The default code for most software companies, including SaaS businesses, custom software firms, and product development consultancies. Covers any software not intended primarily for games or publishing.
SIC codes for IT and software companies
IT and software is one of the broader SIC code spaces in UK SIC 2007. There's a separate code for nearly every angle of the industry: bespoke business software development, off-the-shelf software publishing, IT consultancy, hosting, web portals, and a catch-all for everything in between. The right code depends on what kind of company you're actually building. A SaaS company developing its own product picks 62012 (Business and domestic software development). A consultancy that bills clients for IT advisory time picks 62020. A hosting or cloud-infrastructure provider picks 63110. A games developer picks 62011, and a games publisher (a separate business model) picks 58210. Multi-service IT firms often register two or three codes to reflect their mix. A common pattern is 62012 as primary with 62020 added to cover consultancy work. The nine codes below cover the IT and software space comprehensively, with a note on the kind of company each one tends to fit.
SIC codes IT and software companies typically choose
Used by IT advisory firms, systems integrators, and any company that bills clients for IT consulting time rather than building product.
For companies running and managing third-party IT facilities or outsourced IT operations on behalf of clients.
Catch-all for IT services that do not fit 62012, 62020, or 62030. Used by IT support firms, managed service providers, and break-fix businesses.
For hosting providers, cloud-infrastructure businesses, data centres, and SaaS companies that lead with infrastructure rather than software.
For companies operating online portals, marketplaces, and price-comparison websites where the platform itself is the product.
For games publishers, who take a developer's product to market. Different from 62011, which is the developer-side code.
For non-games software publishers that distribute boxed or downloadable software they didn't develop in-house.
For games studios and interactive entertainment developers. Indie studios that self-publish commonly register both 62011 and 58210.
Frequently asked questions
Which SIC code should a UK SaaS company register?
Most UK SaaS companies register 62012 (Business and domestic software development) as their primary SIC code. It covers the development of bespoke and product software for business and consumer markets, which is the core of what most SaaS businesses do. If the company also offers significant managed-hosting or infrastructure services, 63110 (Data processing, hosting and related activities) is sometimes added as a secondary code.
What's the difference between SIC codes 62012 and 62020?
62012 is for companies that develop software, whether their own product, custom client builds, or product-development consultancies. 62020 is for companies that consult on IT (advisory, systems integration, strategic guidance) without developing product. The distinction matters: a product company that also offers some consulting registers 62012 as primary; a pure consulting firm registers 62020. Firms doing both substantially often register both codes.
Do hosting and cloud companies use the same SIC code as software companies?
No. Hosting providers, data-centre operators, and cloud-infrastructure businesses register 63110 (Data processing, hosting and related activities) rather than 62012. The 62xxx codes cover software development and IT services; the 63xxx codes cover the infrastructure layer underneath. A pure software company that resells cloud services does not need 63110, but a company whose primary product is hosting itself does.