What Are NAICS Codes? Beginner’s Guide for Small Businesses

NAICS stands for North American Industry Classification System.

Think of it as the government’s way of labeling industries. Every business activity — from landscaping to IT support — has a specific NAICS code attached to it. When agencies post contracts, they tag them with a NAICS code so vendors know if it’s a fit.

👉 Example: Landscaping services = 561730

👉 Example: Janitorial services = 561720

Your NAICS code isn’t just for show. It impacts:

• What contracts you can bid on

• Your small business size standard (decides if you qualify as “small”)

• How agencies find you in the SAM.gov database

Fun fact: Some contracts are reserved only for small businesses within certain NAICS codes. If you choose the wrong one, you might miss out.

• Go to the official NAICS lookup site: https://www.census.gov/naics

• Search for your business type.

• Match your services to the closest description.

• Confirm your primary code when you register in SAM.gov.

💡 Tip: Many businesses qualify for multiple NAICS codes. Don’t limit yourself — add every code that accurately describes your work.

• Picking a NAICS code that’s too broad or too narrow.

• Sticking with only one code when they actually qualify for several.

• Ignoring the size standard (measured in revenue or employees).

Once you know your NAICS code, plug it into SAM.gov. That’s how you’ll filter opportunities that match your services.

👉 Example: Searching “561730” in SAM.gov pulls up all the landscaping contracts currently available.

NAICS codes are just step one. Once you have them nailed down, you need to learn how to actually price, bid, and win contracts.

If you’re ready to take the mystery out of GovCon, start with the Navigator Essentials Course — the step-by-step training that shows you how to get set up, find your codes, and start preparing your first bid.

➡️ Click here to join the Essentials Course