Powered by LevrNAICS 2022 is the current North American Industry Classification System. It sorts every business into one of 20 sectors, identified by two digit codes from 11 to 92, and then narrows each sector down to six digit national industries. There are 1,012 six digit codes in the United States edition. The list below shows every sector with its code range and links to the full sector pages.
To skip the browsing, describe the business in the NAICS code calculator and it returns the six digit code.
All 20 NAICS sectors
| Code | Sector | Typical businesses |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | Farms, ranches, logging, fishing, farm support services |
| 21 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | Oil and gas wells, quarries, mining support |
| 22 | Utilities | Electric power, natural gas distribution, water and sewer systems |
| 23 | Construction | Home builders, commercial builders, specialty trade contractors |
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | Food, apparel, machinery, metal fabrication, electronics |
| 42 | Wholesale Trade | Merchant wholesalers, wholesale trade agents |
| 44-45 | Retail Trade | Stores, auto dealers, gas stations, online retailers |
| 48-49 | Transportation and Warehousing | Trucking, airlines, couriers, warehousing |
| 51 | Information | Publishing, software publishers, telecom, data processing |
| 52 | Finance and Insurance | Banks, lenders, insurance carriers and agencies |
| 53 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | Landlords, property managers, equipment rental |
| 54 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | Lawyers, accountants, engineers, consultants, IT services |
| 55 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | Holding companies, corporate offices |
| 56 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | Staffing, janitorial, landscaping, waste collection |
| 61 | Educational Services | Schools, training centers, tutoring |
| 62 | Health Care and Social Assistance | Physicians, dentists, home health, child care |
| 71 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | Performers, gyms, golf courses, amusement |
| 72 | Accommodation and Food Services | Hotels, restaurants, bars, caterers |
| 81 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | Auto repair, salons, dry cleaners, religious and civic groups |
| 92 | Public Administration | Government agencies |
Three sectors use a range instead of a single two digit code. Manufacturing (31-33), retail trade (44-45) and transportation and warehousing (48-49) were too large for one prefix, so each spans two or three. A bakery that makes bread is in 311, a metal fabricator is in 332, and both are manufacturing.
How many NAICS codes there are
NAICS is a hierarchy. Each level adds a digit and narrows the industry. The Census Bureau reports these counts for NAICS 2022.
| Level | Digits | Count in NAICS 2022 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector | 2 | 20 | 54, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services |
| Subsector | 3 | 96 | 541, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services |
| Industry group | 4 | 308 | 5416, Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services |
| NAICS industry | 5 | 689 | 54161, Management Consulting Services |
| National industry | 6 | 1,012 | 541611, Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services |
When a form asks for your NAICS code, it wants the six digit national industry. Our guide on what a NAICS code is explains the structure with a worked example.
What changed in NAICS 2022
NAICS is revised every five years. The 2022 revision replaced NAICS 2017 and cut the number of six digit United States industries from 1,057 to 1,012 and the number of subsectors from 99 to 96. Most of that came from two sectors.
Retail trade was restructured
NAICS 2017 had a separate subsector for nonstore retailers, 454, which included 454110 for electronic shopping and mail order houses. NAICS 2022 removed it. Retailers are now classified by what they sell, whether they sell from a storefront, a website, a catalog or a kiosk. An online clothing shop is now in clothing retail, and an online pharmacy is in 456110 with other pharmacies.
The retail sector went from 12 subsectors to 9. The 2022 subsectors are 441 motor vehicle and parts dealers, 444 building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers, 445 food and beverage retailers, 449 furniture, home furnishings, electronics and appliance retailers, 455 general merchandise retailers, 456 health and personal care retailers, 457 gasoline stations and fuel dealers, 458 clothing, clothing accessories, shoe and jewelry retailers, and 459 sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book and miscellaneous retailers.
If you sell online, see our guide on the NAICS code for an LLC, which covers how online sellers choose a code after 2022.
The information sector was reorganized
The 2017 subsectors for publishing (511) and broadcasting (515) were replaced by two new ones. Subsector 513, publishing industries, now holds newspaper, periodical, book, directory and software publishers. Software publishers moved from 511210 to 513210. Subsector 516, broadcasting and content providers, includes the new 516210 for media streaming distribution services, social networks and other media networks and content providers.
Other notable changes
- Automobile and light truck manufacturing were combined into 336110.
- Several securities and commodity codes were merged into 523150 and 523160.
- Telecommunications codes in 517 were reorganized.
If a code on an older form or a lookup site no longer exists, map it to its 2022 replacement before you use it.
Sectors that are often confused
A few sectors trip people up because the boundary depends on how the work is done, not what the product is.
- Manufacturing or retail. A business that makes what it sells on site, such as a retail bakery (311811) or a custom cabinet shop, is manufacturing. A shop that resells finished goods is retail.
- Wholesale or retail. Wholesalers sell mainly to other businesses for resale or use. Retailers sell mainly to the public.
- Professional services or administrative services. Advising and designing is sector 54. Running routine support work such as staffing, cleaning or call centers is sector 56.
- Real estate or construction. Building is sector 23. Owning, leasing and managing property is sector 53.
How to use this list
The list helps you find the right neighborhood. To get to the exact six digit code:
- Pick the sector that matches how your business produces its revenue.
- Open the sector page and read the subsectors.
- Drill down to the six digit code whose definition matches your main activity.
- Read what the definition excludes. Exclusions often point you to the right code.
Our step by step guide on how to find your NAICS code covers businesses with more than one activity, and NAICS vs SIC codes covers converting an older SIC code.
Why the sector matters for financing
Lenders build appetite lists by sector and then by six digit code. Professional services (54) and health care (62) tend to draw the widest lender interest. Accommodation and food services (72), transportation (48-49) and construction (23) have more specialist lenders. Start an application and the AI matches the deal to lenders that fund your code.
Questions people ask
How many NAICS codes are there?
NAICS 2022 has 1,012 six digit United States national industries, the codes businesses file under. Above them sit 689 NAICS industries, 308 industry groups, 96 subsectors and 20 sectors.
What are the 20 NAICS sectors?
Agriculture; mining; utilities; construction; manufacturing; wholesale; retail; transportation and warehousing; information; finance and insurance; real estate; professional services; management of companies; administrative and waste services; education; health care; arts and recreation; accommodation and food; other services; and public administration.
What changed in NAICS 2022?
The biggest change was retail. The nonstore retailer subsector 454 was removed, so online sellers are now classified by what they sell. The information sector was also reorganized into new publishing and broadcasting subsectors.
Is there a NAICS 2027?
NAICS is revised every five years, so the next edition is NAICS 2027. Until it takes effect, NAICS 2022 is the current system.