NAICS
North American Industry Classification System
Codes & ClassificationsDefinition
The standard used by federal agencies to classify businesses by industry for statistical and contracting purposes.
More Information
NAICS codes are 6-digit codes that identify a business's primary industry. They replace the older SIC code system and are used to determine small business size standards. The first two digits represent the sector, and subsequent digits provide increasing specificity. Choosing the right NAICS code affects which contracts you can compete for as a small business.
Example
A software development company might use NAICS code 541511 (Custom Computer Programming Services) as its primary code.