NAICS 423450

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the federal standard for classifying business establishments to support the collection, analysis, and publication of statistics on the U.S. economy. Developed under the Office of Management and Budget with Canada and Mexico, NAICS replaced the SIC system and was first adopted in 1997 to promote comparability across North America. Current statistical programs are transitioning to the 2022 NAICS vintage. ¹

NAICS 423450 designates merchant wholesalers of medical, dental, and hospital equipment and supplies. Federal statistical programs, including the Economic Census and the Annual Wholesale Trade Survey, publish industry-level estimates for this category, reflecting sales, inventories, and other measures for merchant wholesalers (excluding manufacturers’ sales branches and offices). ²

• See also on G2X:
  • G2X — NAICS 423460 Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers
  • G2X — PSC 6515 Medical and Surgical Instruments, Equipment, and Supplies

What this NAICS covers

• Wholesale distribution of medical and surgical instruments and apparatus to professional users and medical facilities. ⁷
• Wholesale distribution of hospital furniture and beds for clinical environments. ⁷
• Wholesale distribution of electromedical and monitoring equipment used in patient care. ⁷
• Wholesale distribution of medical dressings, bandages, and related disposable supplies. ⁷
• Wholesale distribution of dental equipment and consumable dental supplies. ⁷
• Excludes wholesale distribution of ophthalmic goods, which are classified under NAICS 423460. ⁴

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Boundary and data notes

• Census program groupings list NAICS 423450 under Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies, adjacent to 423460 and 423490, helping distinguish ophthalmic goods and other professional supplies. ⁴
• The Annual Wholesale Trade Survey provides national estimates for this industry and publishes additional detail for selected wholesale categories. Manufacturers’ sales branches and offices are excluded from merchant wholesaler statistics. ³

Frequently asked questions

• How is NAICS 423450 different from NAICS 423460? NAICS 423450 covers medical, dental, and hospital equipment and supplies wholesale. NAICS 423460 specifically covers ophthalmic goods wholesaling, which is treated separately in Census program groupings. ⁴

• Are pharmaceuticals included in NAICS 423450? No. Drugs and druggists’ sundries are classified under NAICS 424210. NAICS 423450 addresses equipment and supplies rather than pharmaceuticals. ⁵

• Does the Annual Wholesale Trade Survey report on this industry? Yes. The AWTS publishes national estimates for merchant wholesalers by NAICS and provides additional breakouts for selected wholesale industries, including medical, dental, and hospital equipment and supplies wholesalers. ³

• What product/service codes often align with NAICS 423450 in federal procurement? Common PSCs include 6515 (medical and surgical instruments/supplies), 6520 (dental instruments/supplies), 6525 (medical imaging), and 6530 (hospital furniture/equipment). ⁶

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 423450
• Census — NAICS implementation and 2022 vintage overview. ²
• Census — Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS) 2022 release noting medical, dental, and hospital equipment/supplies wholesalers. ³
• Census — Enterprise Statistics Program groupings showing NAICS 423450 alongside 423460 and 423490. ⁴
• Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Code (PSC) Manual (medical-related PSC definitions). ⁶

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau — 2017 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Manual. https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2017/econ/2017-naics-manual.html
2. U.S. Census Bureau — The Census Bureau’s Implementation of the 2022 NAICS. https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html
3. U.S. Census Bureau — 2022 Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS) release. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/annual-wholesale-trade-survey.html
4. U.S. Census Bureau — Enterprise Statistics Program: Employer Categories and Corresponding Establishment NAICS Industries. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/esp/guidance/employer.html
5. U.S. Census Bureau — LEHD Snapshot Documentation: Selected Codebook Value Labels. https://lehd.ces.census.gov/data/lehd-snapshot-doc/latest/appendices/value_labels.html
6. Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Code Manual. https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual/all
7. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS archives: Wholesale Trade (Sector 42). https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect42.html