How to Find a Company’s SIC Code: Business Lookup and Industry Classification
Quick answer: To find a company’s SIC code
- Search by company name or keyword in the SIC Code Lookup & Directory.
- Identify the specific establishment location you care about (SIC codes can differ by site).
- Verify the primary activity performed at that location matches the SIC code’s definition.
- If results show multiple codes, choose the code that best matches the site’s dominant activity and document your rationale.
Key principle: SIC codes are assigned at the establishment level (individual locations), not at the company level.
SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) codes provide a consistent framework for organizing industries and comparing businesses across datasets. This guide focuses on the practical workflow users need: find the most likely SIC code, then verify it matches the establishment’s primary activity.
Search Workflow: From Company Name to a Verified SIC Code
The most reliable way to find a SIC code is to treat search as a discovery step and verification as the decision step. The directory helps you find candidates; validation ensures the code reflects what the location actually does.
Use legal name or DBA
Name or keyword search
Look for multiple sites/codes
Confirm address matches
Match activity to definition
If multiple SIC codes appear, it often reflects different establishments (locations) or different operational segments. Always verify against the location’s primary activity.
Understanding Establishment-Level Assignment
What “establishment-level” means
SIC codes are typically assigned to an establishment (a specific operating location), not the entire corporate entity. A company can have different SIC codes across different sites if the primary activities differ.
Headquarters vs. Operations
Administrative offices may classify differently than manufacturing plants, retail outlets, warehouses, or service locations.
Why location matters
Using the correct location-level SIC code improves consistency in research, segmentation, compliance reporting, and risk analytics.
When a Company Has Multiple SIC Codes (Real-World Example)
Example: Exxon Mobil
Large organizations often operate across multiple industry categories. Exxon Mobil maintains distinct SIC classifications for different segments:
How to use this:
- If you’re researching oil and gas extraction operations, use SIC 1311.
- If you’re researching retail gas stations, use SIC 5541.
- If you’re researching the corporate entity across segments, you may need multiple SIC codes or a multi-code view.
Best practice: confirm the establishment address and the activity performed at that site before treating a SIC code as definitive.
How to Verify a SIC Code Is Correct
When a search returns multiple possible codes, verification is what makes the selection defensible. Use the checklist below to confirm the code matches the location you’re analyzing.
- Location match: Confirm the address matches the establishment you’re researching.
- Activity match: Verify the site’s primary activity aligns with the SIC code title/definition.
- Boundary check: If two codes seem close, compare what the establishment actually does (output/activity), not branding language.
- Currency check: Confirm the code reflects the establishment’s current primary activity (businesses change).
Common Scenarios (And What to Do)
Scenario: Multiple SIC codes appear
What it usually means: different locations, different establishment types, or different operational segments.
What to do: select the result matching your target address, then verify the activity matches the code definition.
Scenario: The company doesn’t show up
What to try: search name variations (legal name vs DBA), remove punctuation, or search by a product/service keyword.
Next step: use keyword results to identify candidate industries, then validate by reviewing similar establishments.
Scenario: HQ code looks “wrong”
Why it happens: the HQ may be administrative while revenue-generating work happens at plants, stores, or service sites.
What to do: classify the operational location you’re analyzing, not the corporate office by default.
Scenario: Two codes both seem applicable
Best practice: choose the code that best matches the establishment’s dominant activity (what the site primarily does).
Tip: document the activity basis for the selection (useful for research and internal governance).
Why SIC Codes Might Be Outdated
Business data changes continuously
Each month, an estimated 2–3% of U.S. establishments experience closures, relocations, ownership changes, or shifts in primary business activity.
SICCODE.com uses a multi-step verification and normalization process to monitor and update industry classifications across a large national footprint. For time-sensitive research or compliance workflows, the best practice is to verify that the code matches the establishment’s current primary activity.
Practical tip: if an establishment has recently changed ownership, moved, or expanded into a new line of business, treat any code as a starting point and re-verify.
Identify vs. Append: Choosing the Right Approach
Use manual lookup when
- You’re researching a single company or a small set of businesses
- You need to verify an address or establishment type
- Classification may be ambiguous and needs validation
Use append services when
- You already have a list (CRM, prospects, dataset) and need SIC codes at scale
- You need consistent enrichment across many records
- You’re standardizing classification in analytics or operations
Why SIC Codes Are Used (Common Applications)
Market & industry analysis
Use SIC groupings to benchmark industries and compare businesses consistently across datasets.
Targeted segmentation
Segment lists and research sets by SIC classification for outreach, analysis, and planning.
Business development
Identify potential partners, suppliers, or acquisition targets by industry alignment.
Credit & risk analytics
Compare businesses within peer groups to support underwriting and risk evaluation.
Essential SIC Code Resources
Verified Business Data Access
Need Help?
If you need help validating a SIC code for research, compliance, or enrichment workflows, please contact us.