General Liability Code Lookup

General Liability (GL) classification codes are standardized 5-digit codes published by the Insurance Services Office (ISO) to categorize businesses by their type of operation for commercial general liability insurance rating purposes.

Each GL code corresponds to a specific business activity or occupancy type and is used by insurers to determine the appropriate premium rate for a commercial general liability policy. The code reflects the inherent risk associated with a particular type of business operation.

GL codes are essential for insurance agents and brokers when completing ACORD applications (such as the ACORD 125 and ACORD 126 forms), submitting new business to carriers, and ensuring accurate classification of commercial risks. Incorrect classification can lead to premium errors, coverage gaps, or audit issues.

How GL Codes Work

• Codes range from 10010 to 99999 and are grouped by business type
• Each code has an associated rate per $1,000 of revenue or per unit of exposure
• Premises/operations and products/completed operations are rated separately
• Some codes apply to specific states only or have state-specific rate variations
• The classification system is maintained by ISO and updated periodically through circular filings

Common Rating Bases

• Sales - Most retail and wholesale operations
• Payroll - Contractors, service operations
• Area - Real estate, building owners
• Units - Hotels (per room), parking (per space)
• Admissions - Entertainment, amusement operations