SIC Code Lookup (2026): What It Is and How to Find Yours

Published: June 21, 2026

A Message from Slava

I'm Slava, founder of Jupid. Before this, I built Anna Money, where we worked with more than 60,000 small businesses. Somewhere along the way I learned that almost every owner runs into industry codes without quite knowing what they are. A bank loan application asks for one. An insurance quote asks for one. A vendor portal won't let you finish registration without one. And the form rarely explains what it's actually asking for.

The code it usually wants is an SIC code, or its newer cousin, the NAICS code. An SIC code is a 4-digit number that says, in the government's shorthand, what industry your business is in. A bakery, a software company, and a law firm each have a different one. The system is old — it dates to the 1930s and was last revised in 1987 — but it refuses to die, because banks, insurers, credit bureaus, and the SEC still run on it.

In conversations with business owners, I see the same two questions over and over. What's my SIC code? And is it the same thing as the NAICS code another form asked me for last week? The short answer: they're related but not identical, and you'll be asked for both at different points in your business's life.

This guide answers both questions plainly. You'll learn what an SIC code is, who still uses it, how to look yours up in two minutes using free government tools, and how to convert between SIC and NAICS when a form demands the one you don't have on hand.

Here's what we'll cover:

• What an SIC code is and how the 4-digit structure works
• Who still uses SIC codes in 2026 (and who switched to NAICS)
• How to look up your SIC code with free official tools
• SIC vs NAICS — the real differences and why NAICS took over
• How to convert between the two systems

What an SIC Code Actually Is

SIC stands for Standard Industrial Classification. It's a U.S. government system that assigns a 4-digit code to every type of business activity, so a government agency, a bank, or a data provider can sort companies by industry without reading a paragraph about what each one does.

The federal government created the SIC system in the 1930s to standardize how economic data was collected across agencies. The version still in circulation today is the 1987 revision — the last update the system ever received. After 1987, the government stopped maintaining SIC and built a replacement (NAICS, covered below). But the 1987 codes never went away, because too many private systems were already wired to use them.

Your SIC code describes what your business does, not how it's structured. A single-member LLC, a corporation, and a sole proprietor that all run coffee shops share the same SIC code. The code is about the activity — making coffee and serving food — not your legal entity. If you're still deciding on that entity, our guide on staying tax compliant as an LLC covers the obligations that come with the structure itself.

How the 4-Digit Structure Works

An SIC code is read from left to right, getting more specific with each digit. The system nests into three levels: a broad division, a 2-digit major group, and the full 4-digit industry.

At the top sit 10 divisions, labeled A through J, that split the entire economy into broad sectors:

Inside each division are the 2-digit major groups (there are 83 of them), then 3-digit industry groups, then the full 4-digit industries — roughly 1,000 codes in total. Take the software company above: it lives in Division I (Services), major group 73 (Business Services), industry group 737 (Computer Programming, Data Processing, and Other Computer-Related Services), and the precise code 7372 (Prepackaged Software).

Here are a few real 4-digit SIC codes so the pattern clicks:

Who Still Uses SIC Codes in 2026

The federal statistical system retired SIC for its own data collection back in 1997. But the code still shows up constantly, because private institutions built decades of infrastructure on it. As of 2026, you'll most likely encounter SIC codes in five places.

Banks and lenders. Many banks classify business customers by SIC code for underwriting and risk models. A loan or business-account application may ask for it directly. The SBA and individual lenders often map your industry to an SIC code behind the scenes.

Insurance companies. Commercial insurers price risk partly by industry. A roofing contractor (SIC 1761) and a bookkeeper (SIC 8721) carry very different liability profiles, and the SIC code is one of the inputs that sets your premium.

Credit bureaus and business-data providers. Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and similar firms tag every business in their files with an SIC code. When a vendor or partner pulls your business credit report, the SIC code is part of what they see.

The SEC. Every public company's EDGAR filings carry an SIC code that signals its line of business. The SEC's Division of Corporation Finance even uses the code to assign which office reviews a company's filings — a metal-mining company (SIC 1000) goes to the Office of Energy & Transportation, a software company (SIC 7372) to the Office of Technology.

