
3. [Anti-Indemnity Statutes in All 50 States (2023)](https://grsm.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Anti-Indemnity-Statutes-2023.pdf), Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, 2023
4. [State Workers' Compensation Officials](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/wc), U.S. Department of Labor

General information, not legal advice. Confirm with the state agency, your broker or your attorney.

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