Sell Ltd
Last updated 1 January 1970

SIC Code Finder — UK Standard Industrial Classification

TL;DR
Search UK SIC 2007 codes by keyword or number. Every limited company picks up to four SIC codes at incorporation — this is the fastest way to find yours.
  • Retail sale in non-specialised stores with food, beverages or tobacco predominatingG – Wholesale/retail
  • Other retail sale in non-specialised storesG – Wholesale/retail
  • Retail sale of fruit and vegetables in specialised storesG – Wholesale/retail
  • Retail sale of computers, peripheral units and software in specialised storesG – Wholesale/retail
  • Retail sale of clothing in specialised storesG – Wholesale/retail
  • Retail sale via mail order houses or via InternetG – Wholesale/retail
  • Other retail sale not in stores, stalls or marketsG – Wholesale/retail
  • Agents selling agricultural raw materials, live animals, textile raw materials and semi-finished goodsG – Wholesale/retail
  • Agents involved in the sale of a variety of goodsG – Wholesale/retail
  • Non-specialised wholesale tradeG – Wholesale/retail
  • Publishing of computer gamesJ – Information/comms
  • Other software publishingJ – Information/comms
  • Business and domestic software developmentJ – Information/comms
  • Information technology consultancy activitiesJ – Information/comms
  • Computer facilities management activitiesJ – Information/comms
  • Other information technology service activitiesJ – Information/comms
  • Data processing, hosting and related activitiesJ – Information/comms
  • Web portalsJ – Information/comms
  • Other information service activities n.e.c.J – Information/comms
  • Activities of head officesM – Professional
  • Public relations and communications activitiesM – Professional
  • Financial management (of companies and enterprises)M – Professional
  • Management consultancy activities other than financial managementM – Professional
  • Engineering design activities for industrial process and productionM – Professional
  • Other engineering activitiesM – Professional
  • Technical testing and analysisM – Professional
  • Research and experimental development on biotechnologyM – Professional
  • Other research and experimental development on natural sciences and engineeringM – Professional
  • Advertising agenciesM – Professional
  • Media representation servicesM – Professional
  • Specialised design activitiesM – Professional
  • Other specialist photography (not including portrait, wedding or press)M – Professional
  • Environmental consulting activitiesM – Professional
  • Quantity surveying activitiesM – Professional
  • Other professional, scientific and technical activities n.e.c.M – Professional
  • Central bankingK – Financial
  • BanksK – Financial
  • Activities of other holding companies n.e.c.K – Financial
  • Activities of investment trustsK – Financial
  • Activities of venture and development capital companiesK – Financial

Showing 40 of 125 indexed codes. Click any code to copy.

What SIC codes are for (and why they matter)

Standard Industrial Classification is the taxonomy every UK statistical agency uses to categorise trade. HMRC uses it. Companies House uses it. The ONS uses it. The Office for Product Safety and Standards uses it. It's picked at company incorporation and confirmed annually on the confirmation statement. A limited company can have up to four SIC codes; most have one or two.

Picking the right SIC code isn't a compliance formality — it's a first-order marketing decision. It's what shows up on your Companies House profile, what banks and insurers see on onboarding, and what investors filter on when they run an EIS-eligibility check. Get it wrong and you'll be re-explaining what your company actually does for years.

How to pick the right SIC codes

  1. Search by what you sell, not what you do inside. A "SaaS company" is technically 62012 (software development) — but if 80% of revenue is subscriptions to a packaged product, 58290 (software publishing) is closer.
  2. Pick one primary code + up to three supporting. One dominant code reads more focused than four scattergun codes.
  3. Avoid "catch-all" codes as primary. 82990 (Other business support services) and 74909 (Other professional activities) read as "the founder didn't know what to pick." Fine as a fourth code; bad as your primary.
  4. Check EIS/SEIS eligibility if you plan to raise. HMRC excludes specific activities (property, financial services, hotels, coal, oil, farming, forestry). Your SIC code shouldn't accidentally place you in one of those.
  5. Check bank sensitivity. Some SIC codes trigger enhanced due diligence at UK banks (crypto, adult content, cannabis, high-value dealer). If you're borderline, pick the narrow honest code and disclose upfront.

Common SIC-code decisions, decoded

SaaS / software

Default: 62012 Business and domestic software development. Alternatives: 62020 IT consultancy (if services-heavy), 58290 Other software publishing (if you sell packaged software), 63120 Web portals (if you're marketplace-shaped).

E-commerce

47910 Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet is the standard for pure-online. Add the relevant 47xxx product-line code if you want to be specific (47710 clothing, 47410 computers, etc.).

Property investment

68209 Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate for BTL SPVs. 68100 for buy/sell traders. 68320 for management companies.

Consultancy

70229 Management consultancy (other than financial) for the default; 70221 for CFO/finance consultancy; 71129 engineering.

Dormant / holding companies

99999 Dormant company for non-trading entities. 64209 Activities of other holding companies for holdcos with subsidiaries.

Changing your SIC codes later

A company can update its SIC codes on any confirmation statement filing (CS01). It's free. If your trade changes materially, update the codes — running a haircare brand under a software SIC code eventually attracts questions from HMRC or your bank.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a SIC code?

Standard Industrial Classification — a five-digit code that tells Companies House (and HMRC, and the ONS) what a UK company does. Every limited company picks up to four SIC codes when it incorporates and can change them on any CS01 filing.

How many SIC codes are there?

Around 730 in the current UK SIC 2007 taxonomy. This tool covers the 120 most-used codes across the SME base — the codes >95% of UK limited companies actually pick. For obscure codes, use the ONS SIC 2007 list directly.

Can I pick multiple SIC codes?

Yes — up to four. Most SMEs pick one; some pick two or three if they genuinely trade across sectors. Picking four unrelated codes signals a lifestyle 'catch-all' company, not a focused trade.

Which SIC code should a SaaS company pick?

62012 (Business and domestic software development) is the SME default. 62020 (IT consultancy) if the revenue is services-heavy. 58290 (Other software publishing) if you sell packaged software. 62090 as a catch-all.

Which SIC code for property investment?

68209 (Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate) for a typical BTL SPV. 68100 for buy/sell property companies. 68320 for management companies. 68201 for housing associations.

Which SIC code for e-commerce?

47910 (Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet) is the standard e-commerce code. If you also have a physical store, add the relevant 47xxx retail code.

Which SIC code for consultancy?

70229 (Management consultancy other than financial). If it's financial or CFO-services, 70221. For engineering consultancy, 71129.

Can I change my SIC codes?

Yes, on the next confirmation statement (CS01) filing. Free to do. Common when a company pivots or expands its trade.

Does SIC code affect tax?

Not directly — corporation tax rules don't depend on SIC. But HMRC uses SIC codes for industry benchmarking (loss risk assessment, VAT enquiries), so picking a code that misrepresents your actual trade can attract scrutiny.

Do banks care about SIC codes?

Yes — some sectors (crypto, adult, cannabis) trigger enhanced due diligence or outright refusal at UK banks. Picking a SIC code that hides the real trade is a bad idea.

Do investors care about SIC codes?

Yes — some UK tax reliefs (EIS, SEIS) exclude specific SIC-coded activities. If you're pitching to angel investors, the SIC code needs to sit inside the EIS-eligible list.

Where does the official list live?

The ONS UK SIC 2007 hierarchy. Companies House uses the same list. This tool is a searchable subset of that; for anything obscure, cross-check with the ONS.

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