The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
At the start of your research, it may not be clear what specific industry you should be examining. A good strategy is to find out if your business idea is classified in an industrial classification system. These systems organize industries by assigning them a numeric code. The most commonly used system is the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Once you know your Industry Classification Code you can use this number to:
- Find industry-specific statistics on government websites or in library databases
- Generate lists of competitors in company directories
Another common classification system is the Standard Industry Code (SIC). NAICS have mostly replaced the SIC, but the SIC is still used by some commercial databases. Finding and using these classification systems to effectively search can be tricky, so don't hesitate to ask a librarian for help.
Try These
| Type | Code | Description |
|---|---|---|
| NAICS | 11 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting |
| NAICS | 1111 | Oilseed and Grain Farming |
| NAICS | 1112 | Vegetable and Melon Farming |
| NAICS | 1113 | Fruit and Tree Nut Farming |
| NAICS | 1114 | Greenhouse, Nursery and Floriculture Production |
| NAICS | 1119 | Other Crop Farming |
| NAICS | 1121 | Cattle Ranching and Farming |
| NAICS | 1122 | Hog and Pig Farming |
| NAICS | 1123 | Poultry and Egg Production |
| NAICS | 1124 | Sheep and Goat Farming |
| NAICS | 1125 | Aquaculture |
| NAICS | 1129 | Other Animal Production |
| SIC | 01 | Agricultural Production - Crops |
| SIC | 011 | Cash Grains |
| SIC | 013 | Field Crops, Except Cash Grains |
| SIC | 016 | Vegetables and Melons |
| SIC | 017 | Fruits and Tree Nuts |
| SIC | 018 | Horticulture Specialties |
| SIC | 019 | General Farms, Primarily Crop |
| SIC | 02 | Agricultural Production - Livestock and Animal Specialties |
| SIC | 021 | Livestock, Except Dairy and Poultry |
| SIC | 024 | Dairy Farms |
| SIC | 025 | Poultry and Eggs |
| SIC | 027 | Animal Specialities |
| SIC | 029 | General Farms, Primarily Livestock and Animal Specialties |
Search or browse all NAICS or SIC codes on the NAICS Association website. Some NAICS codes are different in Canada — you can search by keyword or browse Canadian NAICS codes at Statistics Canada or Canadian Industry Statistics. To search for a SIC code using a NAICS code and vice versa, use the NAICS & SIC Crosswalks.
For more information about planning your industry research, including identifying your industry codes, check out the video tutorial for Module 3: Planning Your Industry Research.