NAICS codes for construction contractors
Federal agencies tag every contract notice with one NAICS code (North American Industry Classification System). It decides who counts as a small business for that job, and it is the fastest way to search for work in your trade.
How agencies use the code
- The contracting officer picks the one code that best describes the work.
- That code's SBA size standard decides whether you are "small" for a small business set-aside.
- Searches and alerts on SAM.gov, and on BidFox, filter by code.
List in your SAM.gov registration every code you can genuinely perform. You don't need past federal work in a code to list it.
Construction codes
Construction is NAICS sector 23, split into building construction (236), heavy and civil engineering (237) and specialty trade contractors (238). Codes in bold have open federal notices or awards in the last 12 months; click them for the open bids, the agencies buying and recent winners.
| Code | What it covers |
|---|---|
| 236115 | New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) |
| 236116 | New Multifamily Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) |
| 236117 | New Housing For-Sale Builders |
| 236118 | Residential Remodelers |
| 236210 | Industrial Building Construction |
| 236220 | Commercial and Institutional Building Construction |
| 237110 | Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction |
| 237120 | Oil and Gas Pipeline and Related Structures Construction |
| 237130 | Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction |
| 237210 | Land Subdivision |
| 237310 | Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction |
| 237990 | Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction |
| 238110 | Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors |
| 238120 | Structural Steel and Precast Concrete Contractors |
| 238130 | Framing Contractors |
| 238140 | Masonry Contractors |
| 238150 | Glass and Glazing Contractors |
| 238160 | Roofing Contractors |
| 238170 | Siding Contractors |
| 238190 | Other Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors |
| 238210 | Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors |
| 238220 | Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors |
| 238290 | Other Building Equipment Contractors |
| 238310 | Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
| 238320 | Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
| 238330 | Flooring Contractors |
| 238340 | Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
| 238350 | Finish Carpentry Contractors |
| 238390 | Other Building Finishing Contractors |
| 238910 | Site Preparation Contractors |
| 238990 | All Other Specialty Trade Contractors |
Picking the right one
A general contractor building a new barracks works under 236220, but the same agency may buy the roof replacement under 238160 and the paving under 237310. If you are a specialty contractor, also watch the general codes: large building jobs need subcontractors, and the award notices tell you which prime contractors to call.
When a notice uses a code you didn't expect, read the scope anyway. Contracting officers choose the code for the main part of the work, and many jobs mix trades.
Other trades
BidFox also follows facilities maintenance, janitorial (561720), landscaping (561730), security guards (561612), IT services (5415 codes), trucking, food service, consulting and training. Browse every NAICS code with open federal contracts.
Last reviewed October 20, 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and dollar thresholds change, so check the solicitation and the official sources linked above.