512230 Music Publishers

Official definition

This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in acquiring and registering copyrights for musical compositions in accordance with law and promoting and authorizing the use of these compositions in recordings, radio, television, motion pictures, live performances, print, or other media. Establishments in this industry represent the interests of the songwriter or other owners of musical compositions to produce revenues from the use of such works, generally through licensing agreements. These establishments may own the copyright or act as administrator of the music copyrights on behalf of copyright owners. Publishers of music books and sheet music 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:

• Establishments primarily engaged as independent songwriters who act as their own publishers are classified in Industry 711510, Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers.

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

Activities listed under 512230

The Census index assigns these 11 activities to this code. If your business matches one, this is your code.

• Music book (i.e., bound sheet music) publishers
• Music book (i.e., bound sheet music) publishers and printing combined
• Music copyright authorizing use
• Music copyright buying and licensing
• Music publishers
• Music, sheet, publishers and printing combined
• Publishers, music
• Sheet music publishers
• Sheet music publishers and printing combined
• Song publishers
• Song publishers and printing combined

Source: US Census Bureau, 2022 NAICS index file.

SBA size standard for 512230

To count as a small business for SBA loans and federal contracts under NAICS 512230, your business (including affiliates) must not exceed 900 employees. 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: 5920), so treat them as a starting point and check the definition.

• 59200Sound recording and music publishing activitiesUK SIC

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

Similar codes to compare

• 512240Sound Recording Studios
• 512250Record Production and Distribution
• 512290Other Sound Recording Industries