During Udyam Registration you must pick a NIC code that matches your business activity — and it's one of the most common places applicants pause. This guide explains what NIC codes are, how they're structured, and the common code ranges by business category, so you can zero in on yours quickly.
NIC stands for National Industrial Classification — the Government of India's system for categorising economic activities. The current version, NIC 2008, is the one used in Udyam Registration.
NIC codes get more specific from left to right:
| Business type | NIC divisions |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing (food, textiles, goods) | 10–33 |
| Construction | 41–43 |
| Wholesale & retail trade | 45–47 |
| Transport & storage | 49–53 |
| Hotels, restaurants & food service | 55–56 |
| IT, software & communication | 58–63 |
| Professional & technical services | 69–75 |
| Administrative & support services | 77–82 |
| Education & coaching | 85 |
| Healthcare & social work | 86–88 |
| Repair & personal services (salon, etc.) | 95–96 |
The table above gets you to the right neighbourhood; for registration you need the specific 5-digit sub-class. The quickest way is to search by a keyword from your activity and pick the closest match — you can find your exact NIC code with a lookup tool before you start, so you're not guessing inside the application.
Yes. If your business spans activities — say manufacturing and trading — you can add multiple NIC codes. If you picked the wrong one earlier, you can update the NIC code on your Udyam registration at any time.
Which NIC version does Udyam use? NIC 2008.
How many NIC codes can I add? Multiple — add every activity your business genuinely performs.
Does the NIC code affect my Micro / Small / Medium status? No — that classification is based on investment and turnover, not the NIC code.