How to Find Your NAICS Code
Your NAICS code classifies your business by industry and drives which federal opportunities apply to you and whether you qualify as a small business. This guide shows how to find and choose the right codes.
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the standard the federal government uses to classify businesses by industry. Each contract opportunity is assigned a primary NAICS code, and that code — combined with the SBA size standard tied to it — determines whether your business counts as small for that opportunity.
Why NAICS codes matter
- Opportunities are tagged by NAICS, so matching your codes is how you surface relevant work.
- Each NAICS code has an SBA size standard (a revenue or employee threshold) that defines 'small business' for that work.
- Set-asides are scoped by NAICS, so the codes you carry affect which restricted competitions you can enter.
- The same company can be 'small' under one NAICS and 'large' under another.
How to find the right NAICS code
- Search the U.S. Census Bureau NAICS tool by keyword to find codes that describe what you actually do.
- Study how agencies code work like yours: look up awarded contracts on USASpending.gov and note the NAICS used.
- Review solicitations in your field on SAM.gov to see which codes contracting officers assign.
- Pick a primary code that best reflects your core revenue, then add secondary codes for adjacent capabilities.
Choosing a primary vs. secondary codes
Your primary NAICS code should reflect the activity that generates most of your revenue. You can and should list multiple secondary codes in SAM.gov to capture your full range of capabilities, since opportunities can be coded to any of them. There is no penalty for carrying several relevant codes, but listing codes you cannot perform under wastes your search time and can hurt credibility.
Check your size standard
Once you know your codes, look up each one in the SBA Table of Size Standards. Size is measured either by average annual receipts (typically over five years) or by average number of employees, depending on the industry. If you exceed the threshold for a given NAICS, you are 'other than small' for opportunities using that code, even if you are small elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
Can a business have more than one NAICS code?
Yes. Most contractors list one primary NAICS code and several secondary codes in SAM.gov to reflect all of their capabilities. Opportunities can be coded to any of them, so carrying the right set widens your relevant pipeline.
How do I know if I am a small business under a NAICS code?
Look up the code in the SBA Table of Size Standards. Each code has a threshold based on average annual receipts or number of employees. If you are below it, you qualify as small for opportunities using that code.
Who assigns the NAICS code on a contract?
The contracting officer assigns the primary NAICS code to each solicitation based on the principal purpose of the requirement. You can challenge a NAICS assignment you believe is wrong through an appeal to the SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals within a set deadline.
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