ISIC Code 5811 - Publishing of books

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Key facts for ISIC 5811

Code
5811
Level
Class, ISIC Rev. 5
Official title
Publishing of books
Basis
Primary activity of the establishment

Last updated August 19, 2026

Inclusions

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, ISIC Rev. 5 explanatory notes, August 19, 2026.

  • Publishing of books, brochures and similar publications - publishing of dictionaries and encyclopaedias - publishing of atlases, maps and charts - publishing of e-books and audio books - publishing of comic books and graphic novels All the feasible forms of publishing (in print, electronic, digital, analog, or any other form) are included.

Exclusions

Activities the United Nations places in another code.

  • Production of globes, see ISIC 3290
  • Publishing of advertising material, see ISIC 5819
  • Publishing of music and sheet music books, see ISIC 5920
  • Jointly publishing and distributing podcasts, see ISIC 5920
  • Third party on-demand audio streaming distribution services, see ISIC 6010
  • Activities of independent authors, see ISIC 9011

Where ISIC 5811 sits in the hierarchy

Section J Publishing, broadcasting, and content production and distribution activities Division 58 Publishing activities Group Direct parent 581 Publishing of books, newspapers, periodicals and other publishing activities
Class Current 5811 Publishing of books
Other classes in this group (3)

NAICS equivalents for ISIC 5811

These NAICS 2022 codes correspond to ISIC 5811 (Publishing of books).

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, ISIC Rev. 4 to ISIC Rev. 5 correspondence table; U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 NAICS to ISIC Rev. 4 concordance; U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 to 2022 NAICS concordance.

NACE Rev. 2.1 equivalents for ISIC 5811

These NACE Rev. 2.1 (via ISIC) codes correspond to ISIC 5811 (Publishing of books).

Source: Eurostat, NACE Rev. 2.1 to ISIC Rev. 5 correspondence.

Using ISIC 5811

Use ISIC 5811 for book-type publishing in any format, print, digital or audio, when that is the establishment's primary activity.

What does ISIC 5811 include?

ISIC 5811 covers the publishing of books.

What does ISIC 5811 exclude?

ISIC 5811 does not cover production of globes, which is ISIC 3290, and publishing of advertising material, which is ISIC 5819, among other activities listed under Exclusions above.

How is ISIC 5811 different from ISIC 5819?

ISIC 5811 covers book-type publishing in any format, and publishing of advertising material belongs in ISIC 5819 (Other publishing activities).

What NAICS codes correspond to ISIC 5811?

ISIC 5811 corresponds to NAICS 513110 (Newspaper Publishers), NAICS 513120 (Periodical Publishers), NAICS 513130 (Book Publishers), NAICS 513140 (Directory and Mailing List Publishers), NAICS 513191 (Greeting Card Publishers), NAICS 513199 (All Other Publishers), and other NAICS codes listed under NAICS equivalents above.

What changed for ISIC 5811 from Rev. 4?

ISIC 5811 was renamed from "Book publishing" in Rev. 4 to "Publishing of books" in Rev. 5.

Sources for ISIC 5811

  • Official classification source United Nations Statistics Division. International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC), Rev. 5. Explanatory notes, August 19, 2026. United Nations ISIC page

Published by SICCODE.com. Titles, inclusions, and exclusions are the United Nations text.