What are SIC and NAICS codes?
SIC is an acronym for Standard Industrial Codes – an old and outdated system which has been replaced by the North American Industry Classification System(NAICS). These are numeric codes that correspond to almost every type of industry in which an organization might be engaged. Businesses are classified for statistical purposes under one or more of these industry codes.
From the 1930’s to the 1990’s the official industry classification system for the United States was the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system, based on four digit codes which classified individual establishments according to their primary economic activity. SIC codes have now been replaced by the six digit codes of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), developed in concert with Canada and Mexico to provide comparable statistics for the three countries. Detailed information, including NAICS and SIC Correspondence Tables, is available from the Bureau of the Census North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) page. Both the Standard industrial classification manual, 1987. ( LC Call Number: HF1042 .S73 1987 Bus Ref) and the NAICS desk reference : The North American Industry Classification System desk reference 2000. (LC Call Number: HF1041.5 .N35 2000 Bus Ref) are available in the Business Reading Room.
