NAICS Code Lookup

NAICS code or activity:

Search official 2022 NAICS titles and local keyword hints; verify the final fit against official definitions before filing.

Search scope:

Current 2022 is the default; current plus retired helps clean historical datasets.

Match behavior:

Use Smart search for business descriptions, Code starts with for drilldown, and Exact for validation.

Detail level:

Choose all levels for drilldown or national industries for normal six-digit assignment.

Sector filter:

Leave as All sectors when the query is still exploratory.

Result limit: {{ resultLimitNumber }} rows

Show 5 to 50 candidate rows in exports and the match score chart.

rows

Minimum score: {{ minimumScoreNumber }}

Lower values are useful for sector browsing; higher values keep only stronger keyword/code matches.

score

Brief field	Detail	Copy
{{ row.field }}	{{ row.detail }}

Code	Title	Level	Sector	Status	Score	Copy
{{ row.code }}	{{ row.title }}	{{ row.levelLabel }}	{{ row.sectorLabel }}	{{ row.statusLabel }}	{{ row.scoreLabel }}

Depth	Code	Title	Use	Copy
{{ row.depth }}	{{ row.code }}	{{ row.title }}	{{ row.use }}

Review step	Evidence	Action	Copy
{{ row.step }}	{{ row.evidence }}	{{ row.action }}

Code	Title	Flag	Meaning	Copy
{{ row.code }}	{{ row.title }}	{{ row.flag }}	{{ row.meaning }}

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NAICS codes classify business establishments by the activity they are primarily engaged in. The code is often needed when registering a business, filling out procurement forms, preparing economic research, checking agency records, or segmenting a customer list by industry.

The useful part of a NAICS lookup is not just finding a matching phrase. A good result should show where the code sits in the hierarchy, whether the row belongs to the current 2022 structure or an older 2017-only row, and why a nearby candidate might be a better fit. That matters because one company can operate several establishments, and each establishment may need the code that best matches its own main activity.

NAICS code hierarchy narrowing from sector to national industry

Most day-to-day searches aim for a six digit national industry code, but broader levels still help during review. A sector result can confirm the economic area before a more specific code is chosen. A retired row can explain why an older database, vendor profile, or agency notice contains a code that no longer appears in the 2022 structure.

NAICS should not be treated as a legal identity, product catalog, or guarantee that every agency will accept the same code without context. Official definitions, inclusions, exclusions, and agency instructions still matter when the code will be used on a filing, grant application, procurement profile, tax form, safety report, or regulated record.

How to Use This Tool:

Start with the business activity you need to classify, then tighten the search only after you see the first candidate list.

Enter a two to six digit code, a code prefix, or a short activity phrase in NAICS code or activity. Phrases such as custom software development, limited service restaurant, and electrical contractor work better than full business descriptions.
Choose Search scope. Use Current 2022 NAICS for new assignments. Use a retired option only when reconciling older records or checking why a historical code appears in a source list.
Set Match behavior. Smart search balances code, title, sector, and keyword hints. Code starts with is useful for drilldown from a sector or prefix. Exact code or title is stricter and works best when you already have a candidate code or official title.
Pick a Detail level. 6-digit national industries is the usual path for a final U.S. code. All hierarchy levels is better for exploring a sector, and Sector and subsector only keeps the list broad.
Use Sector filter when the business domain is already known. Leave it at All sectors while exploring an uncertain phrase.
Open Advanced only when the first list is too broad or too narrow. Result limit changes how many rows appear, and Minimum score filters weak matches.
Review Best Code Brief, Match Ledger, Hierarchy Path, and Assignment Checklist before copying a code. If no match appears, shorten the phrase, switch to all hierarchy levels, remove the sector filter, or lower the minimum score.

Use the copied code or exported brief as a research note, not as the final authority when an official filing requires agency-specific review.

Interpreting Results:

The first row is the ranked lead, not an official assignment. Treat it as the best candidate under the current search settings and compare it with nearby rows when the activity spans more than one service line, product, venue type, or operating model.

Recommended lead gives the top code and title for the current filters.
Status separates current 2022 rows from 2017-only retired rows.
Hierarchy path shows whether the result belongs in the expected sector, subsector, industry group, industry, and national industry.
Match score compares candidates inside this lookup. It is not an official confidence percentage.
Change Flags warns when a current row has a 2022 title or content change marker, or when a historical row is retired.

The most important verification step is checking the official definition for the final six digit code. A high score can still be wrong when a phrase matches the title but the establishment's primary activity, customers, or production process belongs in another category.

Technical Details:

NAICS is a production-oriented classification system. Establishments that do similar work in similar ways are grouped together, so the classification depends on the establishment's main activity rather than the company name, legal entity type, product slogan, or customer segment alone.

The code structure is hierarchical. The first two digits identify the sector, the third digit narrows to the subsector, the fourth digit identifies the industry group, the fifth digit identifies the NAICS industry, and the sixth digit identifies the national industry used for U.S. detail. Some sectors use combined ranges such as 31-33, 44-45, and 48-49 at the sector level.

Lookup Core

The lookup compares the query with code values, official titles, sector titles, and local keyword hints. It then ranks rows after applying the selected scope, detail level, sector filter, result limit, and minimum score.

