Primary code
Start with your main line of business
Choose the activity that best represents what your business principally does today. Compare the full Census descriptions, examples, and exclusions before updating SAM.gov.
Free lookup tool
Search by what your business does
Enter a 2–6 digit code or a few activity words. We search official 2022 titles, Census index terms, and cross-references to build a practical shortlist. This is not a certification or an AI decision.
Browse the official NAICS hierarchy
Start with a broad sector, then follow its child categories to a specific six-digit industry. Each page keeps the official label and code together.
- Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting11
- Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction21
- Utilities22
- Construction23
- Manufacturing31-33
- Wholesale Trade42
- Retail Trade44-45
- Transportation and Warehousing48-49
- Information51
- Finance and Insurance52
- Real Estate and Rental and Leasing53
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services54
- Management of Companies and Enterprises55
- Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services56
- Educational Services61
- Health Care and Social Assistance62
- Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation71
- Accommodation and Food Services72
- Other Services (except Public Administration)81
- Public Administration92
Example detailed NAICS codes
Open a six-digit industry to read its official definition, examples, related classifications, and current opportunities.
Primary and additional NAICS codes
The Small Business Administration says a business generally has a primary code and may use multiple codes when it sells multiple products or services. That does not mean every nearby code belongs on your profile.
Additional codes
List work you can prove
Include other codes only for products or services you sell and can support. A broader list can help discovery, but a code alone does not prove experience or eligibility.
Each solicitation
The buyer assigns the procurement code
FAR 19.102 directs the contracting officer to use the code that best describes the acquisition’s principal purpose. That code and its size standard matter for that opportunity, even if your primary business code is different.
How to use this finder
Build a shortlist
- Search with a code or a plain-English description of what your business sells.
- Open the most relevant results and compare their official descriptions, examples, and exclusions.
- Check the applicable Small Business Administration size standard and the code assigned to each solicitation.
Important limits
- A similar title can describe a different business activity. Read the full official definition before updating SAM.gov.
- Opportunity counts change as notices open and close. They do not predict fit, competition, or award likelihood.
- This shortlist is not a certification, size determination, registration instruction, or legal advice. Verify the full Census description, the current SBA size standard, and the solicitation.
Official sources
U.S. Census Bureau
2022 NAICS search and manual
The official classification structure, industry descriptions, examples, exclusions, and downloadable reference files.
Open official sourceU.S. Small Business Administration
NAICS and contracting basics
Primary and multiple-code guidance, SAM registration basics, and the connection between each code and a size standard.
Open official sourceFederal Acquisition Regulation
FAR 19.102
The current rule for assigning a solicitation’s NAICS code and corresponding small-business size standard.
Open official sourceReady to look for work?
Use a verified code as a filter, then narrow by location, set-aside, agency, and deadline.