NAICS Codes — Federal Contracting by Industry
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) categorizes businesses by industry. Federal agencies use NAICS codes to classify contract requirements, set small business size standards, and track spending by industry sector. Browse all sectors below or search for a specific code.
NAICS Sectors
There are 24 two-digit NAICS sectors. Each sector page lists all six-digit codes within it, along with federal spending data and top contractors.
11 — Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
Establishments primarily engaged in growing crops, raising animals, harvesting timber, and harvesting fish and other animals from a farm, ranch, or their natural habitats.
21 — Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
Establishments that extract naturally occurring mineral solids, liquid minerals, and gases.
22 — Utilities
Establishments that provide electric power, natural gas, steam supply, water supply, and sewage removal.
23 — Construction
Establishments primarily engaged in the construction of buildings or engineering projects.
31 — Manufacturing
Establishments engaged in the mechanical, physical, or chemical transformation of materials into new products (codes 31-33).
42 — Wholesale Trade
Establishments engaged in wholesaling merchandise and providing related logistics services.
44 — Retail Trade
Establishments engaged in retailing merchandise in small quantities to the general public (codes 44-45).
48 — Transportation and Warehousing
Industries providing transportation of passengers and cargo, warehousing and storage, and related services (codes 48-49).
51 — Information
Establishments engaged in producing and distributing information and cultural products, processing data, and transmitting information.
52 — Finance and Insurance
Establishments primarily engaged in financial transactions and/or in facilitating financial transactions.
53 — Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
Establishments primarily engaged in renting, leasing, or allowing the use of tangible or intangible assets.
54 — Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Establishments that specialize in performing professional, scientific, and technical activities for others.
55 — Management of Companies and Enterprises
Establishments that hold the securities of companies and enterprises for the purpose of owning a controlling interest or influencing management decisions.
56 — Administrative and Support Services
Establishments performing routine support activities for the day-to-day operations of other organizations.
61 — Educational Services
Establishments that provide instruction and training in a wide variety of subjects.
62 — Health Care and Social Assistance
Establishments providing health care and social assistance for individuals.
71 — Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
Establishments that operate facilities or provide services to meet varied cultural, entertainment, and recreational interests.
72 — Accommodation and Food Services
Establishments providing customers with lodging and/or preparing meals, snacks, and beverages for consumption.
81 — Other Services (except Public Administration)
Establishments providing services not specifically provided for elsewhere in the classification system.
92 — Public Administration
Federal, state, and local government agencies that administer, oversee, and manage public programs.
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What is a NAICS code?
A NAICS code (North American Industry Classification System) is a six-digit number that classifies a business by its primary type of economic activity. The federal government uses NAICS codes on every contract to categorize what is being purchased and to determine small business size standards.
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How do I choose the right NAICS code for my business?
Select the NAICS code that best describes your primary business activity. You can register for multiple NAICS codes on SAM.gov. Look at what codes your competitors use and what codes appear on contracts you want to compete for. See our NAICS code selection guide for detailed instructions.
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What is a small business size standard?
Each NAICS code has an associated size standard set by the SBA that determines whether a business qualifies as 'small' for that industry. Size standards are measured either in average annual receipts (e.g., $41.5 million) or number of employees (e.g., 500 employees).
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How many NAICS codes are there?
There are approximately 1,200 six-digit NAICS codes organized into 24 two-digit sectors. The codes are updated every five years by the U.S. Census Bureau, with the most recent revision in 2022.
Data sourced from USASpending.gov and Census Bureau . Federal contracting data is public domain.