What Government Agencies Still Use SIC Codes?
Governed reference
Government reference disclaimer
This guide summarizes where SIC codes still appear in select government systems, instructions, and legacy datasets using publicly available official sources. It is provided for reference and does not indicate any government affiliation, endorsement, or official status.
Always follow the requirements of the specific portal, form, dataset, or program you are using—requirements can change over time.
Yes—SIC codes still appear in some government systems, even though NAICS is the primary federal statistical standard used for modern economic measurement and many program/reporting contexts. SIC persists mainly because it remains embedded in long-running regulatory and data systems, and because older datasets and workflows still rely on SIC for continuity.
Best practice: follow the requirement of the portal or program you are using. If a filing or form requests SIC, provide SIC. If a program or reporting context requires NAICS, use NAICS. When both appear in a workflow, keep both fields and map between them for continuity and audit defensibility.
Official standard vs. continued SIC usage NAICS is primarySIC still appears
This page documents where SIC codes still appear in government and regulatory contexts. It does not imply that SIC replaces NAICS for official reporting. NAICS is the standard used by federal statistical agencies for modern classification, while SIC persists in select systems and legacy datasets.
Official NAICS reference: U.S. Census Bureau NAICS
Visualizing the classification bridge
Many workflows store both codes: SIC for legacy continuity and NAICS for modern program/reporting needs.
Federal systems where SIC is actively used or directly supported
| Organization / system | How SIC is used | What this means for users | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) – EDGARActive |
SEC filings and registrant profiles include SIC codes, and SIC is used for issuer categorization and search filtering in EDGAR-related workflows.
Last verified: 2026
|
If you’re working with public company filings, issuer screening, or EDGAR-based research, you will frequently encounter SIC codes. | SEC SIC Code List (EDGAR) |
| U.S. Department of Labor – OSHASupported |
OSHA provides a SIC manual and SIC search tools (1987 SIC). SIC remains a reference point for older records and some continuity workflows.
Last verified: 2026
|
You may see SIC in historical OSHA data contexts or when searching the SIC manual for legacy classification references. | OSHA SIC System Search |
| U.S. Department of Labor – Enforcement DataLegacy datasets |
Long-span enforcement datasets document the shift from SIC to NAICS (older years commonly use SIC).
Last verified: 2026
|
When analyzing long time horizons, you may need SIC for older records and continuity across time. | DOL Enforcement Data: SIC |
Crosswalk pitfall: SEC SIC may not match NAICS for the “same company”
Why mismatch is normal (especially in finance & screening)
A company’s SEC/EDGAR SIC label may not match the NAICS you would assign from establishment-level operating activity. This usually reflects different classification purposes and scope, not an error.
- Scope mismatch: issuer-level categorization vs establishment-level activity.
- Boundary mismatch: SIC and NAICS define industries differently; one-to-many conversions are common.
- Best practice: store both fields when relevant and document the mapping logic used.
Regulatory contexts where SIC is still referenced
Some regulations and long-running programs contain SIC references (sometimes alongside NAICS), especially when historical rules relied on SIC and later adopted NAICS while preserving earlier SIC-based language for continuity and interpretation.
| Program / rule context | What you’ll see | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| EPA – TRI reporting (historical/continuity references) |
TRI industry coverage is typically handled using NAICS in modern guidance, while older materials and continuity documentation may reference SIC mappings.
Last verified: 2026
|
eCFR: 40 CFR Part 372 (TRI) EPA: TRI Covered Industry Sectors |
Practical takeaway for compliance teams
If a regulation or filing workflow expects NAICS, use NAICS. If your internal systems, historical records, or external datasets still store SIC, keep the SIC field for continuity and auditing—then map to NAICS when required. For many workflows, maintaining both fields is the most defensible approach.
Why SIC persists (neutral explanation)
- Legacy system embedding: SIC was integrated into regulatory and data infrastructure for decades.
- Longitudinal analysis: historical series often preserve SIC to keep time-trend comparability.
- Crosswalk workflows: many datasets maintain both fields to normalize older records into modern NAICS contexts.
