Industry Codes

Updated: February 21, 2019

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)

At the start of your research, it may not be clear what specific industry you should be examining. A good strategy is to find out if your business idea is classified in an industrial classification system. These systems organize industries by assigning them a numeric code. The most commonly used system is the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Once you know your Industry Classification Code you can use this number to:

  • Find industry-specific statistics on government websites or in library databases
  • Generate lists of competitors in company directories

Another common classification system is the Standard Industry Code (SIC). NAICS have mostly replaced the SIC, but the SIC is still used by some commercial databases. Finding and using these classification systems to effectively search can be tricky, so don't hesitate to ask a librarian for help.

Try These

Type Code Description
NAICS 81 Other Services (except Public Administration)
NAICS 813 Religious, Grant-Making, Civic, and Professional and Similar Organizations  
NAICS 8139 Business, Professional, Labour and Other Membership Organizations
NAICS 813210 Grant-Making and Giving Services 
NAICS 813310 Social Advocacy Organizations 
NAICS 813410 Civic and Social Organizations 
NAICS 813910 Business Associations 
NAICS 813990 Other Membership Organizations 
SIC 8699 Membership Organizations
SIC 8399 Social Services

Search or browse all NAICS or SIC codes on the NAICS Association website. Some NAICS codes are different in Canada — you can search by keyword or browse Canadian NAICS codes at Statistics Canada or Canadian Industry Statistics. To search for a SIC code using a NAICS code and vice versa, use the NAICS & SIC Crosswalks.   

For more information about planning your industry research, including identifying your industry codes, check out the video tutorial for Module 3: Planning Your Industry Research.