NAICS Code
A NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) code is a six-digit number that classifies a business by industry. In government contracting, every solicitation lists a NAICS code, and yours determines which opportunities fit, which [set-asides](/glossary/set-aside) you can pursue, and the SBA size standard that defines whether you count as a "small business." The current edition is NAICS 2022.
Why NAICS matters for contractors
- Discovery: federal opportunities are tagged with NAICS codes, so filtering by your codes is the most reliable way to find relevant work.
- Size standard: SBA assigns a small-business size standard (a revenue cap or employee count) to each NAICS code — the same firm can be "small" under one code and "large" under another.
- Set-asides: a contracting officer chooses the NAICS code for a requirement, which fixes the applicable size standard for that bid.
Pick a primary, but register several
Your "primary" NAICS code reflects your main line of business, but you can list multiple NAICS codes in your SAM.gov registration to be discoverable for everything you actually do.
SAM.gov keyword search matches opportunity titles, but NAICS is the dependable discovery axis. SAM.gov Hunter ships the complete set of NAICS 2022 six-digit codes so you can search across every industry, not a short preset list.
Search opportunities by any NAICS code across federal and state agencies — free.
Search by NAICS →Frequently asked questions
How many digits is a NAICS code?
Six. The North American Industry Classification System uses a six-digit code; the first digits identify broad sectors and the last digits narrow to a specific national industry.
Can a business have more than one NAICS code?
Yes. You designate a primary NAICS code for your main line of business but can register multiple codes in SAM.gov so you appear for every type of work you perform.
How does NAICS affect small-business size?
SBA ties a size standard (a revenue or employee-count cap) to each NAICS code. Because standards vary by code, the same company can qualify as small under one NAICS code and not under another.