Transportation & Warehousing Industry Classification Codes (SIC & NAICS)
Transportation & Warehousing Industry Codes
Updated: 2025
The Transportation & Warehousing sector includes establishments that provide transportation of passengers and freight, warehousing and storage services, and related logistical support activities. This sector covers railroads, trucking companies, air and water carriers, transit agencies, pipeline operators, postal and courier services, and distribution centers. Transportation and warehousing classifications support supply chain visibility, network optimization, infrastructure planning, insurance underwriting, and regulatory oversight across all modes. Accurate SIC and NAICS codes enable consistent rollups for freight analysis, capacity planning, and last-mile logistics evaluation.
SIC Coverage: 40–47 (transportation and related services)
NAICS Range: 48–49
SICCODE.com assigns industries to the Transportation & Warehousing sector when their primary activity involves the movement of passengers or goods, the operation of terminal and transfer facilities, or the storage and handling of freight and parcels. SIC codes are included when transportation, logistics, or warehousing operations are the core business, rather than incidental delivery or storage associated with retail, manufacturing, or services.
SIC vs. NAICS Structure for Transportation & Warehousing
| SIC Structure | NAICS Structure |
| Transportation industries are grouped by mode (rail, truck, water, air, transit, pipeline) and service type, with warehousing captured within motor freight operations and postal services recognized separately. | NAICS combines transportation and warehousing into Sectors 48–49, distinguishing between transportation modes, support activities, postal service, couriers and messengers, and warehousing and storage. |
| SIC emphasizes operating companies such as railroads, trucking firms, airlines, and water carriers and separates auxiliary logistics functions into transportation services codes. | NAICS provides finer distinctions for integrated logistics, intermodal terminals, third-party logistics (3PL) providers, and specialized support activities for each mode. |
| Warehousing is closely associated with motor freight and specific carriers, limiting stand-alone analysis of storage and distribution networks. | NAICS explicitly defines warehousing and storage subsectors, supporting independent analysis of distribution centers, fulfillment hubs, and inventory positioning across regions. |
Major SIC Subsectors (Linked to Official 2-Digit Pages)
- SIC 40 — Railroad Transportation
- SIC 41 — Local & Suburban Transit and Interurban Highway Passenger Transportation
- SIC 42 — Motor Freight Transportation & Warehousing
- SIC 43 — United States Postal Service
- SIC 44 — Water Transportation
- SIC 45 — Transportation by Air
- SIC 46 — Pipelines, Except Natural Gas
- SIC 47 — Transportation Services
NAICS Structure Within Transportation & Warehousing (Linked)
- NAICS 48 — Air, Rail, Water, Truck, Transit & Ground Passenger, Pipeline, Scenic & Sightseeing, and Support Activities
- NAICS 49 — Postal Service, Couriers & Messengers, Warehousing & Storage
In SIC, transportation industries are grouped by mode and service type, with warehousing captured alongside motor freight operations and postal services defined as a separate division. NAICS combines transportation and warehousing into a two-part sector (48–49) that distinguishes transportation modes, support activities, postal services, couriers and messengers, and warehousing and storage. These structures make it possible to analyze freight flows, passenger mobility, last-mile delivery networks, and intermodal infrastructure in a consistent way across regions and time periods.
Insights & Research for Transportation & Warehousing
Use SIC & NAICS classifications to compare truck, rail, air, and water carriers and assess modal shifts in freight movement, routing, and capacity utilization.
Warehouse and storage classifications support network design, site selection, and inventory positioning across national, regional, and local distribution systems.
Courier, messenger, and postal codes help analyze parcel volumes, delivery density, and last-mile capacity in urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Regulators and insurers rely on accurate transportation classifications for safety compliance, hazardous materials oversight, infrastructure risk scoring, and rate-setting.
How These Classifications Are Used
Transportation & Warehousing SIC and NAICS codes are used by carriers, shippers, logistics providers, 3PLs, warehouse operators, insurers, analysts, and public agencies to categorize logistics activities and infrastructure. They underpin freight market studies, network optimization projects, public–private partnerships, permitting, and infrastructure funding decisions. Accurate classification ensures that carrier directories, facility databases, and regulatory reports correctly reflect transportation modes, service types, and warehousing functions across the supply chain.
Get Help With Transportation & Warehousing Classification
If you need assistance selecting the correct SIC or NAICS code for a carrier, warehouse, or logistics provider, our classification specialists can review operations, map activities to the proper codes, and support compliance, underwriting, and supply chain analysis.
Related Classification Clusters
- NAICS 42 — Wholesale Trade (distribution-oriented wholesaling, inventory hubs, and trade channels)
- NAICS 44–45 — Retail Trade (store-based and e-commerce endpoints linked to last-mile logistics)
Reviewed and verified by the SICCODE.com Expert Review Team.