SIC Code

A Standard Industrial Classification code is a five-digit numerical code assigned by Companies House to categorise a business's primary economic activity, used in procurement to identify and filter suppliers by sector.

What a SIC Code Is

A Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code is a five-digit number that categorises the principal economic activity of a business. In the UK, Companies House assigns SIC codes when a company is incorporated or updates its registration. The current UK SIC framework — UK SIC 2007 — is maintained by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and aligns broadly with the EU's NACE Rev. 2 classification system.

Examples include: - 47110 – Retail sale in non-specialised stores with food, beverages or tobacco predominating - 62012 – Business and domestic software development - 86210 – General medical practice activities

How SIC Codes Are Used in Procurement

Contracting authorities and procurement platforms use SIC codes to:

• Classify procurement categories when publishing contract notices on Find a Tender Service (FTS) or Contracts Finder
• Filter supplier databases to identify businesses operating in a relevant sector
• Conduct market engagement by targeting suppliers within a specific industrial classification
• Support spend analysis, mapping expenditure against industry sectors for strategic sourcing

SIC codes appear alongside CPV (Common Procurement Vocabulary) codes in procurement data, though the two serve different purposes. CPV codes describe what is being bought; SIC codes describe what a supplier does.

SIC Codes and Supplier Registration

Suppliers registering on frameworks or dynamic purchasing systems are often asked to confirm their SIC code(s). A business may list multiple codes if it operates across several sectors. When shortlisting or running pre-market engagement, buyers sometimes cross-reference SIC codes against Companies House records to verify that a supplier's stated activities match its registered classification.

Limitations

SIC codes are self-declared at incorporation and not always updated when a business diversifies. A supplier may hold an outdated or imprecise code that does not reflect its current capabilities. Buyers should treat SIC codes as a starting point for market analysis rather than a definitive measure of a supplier's scope of work. CPV codes, capability statements, and prior supply chain evidence provide more reliable qualification data in a formal procurement context.