491110 Postal Service

Official definition

This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing mail services under a universal service obligation. Mail services include the carriage of letters, printed matter, or mailable packages, including acceptance, collection, processing, and delivery. Due to the infrastructure requirements of providing mail service under a universal service obligation, postal service establishments often provide parcel and express delivery services in addition to the mail service. Establishments primarily engaged in performing one or more parts of the basic mail service, such as sorting, routing and/or delivery (except bulk transportation of mail) are included in this industry.

Source: US Census Bureau, 2022 NAICS descriptions.

When to use a different code

Census classifies these close-sounding activities somewhere else. Businesses mainly engaged in:

• Providing bulk transportation of mail on a contract basis to and from postal service establishments are classified in Industry Group 4841, General Freight Trucking.
• Providing services outside of the basic mail service, such as mail presort, mail consolidation, or address bar coding services, on a contract or fee basis are classified in U.S. Industry 561499, All Other Business Support Services.
• Providing courier services and express delivery of parcels without operating under a universal service obligation are classified in Industry 492110, Couriers and Express Delivery Services.
• Providing mailbox services along with other business services are classified in U.S. Industry 561431, Private Mail Centers.
• Providing local messenger and delivery services are classified in Industry 492210, Local Messengers and Local Delivery.

Source: US Census Bureau, 2022 NAICS cross-references.

Activities listed under 491110

The Census index assigns these 5 activities to this code. If your business matches one, this is your code.

• Postal delivery services, local, operated by U.S. Postal Service
• Postal delivery services, local, operated on a contract basis
• Postal services operated by U.S. Postal Service
• Postal stations operated by U.S. Postal Service
• Postal stations operated on a contract basis

Source: US Census Bureau, 2022 NAICS index file.

SBA size standard for 491110

To count as a small business for SBA loans and federal contracts under NAICS 491110, your business (including affiliates) must not exceed $9 million in average annual receipts. Check your business.

Source: SBA table of size standards, effective March 17, 2023.

Closest UK SIC 2007 codes

There is no official one-to-one link between NAICS and UK SIC. These codes share the same international class (ISIC Rev. 4: 5310), so treat them as a starting point and check the definition.

• 53100Postal activities under universal service obligationUK SIC

Built from Census concordances 2022→2017 NAICS and 2017 NAICS→ISIC Rev. 4.