If your Washington, D.C. partnership has any non-owner employees, yes, it must carry workers compensation insurance, because D.C. requires coverage once you have employees. The partners themselves are treated like sole proprietors: they are left off coverage by default and can choose to opt in through an endorsement the carrier adds. So the firm's staff must be covered, while each partner decides separately whether to cover themselves.
Who this is for: Partners in a D.C. general or limited partnership, from a two-person professional firm to a partnership running a payroll of employees.
The short version
- A partnership with any non-owner employee must carry workers comp from the first hire.
- Partners are off coverage by default, the same as sole proprietors.
- A partner who wants their own injuries covered opts in by a carrier endorsement, not a D.C. form.
- Partners are the opposite of corporate officers, who are covered by default and opt out.
- Clients and general contractors often require proof of coverage before the partnership can start work.
How D.C. treats partners
The D.C. Act ties the coverage duty to the employer-employee relationship, and a partner is an owner of the business, not an employee of it. So a partner is left off the policy by default, just like a sole proprietor, and the firm is not forced to insure the partners themselves. A partner who wants comp to pay for their own on-the-job injury opts in, and the carrier then prices that partner's pay into the premium. All of this is handled by an endorsement your insurer adds, because D.C. has no government owner-election form. The part that is not optional: every non-owner employee must be covered from day one.
| Your setup | Is comp required? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Partners only, no employees | Not required for partners | Partners are off by default; any partner may opt in for their own injuries |
| Partnership with W-2 employees | Yes | Employees covered from day one; partners still choose in or out for themselves |
| A partner wants their own coverage | Optional | Opt in by carrier endorsement; the partner's pay is priced into the premium |
| You hire subcontractors | Maybe | An uninsured sub can push liability onto the partnership; confirm each sub is covered |
Opting in as a partner
Because a D.C. partner starts off the policy, the decision is whether to add yourself. If you want your own work injuries paid by comp, you opt in and your pay is figured into the price. If you would rather keep partner draws out of the premium and rely on personal health and disability coverage, you stay off. Many partnerships that employ staff keep the employees on the policy and let each partner decide individually. Remember that a general partner can be personally on the hook for the firm's debts, so an uninsured injury claim is not something you want landing on the partners.
Partners versus officers
D.C. owners often mix these up. A partner is off coverage by default and opts in, while a paid corporate officer is on by default and opts out. They cut in opposite directions, so if your firm is set up as a partnership rather than a corporation, do not assume the officer rule applies to you. If you are weighing a switch in structure, that difference is one more thing to price out.
A Dupont Circle example
Illustrative, not a quote. A Dupont Circle accounting firm operates as a two-partner partnership with three W-2 staff. Because the firm has non-owner employees, D.C. requires a policy, and the three staff are covered from day one. The two partners are off coverage by default; one wants their own injuries covered and opts in by endorsement, while the other relies on personal coverage and stays off. When a client asks for proof of coverage before signing an engagement, the firm hands over a certificate the same day. See our workers comp for accounting firms page.
Real questions District of Columbia owners ask
Does our D.C. partnership need workers comp?
If it has any non-owner employees, yes, from the first one. The partners themselves are off coverage by default, so a policy is not forced on the partners alone, but the staff must be covered.
Are partners covered by default in D.C.?
No. D.C. treats partners like sole proprietors, so they are left off coverage by default. A partner who wants their own injuries covered opts in through an endorsement the carrier adds.
How does a partner opt into coverage?
You ask the insurance carrier to add the partner by endorsement, and that partner's pay is priced into the premium. D.C. has no government owner-election form, so the choice is handled through your insurer.
Are partners treated the same as corporate officers?
No, and this trips owners up. A partner is off by default and opts in, while a paid corporate officer is on by default and opts out. They cut in opposite directions.
Do we need coverage if we only use subcontractors?
Maybe. If a subcontractor you hire has no coverage of its own, D.C. can make the partnership pay benefits to that sub's injured worker. Collect proof of coverage from every sub.
Why do clients ask our partnership for proof of coverage?
General contractors, landlords, and commercial clients require it to manage their own risk. Even when you have covered everyone required, you usually cannot start the job without showing a certificate.
Why District of Columbia owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. In Washington, D.C. you buy workers' comp on the open, competitive private market from any insurer licensed in the District, because there is no government fund, and if no carrier will take you the NCCI-run assigned risk plan is the guaranteed backstop, so we can shop your rate freely and still have a fallback for hard-to-place work.
- We catch pricing mistakes. Your price depends heavily on the category your work falls into for pricing (the class code). Put people in the wrong category and you overpay for years. We review your payroll and classifications before you buy.
- Proof of coverage, fast. Need a certificate (proof of coverage) for a general contractor or a landlord before Monday? We turn those around the same business day for most carriers.
- We help lower the score that drives your price. Insurers give you a score based on your past claims that raises or lowers your cost (the experience modification rate). We review it each year, flag errors, and connect you with return-to-work and safety resources that bring it down.
- Real people when a claim happens. When someone gets hurt, we stay involved through the life of the claim, not just at renewal.
Related District of Columbia guides
Every District of Columbia business is set up a little differently. These companion guides answer the same question for other situations, plus the national explainers behind the terms used here.
- Business insurance in District of Columbia (start here)
- Workers comp: the owner's overview
- I own an LLC: do I need workers comp?
- I'm a sole proprietor: do I need workers comp?
- I own a corporation (C-corp or S-corp): do I need it?
- We're a nonprofit: do we need workers comp?
- My workers are 1099: do I still need it?
- Only part-time or seasonal staff: do I need it?
- I only employ family: do I need workers comp?
- Remote or out-of-state staff: do I need coverage?
- What happens if I don't carry workers comp?
- How much does workers comp cost?
- How do I get workers comp (even if turned down)?
- What insurance do I need for a contractor license?
- Workers compensation insurance, explained
- What workers comp costs (national guide)
- Do sole proprietors need workers comp?
- What workers comp does not cover
- DC accounting firm workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. District of Columbia rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the D.C. Office of Workers' Compensation or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.