Some state and local agencies. A handful of state tax, licensing, and registration systems still ask for an SIC code, though most have shifted to NAICS. If you're forming a business, you may meet it on a state registration form.

If you're at the formation stage and juggling several of these registrations at once, you'll also be collecting your federal tax ID around the same time. Our guide on how to find your EIN number walks through that piece, which the same applications often request alongside an industry code.

How to Look Up Your SIC Code

You don't need to buy anything to find your SIC code. Two free government tools cover almost every case.

Option 1: The OSHA SIC search (best for keyword lookups). The U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA division hosts a free search of the 1987 SIC manual at osha.gov/data/sic-search. Type a keyword that describes what you do — "restaurant," "software," "plumbing" — and it returns matching SIC codes with their official descriptions. You can also enter a 2-, 3-, or 4-digit code to read its definition and see the structure around it. This is the tool to use when you know your industry in plain English but not the number.

Option 2: The SEC SIC code list (best for scanning the full list). The SEC publishes the complete SIC code list at sec.gov, organized by code number with industry titles. It's a single page you can search with Ctrl+F, which makes it handy when you want to scan a whole sector or confirm a code you already suspect. The SEC's list is a bit shorter than OSHA's, but it covers the codes most businesses need.

Here's the process from start to finish:

Finding your SIC code — step by step

1. Describe your main activity in one phrase.
   Example: "We write and sell accounting software."
   -> main activity = prepackaged software

2. Go to the OSHA SIC search (osha.gov/data/sic-search).

3. Enter a keyword: "software"
   -> results include:
      7371  Computer Programming Services
      7372  Prepackaged Software
      7373  Computer Integrated Systems Design

4. Pick the code that matches your PRIMARY activity.
   You sell finished software products -> 7372

5. Confirm the description fits.
   7372 = "establishments primarily engaged in the
   design, development and production of prepackaged
   software." -> match.

Your SIC code: 7372

One rule matters more than any other: classify by your primary revenue activity. If you both build software and offer consulting, pick the code for whichever brings in the most money. Most systems want a single primary SIC code, and choosing the dominant activity keeps you consistent across the bank, the insurer, and the credit bureau.

SIC vs NAICS: The Real Difference

Sooner or later a form will ask for a NAICS code instead of an SIC code, and you'll wonder whether they're the same thing. They're not — though they answer the same question.

NAICS stands for North American Industry Classification System. The U.S., Canada, and Mexico jointly developed it to replace SIC, and it took effect with the 1997 Economic Census. The goal was a single, modern classification that worked across all three countries and finally accounted for the service and technology businesses that the 1930s-era SIC system handled poorly. NAICS is maintained and updated on a regular cycle; the current edition is the 2022 revision, with the next update scheduled for 2027.

The two systems differ in three ways that actually matter:

NAICS uses six digits instead of four, which gives it far more room. The first two digits mark the broad sector, the third the subsector, the fourth the industry group, the fifth the specific industry, and the sixth a national-level detail unique to each country. That extra depth is why NAICS recognizes hundreds of industries — especially in tech and services — that SIC simply never had a code for.

Here's the same business in both systems:

The federal government runs entirely on NAICS now — the IRS asks for a business-activity code on your tax return that's based on NAICS, the Census Bureau uses it, and most state agencies have followed. SIC survives mainly in the private-sector and SEC systems listed earlier. For the full breakdown of the system that replaced SIC, see our companion guide on NAICS codes.

How to Convert Between SIC and NAICS

Because a form will eventually ask for whichever code you don't have, conversion is the practical skill worth knowing. There's an important catch first: SIC and NAICS don't map one-to-one. NAICS reorganized whole industries, so a single SIC code can split into several NAICS codes, or several SIC codes can collapse into one NAICS code. Always verify the result describes your actual business rather than trusting a mechanical lookup.

