NAICS Code Finder

What is my NAICS code?

Your NAICS codeis how the government classifies your line of work — and it's the first thing you need before you can bid. Search below by what you do, not by the official jargon: type “roofing” and we'll show you 238160, type “561720” and we'll confirm it's Janitorial Services.

What is a NAICS code?

NAICS — the North American Industry Classification System — is the 6-digit code the federal government uses to describe what your business does. It's how agencies categorize the work they're buying, and how they decide which size standard applies to a contract.

Why does it matter for government contracts?

Every solicitation lists the NAICS code the buyer assigned to it. Your code determines which opportunities show up for you and which SBA small-business size standard you're measured against. Picking the right primary code is part of setting up your SAM.gov registration.

Can I have more than one?

Yes. Most contractors qualify under several NAICS codes — you'll choose a primary code and can list additional ones in SAM.gov. Use this finder to identify every code your trade touches.

Is the size standard based on my revenue or my number of employees?

Each NAICS code uses one measure or the other, never both. Many service, construction, and retail industries use an annual-receipts standard, shown in dollars; others — manufacturing and mining are the classic examples — use an employee-count standard, shown as a number of employees. For federal contracting, SBA figures your receipts as the average of your latest five completed fiscal years, and your employee count as the average headcount across each pay period over the most recent 24 calendar months — and in both cases you must add in the receipts or employees of your affiliates. Because the measure and the threshold differ by code, you can qualify as "small" under one of your NAICS codes and not another, so always check the specific standard for the exact code the contract uses. (We're an independent service, not affiliated with SBA — checking your size and self-certifying is free at SAM.gov.)

How many NAICS codes should I list in SAM.gov?

In SAM.gov you flag one code as your primary — the one that best describes your core business — and you can add additional (secondary) codes for other work you do. SAM.gov doesn't publish a numeric cap, but more is not better: list only codes for work you can actually perform and win today. SBA's rules back this up — under 13 CFR 121.107, when it determines your primary industry SBA looks at the distribution of your receipts, employees, and costs of doing business across the industries you actually operate in, not the jobs you hope to land someday. Padding your profile with codes you can't deliver just buries you in irrelevant opportunities; it doesn't make you look more capable. A tight set of codes that genuinely match your capabilities beats a long list every time. Use the finder above to confirm each code truly describes what you do before you add it — and remember, choosing codes and registering in SAM.gov are free, so you never need to pay a firm to do this for you.

Who picks the NAICS code on a solicitation — and can I challenge it?

The contracting officer assigns one NAICS code (and its matching SBA size standard) to each solicitation — bidders do not choose it (FAR 19.102). If you believe the code is wrong — for example, it forces a size standard that shuts out real competitors — you can appeal the designation to the SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA). The catch is the deadline: a NAICS code appeal must be filed within 10 calendar days after the solicitation is issued (or amended in a way that affects the NAICS code or size standard), per 13 CFR 134.304. Miss that window and OHA will dismiss the appeal as untimely. We are an independent service and not affiliated with SBA or any agency — file appeals directly with SBA OHA.