SIC Code Frequently Asked Questions

Updated: 2026 Reviewed By: SICCODE.com Industry Classification Review Team Data Lineage: About Our Data Team A Primary SIC Code identifies the single industry that represents the largest share of a company’s revenue-producing activity. It acts as the authoritative classification used across compliance, credit, analytics, and commercial databases. In a data-driven economy, a company’s industry

Updated: 2026 Reviewed By: SICCODE.com Industry Classification Review Team Data Lineage: About Our Data Team SIC Reference Hub: SIC Classification & Reference Center Summary: Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Codes use a hierarchical, digit-based structure to categorize business activities. Official SIC codes are defined at the 4-digit level , while 6-, 7-, and 8-digit versions are

Updated: 2026 Reviewed By: SICCODE.com Industry Classification Review Team Data Lineage: About Our Data Team “Industry evolution” pages show how one official 4-digit SIC code can branch into modern niches using vendor-defined extended SIC categories and how those niches may map to multiple NAICS codes . This helps analysts and marketers store and apply classification data accurately across

Updated: 2026 Reviewed By: SICCODE.com Industry Classification Review Team Data Lineage: About Our Data Team Your SIC code is the code that best represents the primary revenue-producing activity performed at a specific business location (establishment). A defensible selection identifies the dominant activity using practical proxies (commonly revenue), then confirms the SIC definition and scope on

Updated: 2026 Reviewed By: SICCODE.com Industry Classification Review Team Data Lineage: About Our Data Team Selecting the correct SIC code starts by identifying your company’s primary revenue-generating activity , then choosing the official 4-digit SIC code that most accurately represents that activity at the establishment level . Selecting a SIC code is a straightforward process when approached

Updated: 2026 Reviewed By: SICCODE.com Industry Classification Review Team Data Lineage: About Our Data Team SIC codes are not updated centrally. If an agency, lender, insurer, or data provider has your SIC code on file, you must contact that organization directly to request a change. Updating your SIC code in one system does not automatically update it everywhere else. You may be asked for your

Updated: 2026 Reviewed By: SICCODE.com Industry Classification Review Team Data Lineage: About Our Data Team There is no single government agency that assigns SIC codes. Businesses apply SIC classifications themselves based on their primary economic activity, typically at the establishment (location) level. Government agencies may request SIC codes, but they do not centrally assign them. Standard

Updated: 2026 Reviewed By: SICCODE.com Industry Classification Review Team Data Lineage: About Our Data Team SIC codes are not obsolete. While NAICS is widely used in government reporting, SIC codes remain deeply embedded in commercial databases and B2B marketing workflows. Extended SIC-style structures are often used by data providers to support finer segmentation. Contrary to the misconception

Updated: 2026 Reviewed By: SICCODE.com Industry Classification Review Team Data Lineage: About Our Data Team A company’s SIC Code identifies its primary economic activity at a specific location. SIC codes are used across government reporting, market research, credit systems, and commercial databases to consistently classify and compare businesses. Every active business in the United States is

Updated: 2025 Reviewed By: SICCODE.com Industry Classification Review Team Data Lineage: About Our Data Team SIC and NAICS coexist in real-world datasets. NAICS is the modern, official standard used for most U.S. government statistical reporting and is updated to reflect new industries. SIC remains common in legacy records, commercial databases, and organizational systems where historical

Updated: 2025 Reviewed By: SICCODE.com Industry Classification Review Team Data Lineage: About Our Data Team NAICS did not completely replace SIC codes. NAICS became the primary system for U.S. government statistical reporting, while SIC codes continue to be widely used for historical analysis, commercial databases, and industry-specific market segmentation. Quick verdict: Which should you use?

Updated: 2025 Reviewed By: SICCODE.com Industry Classification Review Team Data Lineage: About Our Data Team Official U.S. SIC codes are defined at the 4-digit level Official . When you see 6-, 7-, or 8-digit SIC-style codes, they are typically vendor-defined extensions used to add marketing or analytical granularity Extended —not part of the official government SIC standard. 4-Digit SIC Codes

All SIC Levels 2,3,4 & 6-digit SIC codes Business List Statistics Company counts, contacts & more Industry Details Examples, tools, certifications Expert Analysis SWOT, PESTLE, Value Chain Exportable Data Excel/CSV, 30+ columns What Makes SIC Code Detail Pages Distinct? Complete coverage of Official OSHA US government 4-digit and extended 6-digit SIC codes Instant access to verified

SIC Code marketing is a strategic approach that utilizes the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code system to effectively target specific industries and businesses for marketing initiatives. Developed by the U.S. government, the SIC Code system is a numerical classification framework that categorizes industries based on their primary economic activities. This system facilitates the

The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes play a crucial role in the business world. They provide a standardized method for classifying and categorizing businesses based on their primary line of activity. This classification system is widely used by government agencies, researchers, and businesses themselves to gather and analyze data, make informed decisions, and identify industry

For purposes of this Standard Industrial Classification, an establishment is an economic unit, generally at a single physical location, where business is conducted or where services or industrial operations are performed. (For example: a factory, mill, store, hotel, movie theater, mine, farm, ranch, bank, railroad depot, airline terminal, sales office, warehouse, or central administrative

Throughout the SIC Code manual, a researcher will encounter various abbreviations. Although many may be recognizable in other usage systems, some are unique to the SIC Code Manual. Please see the list below for the full glossary terms for the abbreviations encountered on the SICCODE.com site, as well as the SIC Code Manual: admin - administration & - and etc - et cetera (and so forth) exc. or

In reviewing the Classification, the Technical Committee on Industrial Classification was guided by general principles. The following are the basic principles underlying the Standard Industrial Classification as described in the SIC Code Manual: The classification is organized to reflect the structure of the U.S. economy. It does not follow any single principle, such as end use, nature of raw

The official Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code titles of the Divisions and the two-digit Major Groups, three-digit Industry Groups, and four-digit Industries are found throughout the SICCODE.com site, as well as the SIC Code manual. For various reasons, including presentation of statistical tables, short titles were created so that all agencies may use the same short titles for the

Specific Examples of Auxiliary Establishments Activities In the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system, Auxiliaries are establishments primarily engaged in performing management or support services for other establishments of the same enterprise. An enterprise consists of all establishments having more than 50 percent common direct or indirect ownership. Auxiliary establishments are