Convert ISIC to NAICS Code
Convert International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) codes to their NAICS equivalents. Free ISIC to NAICS crosswalk tool powered by Veridion.
What is ISIC? (International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities)
ISIC (International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities) is the United Nations' global reference standard for classifying economic activities. Maintained by the UN Statistics Division, ISIC provides a framework that national statistical offices worldwide use as the basis for their own classification systems. NACE (EU), ANZSIC (Australia/NZ), and many other national systems are directly derived from ISIC. ISIC Rev. 4 contains 21 sections (A–U), 88 divisions, 238 groups, and approximately 420 classes. The code format is purely numeric: two digits for the division (e.g. 62 = Computer programming), three digits for the group (e.g. 620), and four digits for the class (e.g. 6201 = Computer programming activities). ISIC is used extensively by the World Bank, IMF, ILO, WHO, and other international organizations for economic statistics, trade analysis, and development indicators. Converting ISIC to NAICS is essential when integrating UN or World Bank data with North American industry classifications.
| Full Name | International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities |
| Maintained By | United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) |
| Current Revision | ISIC Rev. 4 |
| Region | Worldwide (UN member states) |
| Code Format | 4-digit numeric (e.g. 6201) |
| Total Industries | ~420 4-digit classes |
ISIC vs NAICS: Key Differences
ISIC is the UN's global standard with broad categories suitable for international comparison, while NAICS provides much finer North American detail, especially in services and technology.
| Attribute | ISIC | NAICS |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Global (UN) | North America (US, CA, MX) |
| Maintained by | UN Statistics Division | U.S. Census Bureau / Statistics Canada |
| Primary purpose | International comparability | Detailed national statistics |
| Code format | 4-digit numeric (6201) | 6-digit numeric (541511) |
| Number of classes | ~420 | ~1,012 (6-digit) |
| Granularity | Broad | Very detailed |
| Current revision | Rev. 4 (2008) | 2022 |
| Basis for other systems | Parent of NACE, ANZSIC, etc. | Independent (trilateral agreement) |
| Services coverage | Moderate | Comprehensive |
Frequently Asked Questions: ISIC to NAICS
What is an ISIC code?
ISIC (International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities) is a 4-digit numeric code maintained by the United Nations to classify economic activities globally. It serves as the parent framework for many national classification systems including Europe's NACE, and is used by international organizations like the World Bank, IMF, and ILO for economic statistics.
How do I convert an ISIC code to NAICS?
Enter your 4-digit ISIC code in the converter above and click "Convert to NAICS". The tool will show the matching NAICS 2022 code(s) along with their official titles and all related crosswalk mappings.
What is the difference between ISIC and NAICS?
ISIC is designed for broad international comparability (420 classes worldwide), while NAICS provides much finer detail for North American economies (1,012 six-digit codes). ISIC uses 4-digit codes; NAICS uses up to 6 digits. NAICS also covers modern service industries in far greater detail than ISIC Rev. 4.
Is there a 1-to-1 mapping between ISIC and NAICS?
Rarely. Because ISIC has broader categories (~420 classes) while NAICS has much finer granularity (~1,012 six-digit codes), one ISIC code often maps to multiple NAICS codes. Our tool shows all possible NAICS matches so you can choose the most appropriate one.
Who uses ISIC codes?
ISIC is used by the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Labour Organization (ILO), World Health Organization (WHO), and most national statistical offices. It is the standard reference for international economic comparisons, trade statistics, and development indicators.
How is ISIC related to NACE?
NACE is derived from ISIC and is identical at the top two hierarchical levels (sections and divisions). NACE adds additional European-specific detail at the 3- and 4-digit levels. If you have a NACE code, you can often derive the ISIC equivalent by looking at the first two or three digits.
What version of ISIC does this tool use?
Our crosswalk currently covers ISIC Rev. 4. ISIC Rev. 5 was adopted by the UN Statistical Commission in 2024 and is now the latest revision. We are working on adding Rev. 5 mappings.
How many ISIC codes are there?
ISIC Rev. 4 contains 21 sections (A–U), 88 divisions, 238 groups, and approximately 420 four-digit classes. The broadness is intentional — ISIC is designed for international comparability rather than detailed national classification.
Why is ISIC less detailed than NAICS?
ISIC is designed to be universally applicable across all economies, from developing nations to advanced economies. This requires broader, more inclusive categories. NAICS, by contrast, was designed specifically for the US, Canadian, and Mexican economies and can therefore include much finer industry distinctions, especially in advanced services and technology sectors.
Can I use ISIC codes for US business purposes?
ISIC codes are not used for US regulatory or statistical purposes — NAICS is the standard. However, if you receive data from international sources using ISIC (e.g. World Bank datasets, UN trade statistics), you can use this tool to convert those codes to NAICS for US-oriented analysis.
Is this ISIC to NAICS tool free?
Yes. trueNAICS provides free, unlimited ISIC-to-NAICS conversions with no registration or API key required.
How do I find a company's ISIC code?
ISIC codes are typically assigned through national statistical offices or derived from other classification systems. You can find a company's ISIC code through UN or World Bank databases, or by converting from a known NACE or SIC code. trueNAICS's company search can also help identify industry classifications from a company's name and website.