Senate Bill 317 resets how Nevada calculates workers’ compensation payroll — and the change lands on every new and renewal policy starting October 1, 2026.
OLD WAGE CAP
$36,000
NEW WAGE CAP - EFFECTIVE 10/1/2026
$98,433.60
If you’ve been budgeting workers’ comp premiums the same way for years, this is the year that changes. Under Senate Bill 317, Nevada is raising the maximum payroll amount used to calculate workers’ compensation premium — from $36,000 to $98,433.60 per person, per year.
What’s actually changing
Every new and renewal policy effective October 1, 2026 will use the new, higher wage cap. That includes owners and officers covered under a master policy format — such as the AdvanStaff policy with SUNZ Insurance Company. From here forward, the cap won’t sit still: it’s designed to adjust annually, moving with the state’s maximum average monthly wage and revising again at each policy renewal.
Why the cap is moving at all
The short version: wage and medical inflation had outpaced the old $36,000 ceiling for years, making it increasingly unrealistic. Nevada is fixing that with a floating cap the state will monitor and amend going forward, rather than letting it fall out of step again.
How this interacts with rate filing
~22%
Average rate filing in March, before the wage cap change was announced.
~33%
Average rate filing shift for policies effective October 1, wage increase factored in.
Note: We’re double-checking the exact October 1st rate filing figure against the state source before it goes into any final client-specific numbers. Treat the percentage above as directional for now.
Who feels this the most
Based on AdvanStaff’s historic payroll and premium data, most industries won’t see a substantial impact from the combined effect of the wage cap increase and the state’s rate filings. The exceptions tend to be service-heavy industries, where a larger share of payroll sits close to — or above — the old cap:
- Restaurants
- Property management
- Retail
What to expect going forward
Nevada plans to revisit the wage cap every January, adjusting it to the state’s maximum average monthly wage. Each policy renewal will pick up the latest figure. Historic claims and premium data will continue to shape the state’s annual rate filings — and AdvanStaff’s Risk & Safety team will keep monitoring both, so nothing catches your renewal by surprise.
Have questions about your specific renewal?
Reach out to your Advanstaff Risk &Safety representative. We’re happy to walk through what this means for your policy, your industry, and your October 1st renewal timeline.
