What is an ISIC code?

The United Nations industry classification, Rev. 5

SICCODE.com / ISIC Rev. 5 Lookup / What is an ISIC code?

An ISIC code is the code the United Nations uses to classify a business by its main activity. It's published by the United Nations Statistics Division. The current edition, ISIC Rev. 5, was endorsed in March 2024.

Sections (A to V)
22
Divisions
87
Groups
258
Classes
463

Source: UNSD, ISIC Rev. 5, para. 55

What is an ISIC code used for?

An ISIC code tells people the main activity of a business. The United Nations Statistics Division publishes the list, and national statistics offices use it, or a national classification built from it. International organizations, trade and development programs, and companies use the same codes when they compare industries across countries.

ISIC stands for the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities.

  • International statistics

    Statistics offices use ISIC to group businesses, so figures on the economy can be compared across countries.

    Source: UNSD, ISIC Rev. 5, para. 17

  • National classifications

    Many countries use ISIC as their own activity list, or they build a national classification on it.

    Source: UNSD, ISIC Rev. 5, preface and para. 16

  • International organizations

    International organizations use ISIC when a statistical or policy series has to be read in more than one country.

    Source: UNSD, ISIC Rev. 5, preface

  • Industry research and sales targeting

    Companies use ISIC codes to size markets, compare competitors, and build lists of businesses in an industry. SICCODE.com builds business lists by industry code.

How is an ISIC code built?

The four levels are a section letter, a two-digit division, a three-digit group, and a four-digit class. An ISIC code is written without a dot, as in 1071. Some official titles end in not elsewhere classified (n.e.c.), which means the activity does not fit a more specific class.

Example

C 1071

For example, class 1071 is built one level at a time.

  1. Section C Manufacturing
  2. Division 10 Manufacture of food products
  3. Group 107 Manufacture of other food products
  4. Class 1071 Manufacture of bakery products

What changed in ISIC Rev. 5?

  • Section J split into J and K

    Publishing and broadcasting stayed in section J. Telecommunications and computer services moved to section K.

    Source: UNSD, ISIC Rev. 5, preface, and para. 235

  • Division 45 removed

    Division 45 was removed. Wholesale of motor vehicles moved to division 46, retail to division 47, and repair to division 95.

    Source: UNSD, ISIC Rev. 5, preface, and para. 233

  • New intermediation classes

    Rev. 5 adds 18 classes for intermediation services, including retail, accommodation, and food service intermediation.

    Source: UNSD, ISIC Rev. 5, preface, and para. 224

How the counts changed

Level Rev. 4 Rev. 5 Change
Sections 21 22 +1
Divisions 88 87 -1
Groups 238 258 +20
Classes 419 463 +44

Source: UNSD, ISIC Rev. 4, para. 53, and ISIC Rev. 5, para. 55

How does ISIC relate to NACE and NAICS?

NACE is built on ISIC and matches it at the section and the division. Europe adds finer groups and classes beneath them. North America's NAICS is a separate system. Figures collected on NAICS can be regrouped into ISIC divisions.

Source: UNSD, ISIC Rev. 5, paras. 201 and 204.

How does an ISIC code map to NAICS?

NAICS is the classification SICCODE.com is built around. Each ISIC class page lists the NAICS 2022 codes that correspond to that class. The U.S. Census Bureau pairs 2017 NAICS with ISIC Rev. 4. SICCODE.com carries those codes to NAICS 2022 with the Census 2017 to 2022 concordance.

Example

For example, ISIC 1071, Manufacture of bakery products, is one class split across these NAICS 2022 codes. The match is partial.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 NAICS to ISIC Rev. 4 concordance; U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 to 2022 NAICS concordance. Convert an ISIC code to NAICS.

Need a list of companies in these industries? Build a business list by NAICS code.

How do I find the right ISIC code?

  1. Search a keyword

    Use the search at the top of the page. It searches ISIC codes. A blank search opens the ISIC directory.

  2. Check the section

    Check that the section letter fits the broad kind of work, using the ISIC lookup.

  3. Read the class

    Read what it includes and what belongs in another code. For example, read the notes on class 1071.

  4. Pick the most specific class

    Stop at a group only when no class under it fits.

Questions

What does ISIC stand for?

ISIC is the United Nations name for its classification of all economic activities. See the full name.

What is an ISIC code used for?

Countries and organizations use an ISIC code when they compare a business by its main activity. See what an ISIC code is used for.

Can I convert an ISIC code to NAICS?

ISIC 1071 has seven partial NAICS 2022 matches. See how an ISIC code maps to NAICS.

How is an ISIC code built?

An ISIC code runs from a section letter down to a four-digit class. See how an ISIC code is built.

Do NACE and ISIC match?

NACE is built on ISIC. The two lists match at the section and at the division, and Europe adds finer groups and classes beneath them. A NACE class is not a stand-in for an ISIC class.

Does a Rev. 5 section letter match the Rev. 4 letter?

Not from K onward. Publishing and broadcasting stay on J. Telecommunications and computer services are K. Each later letter steps forward, so a Rev. 4 letter from K on is a different heading in Rev. 5.

Sources

Last reviewed November 1, 2026. Published by SICCODE.com, an industry classification reference publisher. Explanatory notes in this load are dated August 19, 2026. The class correspondence from Rev. 4 is dated January 17, 2025.