How to Find Your NAICS Code for Federal Contracting

To find your NAICS code, identify the codes that best describe your primary lines of business, confirm them against the official NAICS classification, and add them to your SAM.gov registration. NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) codes are 6-digit numbers the federal government uses to categorize what your business does — and they directly determine the SBA size standard that decides whether you count as a "small business" for set-asides.

Getting them right matters: your NAICS codes drive which opportunities you match, which size standards apply, and which set-asides you can win.

What a NAICS code is

A NAICS code is a 6-digit number that classifies an industry. The digits narrow from broad to specific:

First 2 digits — sector (e.g., 54 = Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services)
3rd–4th — subsector and industry group
5th–6th — the specific national industry

For example, 541512 is Computer Systems Design Services within sector 54.

How to find the right NAICS code

Describe your core activities in plain language ("we write custom software," "we provide environmental consulting").
Search by keyword in the official NAICS classification (census.gov) or browse our NAICS code directory, which shows each code's size standard, common uses, and top buying agencies.
Pick a primary code that represents your largest revenue line, plus any secondary codes for other real lines of business.
Check the size standard for each code — see the next section.
Add them in SAM.gov during or after registration.

Don't pad your list with codes you can't credibly perform — agencies and primes scrutinize this, and your primary NAICS is what most size determinations key on.

NAICS codes set your size standard

Each NAICS code carries an SBA size standard — either a maximum average annual revenue (e.g., $19.5M) or a maximum employee count, depending on the industry. You're a "small business" for a given opportunity only if you're under the size standard for that opportunity's NAICS code.

This is why the same company can be "small" for one solicitation and "other than small" for another: different NAICS, different thresholds. Always check the size standard on the specific code — our NAICS pages list it for each.

How NAICS affects set-asides and matching

Set-asides like WOSB/EDWOSB apply only to SBA-designated NAICS codes, so your codes determine eligibility.
Opportunity matching is driven heavily by NAICS alignment — federal opportunities are tagged with a NAICS code, and the closer your codes match, the more relevant the bid.

Popular federal NAICS codes

A few high-volume codes for federal contractors:

NAICS 541990 — All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
541511 vs 541512 vs 541519 — the IT services family
541930 — Translation and Interpretation Services
Browse the full set in our NAICS directory.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find my NAICS code? Describe your core business, search the NAICS classification or our NAICS directory, pick a primary code plus relevant secondary codes, and add them in SAM.gov.

How many NAICS codes can I have? You can list multiple, but designate one primary code (usually your largest revenue line). Only claim codes you can genuinely perform.

Where do I add NAICS codes? In your SAM.gov registration. See how to register on SAM.gov.

Do NAICS codes affect whether I'm a small business? Yes — each code has its own SBA size standard, so your "small" status is per-NAICS.

Key takeaways

NAICS codes are 6-digit industry classifications that drive size standards, matching, and set-aside eligibility.
Pick a primary code for your largest line plus credible secondary codes.
"Small business" status is per-NAICS — always check the specific code's size standard in our NAICS directory.
Add and maintain your codes in SAM.gov.