Class code 8742 vs 7380: outside sales or driver?
The short answer
If the employee delivers merchandise as a regular part of the job, they belong in a driver code. Outside sales (8742) requires that they travel to customers but do not deliver.
8742 is one of the cheapest codes in the whole system and 7380 is one of the most frequently reclassified. The line between them is a single question about delivery — and it is worth a lot of money in both directions.
NCCI's own inspection data points at driver classifications as the single most commonly changed assignment: people who occasionally drive get swept into 7380, and people who genuinely drive get hidden in cheaper codes.
The codes side by side
| Code | What it covers | Illustrative rate |
|---|---|---|
| 8742 | Salespersons or Collectors — Outside | $0.20 – $0.60 |
| 7380 | Drivers, Chauffeurs, Messengers NOC — Commercial | $5.00 – $12.00 |
Per $100 of payroll. National illustrative ranges — your state and carrier set the actual rates.
Does this employee physically deliver anything to the customer?
Never — they quote, sell, inspect and collect → 8742 (Salespersons or Collectors — Outside)
This includes most estimators and account managers who only visit sites. 8742 is a standard exception, so it can be split out from the governing classification.
Yes, regularly — deliveries are part of the route → 7380 (Drivers, Chauffeurs, Messengers NOC — Commercial)
Delivery duties generally move the whole role to a driver code, not just the delivery hours.
Rarely, and only in an emergency → 8742 (Salespersons or Collectors — Outside)
Truly incidental delivery may not disqualify 8742, but this is exactly the fact pattern auditors challenge — document how rare it is before relying on it.
When each code applies
8742 — Salespersons or collectors — outside
- The employee travels away from the employer's premises to sell, quote, estimate or collect
- They carry no merchandise for delivery and perform no manual work
- Samples and literature are fine; product drops are not
7380 — Drivers, chauffeurs, messengers NOC
- The employee's principal duty is driving commercially
- They deliver product, materials or equipment as a regular part of the role
- They load and unload, which is manual work in its own right
What audits get wrong here
An estimator who drives to sites to measure and quote is coded 7380 — or worse, left in the trade code.
Auditors see a company vehicle and mileage and infer driving is the principal duty. Nothing in the file says otherwise unless you put it there.
An outside salesperson is swept into the governing classification with the rest of the payroll.
Outside sales is a standard exception that is supposed to be separated out. The rate gap between 8742 and a trade code is frequently 20x or more.
A 'sales rep' who drops off product on the way home is coded 8742.
When the auditor finds delivery records, the reclassification is retroactive. This is a back-bill waiting to happen, not a saving.
Worked example
A full-time estimator who visits customers to measure and quote and never carries product, on $65,000 of annual payroll.
- Charged at 7380 (Drivers, Chauffeurs, Messengers NOC — Commercial)
- $3,250 – $7,800 / yr
- Charged at 8742 (Salespersons or Collectors — Outside)
- $130 – $390 / yr
That is roughly $2,860 to $7,670 a year on one salary, and classification overcharges are commonly recoverable around three years back.
Illustrative only. Not a quote, and not a prediction of what your carrier will do.
How much is actually at stake
The illustrative rate gap here is roughly 10x to 25x. On a single mid-five-figure salary that is usually a four-figure annual overcharge — one of the fastest checks a small business can run on its own audit worksheet.
What settles the argument
Classification disputes are won with records, not opinions. For this one, gather:
- Job description stating explicitly that the role includes no delivery of merchandise
- Vehicle assignment records — a sedan or SUV supports sales, a box truck or van with racking does not
- Delivery and dispatch logs showing who actually runs deliveries
- Customer visit logs, CRM activity or quote records showing the pattern of the work
- Commission or bonus structure tied to sales rather than routes
Not sure which one your audit used? Check every employee against their assigned code in a couple of minutes.
Run the free checkerFrequently asked questions
- Does an inside salesperson qualify for 8742?
- No. 8742 covers outside sales — employees who travel away from the employer's premises. Someone selling from a desk by phone or email is generally clerical or part of the governing classification depending on the business.
- What if a salesperson delivers only small samples?
- Carrying samples and literature is normally consistent with outside sales. Delivering the product the customer bought is what moves the classification. If the line is blurry in your operation, document it before the audit rather than arguing about it afterwards.
- Can payroll be split between 8742 and 7380?
- Splitting payroll across codes requires verifiable records allocating hours to each classification. Without those records the entire payroll goes to the highest-rated applicable code, which in this pair is the driver code.
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ClassCheck provides self-advocacy information only. This is not legal, insurance or accounting advice, and classification rules vary by state and carrier. Terms.