533110 Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works)

Official definition

This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in assigning rights to assets, such as patents, trademarks, brand names, and/or franchise agreements, for which a royalty payment or licensing fee is paid to the asset holder.

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 in producing, reproducing, and/or distributing copyrighted works are classified in Sector 51, Information.
• Independent artists, writers, and performers primarily engaged in creating copyrighted works are classified in Industry 711510, Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers.
• Establishments primarily engaged in leasing real property are classified in Subsector 531, Real Estate.
• Establishments primarily engaged in leasing tangible assets, such as automobiles, computers, consumer goods, and industrial machinery and equipment, are classified in Subsector 532, Rental and Leasing Services.
• Establishments that allow franchisees the use of the franchise name, contingent on the franchisee buying products or services from the franchisor, are classified elsewhere.

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

Activities listed under 533110

The Census index assigns these 10 activities to this code. If your business matches one, this is your code.

• Brand name licensing
• Franchise agreements, leasing, selling or licensing, without providing other services
• Industrial design licensing
• Oil royalty companies
• Oil royalty leasing
• Oil royalty traders (except for own account)
• Patent buying and licensing
• Patent leasing
• Performance rights, licensing of
• Trademark licensing

Source: US Census Bureau, 2022 NAICS index file.

SBA size standard for 533110

To count as a small business for SBA loans and federal contracts under NAICS 533110, your business (including affiliates) must not exceed $47 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: 7740), so treat them as a starting point and check the definition.

• 77400Leasing of intellectual property and similar products, except copyright worksUK SIC

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