NAICS Code for LLC: What It Is and How to Find the Right One

A NAICS code for LLC is one of those small boxes on a form that can suddenly feel like a big problem. Maybe your state filing, bank, or tax return is asking for it and you’re not sure what number to use. The good news: it’s just a standardized way to label what your LLC actually does, and you usually choose it yourself. This guide will walk you through what it means, when you need it, and how to pick the right one in minutes.

What Is a NAICS Code for an LLC?

A naics code is a six-digit digit code from the north american industry classification system. It’s the code for your business that tells the federal government and other government agencies what your LLC’s primary business activity is.

NAICS is used across north america (United States, Canada and Mexico) to classify businesses into industries and create consistent statistical data about business activities and the overall economy. The system is overseen by the office of management and Budget (OMB) and implemented by the census bureau and other statistical agencies.

How the six digits work?

Each digit narrows down your line of work:

• 1–2: broad sector (e.g., Construction, Retail Trade)
• 3: subsector
• 4: industry group
• 5: NAICS industry
• 6: specific national industry

Shorter 2- or 3-digit numbers are just headers. For forms, you use the full six-digit correct naics code.

Simple examples for LLCs

NAICS largely replaced older sic codes for federal statistics, but you may still see sic code fields in some company lookup tool databases and older resources.

For your LLC, the core idea is simple: choose one primary NAICS code that best identifies how your business actually earns money, and use it consistently on filings.

When Does an LLC Need a NAICS Code?

Your LLC doesn’t always need a NAICS code on day one, but you will need it when:

• A state formation or annual form asks for NAICS
• You file federal tax returns that require a “principal business activity code”
• A bank, insurer, or lender reviews your industry
• You apply for licenses, permits, or government contracts

Think of it as a standard tag that keeps your business classification consistent across documents and systems, especially on recurring state filings like annual/biennial reports, which may ask for NAICS again when you’re renewing your LLC.

State LLC forms that ask for a NAICS code or “any legal purpose”

States treat NAICS differently:

• Some put a required “naics code (six digits)” field on the Articles of Organization.
• Some make it optional.
• Others only ask for a business purpose, where you can write “any lawful business” or “any legal purpose.”

Even if your formation form doesn’t ask, your state may request NAICS later on periodic filings such as an LLC annual report.

If your state requires NAICS, you must select a six-digit code that matches your main business activities.
If it only asks for a purpose, you can still pick a code now so your filing details, licenses, and compliance stay aligned later. And if you’re unsure what “any lawful business” language should look like, here’s a quick guide to solid purpose clause wording.

IRS principal business code and “business activity code” fields on tax returns

The IRS uses NAICS-based codes to group businesses on tax returns. You’ll usually see fields like:

• “Principal business activity”
• “Principal business activity code”
• “Principal product or service”

Common places your LLC might enter this code:

• Schedule C (Form 1040): single-member LLC taxed as a sole proprietor
• Form 1065: multi-member LLC taxed as a partnership
• Form 1120 / 1120-S: LLC taxed as a C-corp or S-corp

Basic process:

1. Decide your primary business activity (what generates most revenue or profit).
2. Do a quick NAICS code lookup with a keyword search in an official search tool or NAICS list.
3. Use the matching code in the IRS instructions and keep it the same each year unless your operations change.

You’ll also need this same “primary business activity” info when you apply for an EIN, since the IRS asks what your LLC does. This helps the IRS classify businesses accurately and keeps your reporting clean.

When banks, insurers, and lenders care about your NAICS

Banks, card processors, insurance services, and lenders use naics codes to understand:

• What sector and industry you’re in
• How risky that business type is
• Whether you meet company size or program rules (for example, some SBA contracts and loans)

You’ll often see NAICS requested on:

• Business bank account and credit card applications
• Merchant account and payment processor forms
• Business insurance applications
• Loan and line-of-credit applications

Using an accurate NAICS code reduces extra effort, avoids confusion between systems, and helps ensure you’re matched with the right products and resources. It won’t replace good financials, but it’s part of the overall risk analysis.

How to Look Up Your NAICS Code for an LLC

You can usually find your NAICS code in a few minutes with free online tools. Start with the official north american industry classification search, then confirm with IRS and private NAICS code lookup lists.

