There are three standard classification systems for merchandise trade globally: the Harmonized System (HS), the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), and the Standard international Trade Classification (SITC). Many countries build on the HS by adding additional digits to tailor it to their needs. There are currently over 200 countries and economies that use, or base their classifications systems, on the HT. In the United States, we have Schedule B for exports and the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) for imports. All imported and exported goods must be classified for Customs purposes. Each product is assigned a particular classification code.
These classification codes are the way you identify a product and industry. In the United States, NAICS is the primary classification system. SIC was the previous system, and it can still be used to search for information in databases. It is no longer maintained by the US government, but it is used in many databases and in the EDGAR filings of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Additional information about these systems (and other UN based systems) are available in the Commerce guide.
The NAICS is the North American Industry Classification System. it is the standard used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy. It was developed jointly by the US, Canada, and Mexico in 1997 to replace the SIC. The U.S. Census Bureau hosts the search, documentation, and history of the system. It is a 2-6 digit industry (not product) code. The first two digits designate the sector, the third designates the sub-sector, the fourth designates the industry group, the fifth designates the NAICS industry, and the sixth designates the national industry.
The United States classification system is Schedule B. It is managed by the Foreign Trade Division in the U.S. Census Bureau. Schedule B codes are 10-digit identifiers assigned to products exported from the US. The first six digits are the same as the HS code. The last four digits are an extension used only by the US for statistical purposes.
Go to the US Census Bureau NAICS web site and in the 2017 NAICS Search box enter a keyword. Select the number next to the closest business type. You will see a list of NAICS numbers for the 2007, 2012, and 2017 versions, and a corresponding index entry. To go back to the previous screen use your browser back arrow.
You can use NexisUni to find NAICS codes. Click on the Menu dropdown and select Company Dossier. Enter the company name and/or the ticker symbol. The primary SIC and NAICS codes will be listed in the Industry Classification section. Click on the All Classifications link to see the secondary codes.
You can use Business Source Complete to find NAICS codes. Click on Company Information on the blue bar at the top of the page. Enter the company name or ticker symbol in the search box, and set the left box to the correct term. Click Search. Click on theIndustry link in the Company Data section to see the SIC and NAICS codes.
You can use Factiva to find NAICS codes for companies and industries. Click on the Companies/Markets tab on the top black bar and click on Company or Industry. Enter the company name or ticker symbol in the Get Company Snapshot search box. Click Go. Select the correct company. The code will be in the Primary Industry Classification box. Click the Secondary Industry Classification plus to see additional codes.
Go to the U.S. Department of Labor OSHA website. Enter a keyword in the search box and click Submit. The results will be listed below the search fields. Click on a result to see a description and a list of business types. You can also use the manual to search the list of Divisions and Major Groups.
If you know the company ticker symbol, go to Barchart and enter it in the search box. Click Enter. The SIC code and sector name will be listed under the Sectors heading.
You can use NexisUni to find SIC codes. Click on the Menu dropdown and select Company Dossier. Enter the company name and/or the ticker symbol. The primary SIC and NAICS codes will be listed in the Industry Classification section. Click on the All Classifications link to see the secondary codes.
You can use Business Source Complete to find SIC codes. Click on Company Information on the blue bar at the top of the page. Enter the company name or ticker symbol in the search box, and set the left box to the correct term. Click Search. Click on the Industry link in the Company Data section to see the SIC and NAICS codes.
You can use Factiva to find SIC codes for companies and industries. Click on the Companies/Markets tab on the top black bar and click on Company or Industry. Enter the company name or ticker symbol in the Get Company Snapshot search box. Click Go. Select the correct company. The code will be in the Primary Industry Classification box. Click the Secondary Industry Classification plus to see additional codes.
Go to the U.S. Census Bureau Schedule B page. You can Search or Browse for a code.
Click Search to enter a description of your product - be as detailed and specific as possible. Click the Classify button next to the description box. You may be prompted for additional information if your description is too vague. The prompts will be in light blue "Tell us more about..." You should see a list of possible descriptions or attributes. Select the closest match to your product. The system will produce an HS or schedule B code for your product.
To verify your code (highly recommended) or if you had problems using Search, try the Browse function. Click on the Browse button, then click on the link for 2019: "Look through HTML or PDF versions of Schedule B book content". Scroll through the Chapters to find one that closely matches your product. Chapters are 2-digit numbers that are the first two digits of HS and Schedule B codes. Click on the Chapter link to go to the list of product classifications and select the one closest to your product. Select the PDF version to open the document in your browser. Clicking on the Chapter or HTML links may open a new web page or a download file.
You can also Browse earlier years of the Schedule B book. Currently available are 2012, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Be aware that they may include Obsolete Codes.
NACE is the Nomenclature of Economic Activities. The European Community Statistical classification of economic activities for the European Union. Use the NaceCoder subject list (from the Irish Central Statistics Office) to find the appropriate category, and then drill down to identify the specific code. You can also use their full Index. The European Commission eurostat system provides this information in HTML, CSV, and XML formats. You can also use their code listings to drill down to the specific codes.