With that warning in mind, here's the fastest path each direction:

Converting between SIC and NAICS

SIC -> NAICS:
1. Look up your SIC code's description on OSHA's search.
2. Search the U.S. Census NAICS tool (census.gov/naics)
   for the same keyword (e.g., "software publisher").
3. Pick the 6-digit NAICS code whose description matches
   your primary activity.
4. Confirm the NAICS definition fits before you use it.

NAICS -> SIC:
1. Note your NAICS title (e.g., "Full-Service Restaurants").
2. Search OSHA's SIC tool for the same keyword
   ("restaurant" or "eating places").
3. Choose the closest 4-digit SIC code.
4. Confirm the SIC description matches your business.

Worked example:
  Have NAICS 541110 (Offices of Lawyers)
  Need an SIC code for an insurance form
  -> search OSHA for "legal" -> SIC 8111 (Legal Services)
  -> match.

The Census Bureau publishes a SIC-to-NAICS correspondence file for businesses that need an exact crosswalk, and it's the authoritative source when the codes don't line up cleanly. For most owners, though, the keyword method above lands the right code in under five minutes. Whichever code you settle on, write it down and reuse it everywhere — your bank, insurer, and any registration should all show the same primary SIC and the same primary NAICS.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Picking a secondary activity as your code. If you do three things, classify by the one that earns the most. A consultant who occasionally resells software is a consultant (SIC 8742), not a software publisher. Choosing a minor activity can mis-set your insurance premium or confuse a lender's risk model.

Assuming SIC and NAICS are interchangeable numbers. They describe the same idea but are different systems with different code numbers. A form asking for one will not accept the other. Keep both on file.

Over-thinking the exact 4 digits. The 4-digit code is precise, but you rarely need surgical accuracy. Get the right major group and the closest industry; a near match within your true sector is fine for a bank or insurer. Don't stall a loan application over choosing between two adjacent codes.

Using a paid lookup site when free ones exist. Several commercial sites sell SIC lookups and "certificates." The OSHA and SEC tools are free and authoritative. You almost never need to pay for a code.

Forgetting to stay consistent. Different codes on different applications create friction — a credit report that disagrees with your loan application raises questions. Decide your primary SIC and NAICS once, then reuse them.

Need More Than an Industry Code? How Jupid Helps

An SIC code is a one-time lookup. The bookkeeping behind it is the part that never stops. Once your business is classified and registered, the real work is tracking what you earn and spend so your taxes are accurate and your filings are on time — and that's where most owners fall behind.

Jupid is an AI accountant that lives in WhatsApp and iMessage. Connect your bank account, and Jupid pulls in every transaction and auto-categorizes each one with 95.9% accuracy. Instead of opening a spreadsheet, you can ask a question in chat — "how much did I make this quarter?" or "what did I spend on software?" — and get an answer in seconds, with real-time financial insights drawn from your actual numbers.

Over time, Jupid learns how your business categorizes spending, so the right category sticks automatically going forward. You can read more about that in transaction learning. And because the numbers stay clean in the background, tax filing is built on figures that already line up — Jupid even handles automatic tax filing and compliance.

Classifying your industry takes five minutes once. Keeping your books accurate takes work every week. Try Jupid and let the bookkeeping run itself while you run the business.

Action Checklist

• Describe your main revenue activity in one plain phrase
• Look up your SIC code on the OSHA search (osha.gov/data/sic-search)
• Confirm the description matches your primary activity
• Find your matching NAICS code on the Census tool (census.gov/naics)
• Write down both your primary SIC and NAICS codes in one place
• Use the same codes on every bank, insurer, and registration form
• Re-check your codes if you pivot or change what your business mainly does
• Skip paid lookup sites — the OSHA, SEC, and Census tools are free

Sources

• OSHA — Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) System Search
• OSHA — SIC Manual
• SEC — Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code List
• U.S. Census Bureau — North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Industry Classification Overview (NAICS)

---

This guide is for general educational purposes and does not constitute tax, legal, or business-registration advice. Industry classification requirements vary by agency, lender, and state. Confirm your SIC or NAICS code against the official tools above and consult the relevant agency or a qualified professional before relying on a code for a filing or application.