NAICS hierarchy levels used by the lookup
Code depth	Level name	What it represents	Example
2 digits or sector range	Sector	Broad area of the economy	54 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
3 digits	Subsector	Major activity family inside the sector	541 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
4 digits	Industry group	Related industries before five digit detail	5415 Computer Systems Design and Related Services
5 digits	NAICS industry	Comparable NAICS industry level	54151 Computer Systems Design and Related Services
6 digits	National industry	U.S. detail used for the most specific result rows	541511 Custom Computer Programming Services

Ranking Rules

Scores are relative to the lookup's own ranking rules. Exact code matches rank highest, title matches and code prefixes carry strong weight, and keyword or sector-title matches help activity phrases find rows whose official title uses different wording.

How match behavior changes NAICS ranking
Mode	Best use	Ranking behavior
Smart search	Activity phrases and uncertain descriptions	Combines exact code, code prefix, exact title, title contains, all-word matches, keyword hints, sector title matches, current status, and detail level.
Code starts with	Sector or prefix drilldown	Prioritizes rows whose code begins with the typed prefix, then falls back to title word matches.
Exact code or title	Validating a known code or official title	Returns strong matches only when the code or title matches the query after normalization.
Title contains all words	Checking whether official titles include a phrase	Ranks exact titles first, then titles containing the phrase or every significant word.

Change and Status Rules

Revision status affects interpretation. A current 2022 row can still carry a change flag, while a retired row is present only to help with historical reconciliation.

NAICS change flags shown in results
Result label	Meaning	How to use it
Current	No 2022 change indicator is shown for the row.	Still verify the official definition before using the code.
Title changed	The 2022 title changed without a content change note.	Check older labels when reconciling historical lists.
New in 2022	The code appears as a new 2022 row.	Compare with 2017 concordance material if older records use a different code.
Content changed	The code is reused but the included activity changed.	Read the definition and exclusions before carrying forward an old assignment.
Lower-level content changed	Detailed rows below the shown level changed.	Drill down before choosing a six digit row.
Retired after 2017	The row appears in the 2017 structure but not in the 2022 structure used by the current lookup.	Use it for historical explanation, not for a new current assignment.

Accuracy Notes:

The lookup narrows candidates from loaded NAICS reference rows and keyword hints. It does not replace the official NAICS manual, agency instructions, or a reviewer who understands the establishment's primary activity.

Use current 2022 rows for new U.S. assignments unless the receiving agency instructs otherwise.
Use 2017-only retired rows for reconciliation, audits, and older records, not as a current code recommendation.
Search phrases can overmatch common words such as services, consulting, retail, or construction. Compare the hierarchy path and nearby alternatives.
Searches run in the browser against the loaded reference tables. The activity phrase is not sent to a separate lookup service by this page, but check the address bar before sharing a searched page because current controls can be reflected there.

Worked Examples:

A software consulting shop enters custom software development, keeps Smart search, selects 6-digit national industries, and filters to sector 54. Best Code Brief returns Recommended lead: 541511 - Custom Computer Programming Services, Status: Current 2022, and Match score: 123. The Hierarchy Path confirms sector 54, subsector 541, industry group 5415, NAICS industry 54151, and national industry 541511.

A construction analyst types 23, selects Code starts with, and chooses All hierarchy levels. The lead is 23 - Construction, which is useful for sector review but not a specific six digit assignment. Switching Detail level to 6-digit national industries changes the candidate list to rows such as 236115 New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) and 236118 Residential Remodelers.

A data cleanup task checks old code 454110 with Exact code or title and Current plus 2017-only retired. The lead is 454110 - Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses with Status: Retired 2017-only and a Revision note that it is retired after 2017. That explains the old record, but the Assignment Checklist still points the reviewer back to a current 2022 row for new reporting.

When custom software development is searched with sector 72 still selected, the result can return No matching code because the sector filter excludes professional services rows. The recovery path is to remove the sector filter, use All hierarchy levels, or lower Minimum score. If the result remains empty, the phrase probably does not resemble an official title or included keyword hint.

FAQ:

Is the top NAICS code always the official answer?

No. The top row is the ranked lead for the current filters. Confirm the establishment's primary activity against the official definition, exclusions, and any instructions from the agency requesting the code.

Should I search by company name or activity?

Search by activity. NAICS classifies establishments by what they primarily do, so phrases such as custom computer programming, full service restaurant, or electrical contractor are more useful than a business name.

Why do retired rows appear?

Retired rows help explain older records that used 2017 codes. A row marked Retired 2017-only should be treated as historical context rather than a current 2022 assignment.

What does the match score mean?

The score ranks rows inside this lookup. Exact code and title matches usually rank higher than keyword matches, but the score is not an official probability and should not replace definition review.

What should I do when no match appears?

Use fewer words, remove a sector filter, switch to All hierarchy levels, or lower Minimum score. For a known code, try Exact code or title and include retired rows only when historical reconciliation is intended.

Glossary:

NAICS: North American Industry Classification System, the standard used by U.S. federal statistical agencies to classify business establishments.
Establishment: A business location or unit whose primary activity can be classified, even when the larger company has several lines of business.
Sector: The broadest NAICS level, shown by two digits or a sector range such as 31-33, 44-45, or 48-49.
National industry: The six digit U.S. detail level used for the most specific current result rows.
Change flag: A revision note that identifies title changes, new rows, content changes, lower-level changes, or retired historical rows.
Primary activity: The main economic activity of the establishment, often the deciding factor when several NAICS candidates seem plausible.

References:

North American Industry Classification System - NAICS, U.S. Census Bureau.
North American Industry Classification System, United States, 2022, Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget, 2022.
NAICS Update Process Fact Sheet, U.S. Census Bureau.
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) at BLS, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, July 25, 2023.
How do I determine the correct NAICS code for my company or for individual establishments in my company?, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.