Using the official NAICS search and free online NAICS code lists

For the most accurate result, use the Census NAICS search tool:

1. Write a one-line summary of your primary business activity.
2. Open the Census NAICS Lookup page.
3. Run a simple keyword search in the search box (e.g., “plumbing,” “real estate rental,” “marketing services”).
4. Open the closest matches and pick the six-digit digit code that best fits how you actually earn money.

Using state NAICS lookup tools

Some states host their own NAICS lookup or industry search pages that plug into the same federal codes.

1. Visit your Secretary of State or state business resource site.
2. Search for “NAICS,” “industry code,” or “NAICS lookup.”
3. Filter by sector or run a keyword search, then choose the description that matches your LLC’s business activities and use that code on future filing and compliance documents, especially when a permit application asks for it, like the NAICS field you’ll see in many Etsy business license requirements.

Finding your existing NAICS code in state records, tax filings, and business accounts

Before picking a new code for your business, check whether a NAICS is already on file:

• State records: Look up your LLC on the state entity search; some states show the NAICS in the public record or on PDFs.
• Tax filings: Check the “Principal business or professional activity code” box on recent federal returns; that six-digit code is NAICS-based.
• Payroll / HR / insurance: Many systems store a NAICS for reporting and statistical data.
• Banks, processors, insurers: Underwriting tools may assign a code; you can usually request a change if it doesn’t match your real operations.
• Third-party databases: A company lookup tool (for example, NAICS Association) may already show a code linked to your company.

If you see different codes in different places, standardize everything around the one that best reflects your current primary business activity.

How to Choose the Best NAICS Code for Your LLC

Once you have a few candidate NAICS codes, use this three-step framework to pick the best code for your business and keep all filings aligned.

Step 1 – Decide your main revenue activity and “principal business”

Your primary business activity is the work that generates most of your gross receipts or profit. IRS “Principal Business or Professional Activity Code” tables are built around this idea.

Ask yourself:

• What product or service brings in most of the money?
• How would I describe the LLC in one sentence on a tax form?
• Would most customers see us as professional services, equipment rental, real estate rental, marketing services, or something else?

That main activity is what your primary naics code should describe.

Step 2 – Pick the closest specific code when several seem to fit

NAICS is a standard for statistical agencies, so you just need the closest factual match, not a “perfect” label.

When comparing options:

• Open the full description for 2–3 candidate NAICS codes on the Census site or IRS list.
• Choose the description that best matches your actual business activities.
• Prefer a more specific six-digit correct naics code if it still fits.
• For emerging industries, match the code to what you sell or do, not just that you operate online.
• If you know your old sic code, use a SIC-to-NAICS crosswalk, then confirm against the official NAICS manual description.

Step 3 – What to do if your LLC is very general or “any legal purpose”

If you formed your LLC with a broad purpose like “any legal purpose”, you still choose NAICS based on what the business actually does today.

Guidelines:

• Base the code on your current main revenue stream, even if you “do a bit of everything.”
• Use an “all other” industry or services category only when no clearer match exists in your sector.
• Don’t select a code just because you think lenders will like it; it should reflect real operations.
• If the business pivots, update your NAICS on future filing, state records, and bank or insurance accounts; some states even offer a simple NAICS update form.

For most business establishments, the “best” NAICS is simply the one that accurately describes your main activity right now.

NAICS Code Ideas for Common LLC Types (Quick Reference)

This quick sheet gives example NAICS codes many small LLCs use. Treat these as starting points, then confirm with a NAICS code lookup in the official North American Industry Classification search tool or IRS tables before you file anything.

These examples come from the current NAICS 2022 structure used by the Census Bureau and other statistical agencies across North America to classify businesses. Always read the full description and match it to your primary business activity, especially if you do multiple things or you’re in emerging industries.

If you see older sic codes on bank or legacy forms, use a crosswalk plus a quick keyword search in an official search tool to map them to the closest modern naics code and keep your records consistent.

FAQs – NAICS Code for LLC and NAICS Code Lookup

This FAQ covers the most common questions LLC owners have about their NAICS code, how to pick one, and when it matters. Answers are short, practical, and focused on what you should actually do. Use this as a quick reference, then double-check details in the official NAICS and IRS resources when you file.