State and local government examples where SIC is still collected
At the state and local level, SIC may still appear in tax, licensing, and regulatory forms—sometimes alongside NAICS. Usage varies by jurisdiction and program. To keep this page audit-safe, the examples below include official agency pages or published instructions.
| Jurisdiction / program | What the portal/form supports | What to do | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Comptroller – Franchise TaxVerified | Filing instructions/forms include fields for NAICS and SIC. | Provide what the form requests; store SIC + NAICS internally for continuity. | Texas Comptroller: Franchise Tax EZ Computation (Instructions) |
| Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)Verified | Instructions indicate regulated entities should provide NAICS or SIC, including a primary code. | Use the requested code; retain the alternate field for crosswalk and reporting consistency. | TCEQ: Core Data Form Instructions (PDF) |
| California CDTFA – account setup guidanceVerified | Guidance publications may reference business classification fields including NAICS and/or SIC in practice. | Follow CDTFA instructions; store both fields if your workflow touches multiple agencies/datasets. | CDTFA Publication 73 (PDF) |
| New York State – principal business activityVerified | Tax guidance uses NAICS for principal business activity selection in modern contexts. | Use NAICS when required; keep SIC for legacy datasets and conversion needs. | NY Tax Dept: Publication 910 (NAICS Codes) |
Help keep this reference current
Government portals and instructions change over time. If you know of an official state or federal system that still requests or supports SIC, share the official source link with our Review Team for verification and inclusion.
Evidence guideline: please send the exact portal page, published instructions, or official PDF where SIC is requested or supported.
The Industry Classification Audit Checklist
Use this checklist to reduce classification risk when you operate in a dual-standard environment where some portals still request SIC while many modern programs require NAICS.
1) Identify the “authority of record”
- Start with the exact form, portal, or dataset you are using: does it explicitly request SIC or NAICS?
- If NAICS is requested, note whether a specific revision year is referenced (some programs specify a NAICS edition).
- When requirements differ across systems, maintain both fields and document how they relate.
2) Confirm “primary activity” at the establishment level
- Classify the primary economic activity actually performed (not the brand label or parent company description).
- For multi-location organizations, locations may legitimately have different codes if the primary activity differs.
- Write a one-sentence plain-English rationale you could defend in an audit.
3) Validate any conversion (crosswalk) you perform
Avoid “blind” one-to-one assumptions. Conversions can be one-to-many depending on the specific activity boundary. After converting, validate the output by reading the definition and included/excluded activities for the destination code.
Defensibility tip: store the source code, mapped code, mapping logic/version, and the plain-English activity description used for the decision.
If you’re classifying businesses for marketing segmentation or analytics, you may encounter dataset-specific “extended” codes. Officially, NAICS is defined up to 6 digits and SIC is defined up to 4 digits. Anything beyond that is a commercial segmentation layer, not a government standard.
FAQ
- Is SIC still used by the U.S. government?
Yes. SIC is still used in some government systems and references (for example, SEC EDGAR issuer classification and OSHA SIC reference tools), and it persists in legacy datasets and regulatory continuity contexts. - Do I need SIC for official federal reporting?
In most modern federal statistical and program reporting contexts, NAICS is the required standard. Use SIC when a specific system, dataset, or historical workflow still stores or expects SIC for continuity—or when a government portal explicitly requests it. - Why do some government-related datasets still show SIC?
Many datasets span decades. SIC is preserved for longitudinal comparability and legacy system compatibility, even when newer periods adopt NAICS. - Are extended SIC or 8-digit NAICS codes official?
No. Official NAICS ends at 6 digits and official SIC ends at 4 digits. Extended codes are commercial or dataset-specific segmentation layers used for marketing and analytics. - How do I map SIC to NAICS (or NAICS to SIC) when both are required?
Use a documented conversion workflow, then validate results by comparing the definition boundaries for the specific establishment activity. Start here: SIC to NAICS Conversion and NAICS to SIC Conversion.
Next steps
For a neutral decision framework and side-by-side comparison, see SIC Codes vs NAICS Codes. For governed interpretation guidance, see the Industry Classification & Verification Framework. If you need to reconcile codes in a compliance or research workflow, use the conversion tools: SIC to NAICS Conversion and NAICS to SIC Conversion.
Citation & Attribution
If you reference this guide in internal policies, audits, or research, use the citation format below.