NAICS 424120

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the federal standard for classifying business establishments to support the collection, analysis, and publication of U.S. economic statistics. Developed under the Office of Management and Budget with Canada and Mexico, NAICS replaced the SIC system in 1997; the current adopted vintage is 2022. It is production-oriented and used across Census economic programs. ¹

NAICS 424120 covers merchant wholesalers primarily engaged in the distribution of stationery and office supplies. Examples include envelopes, file folders, writing instruments, computer/printer paper supplies, greeting cards, and gift wrap; cross-references distinguish bulk printing/writing paper (424110) and industrial/personal service paper (424130). Agencies and statisticians use this code to tabulate wholesale trade data and to assign an industry to establishments whose primary activity is wholesaling these products. ²

What this NAICS covers

• Merchant wholesale distribution of stationery (e.g., envelopes, social stationery, greeting cards). ²
• Merchant wholesale distribution of office supplies (e.g., pens, pencils, folders, desk supplies). ²
• Computer and copier/printer paper supplies wholesaling (non-bulk). ²
• Gift wrap and related packaging supplies wholesaling. ²
• School and classroom supply wholesaling (when primarily stationery/office supplies). ²
• Excludes bulk rolls of printing/writing paper (see 424110). ²
• Excludes coarse/converted paper and disposable plastics (see 424130). ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Small business size standard and procurement notes

For NAICS 424120, SBA’s small business size standard is 150 employees (effective March 17, 2023). ³

Wholesale Trade NAICS codes generally are not used to classify supply acquisitions; supply buys use the applicable manufacturing NAICS. A wholesale/retail firm offering supplies may qualify as a nonmanufacturer and be deemed small at 500 or fewer employees if it meets 13 CFR 121.406. ³

Frequently asked questions

• What kinds of businesses fall under NAICS 424120?

  • Establishments primarily engaged in wholesaling stationery and office supplies, including envelopes, folders, pens/pencils, copier/printer supplies (non-bulk), greeting cards, and gift wrap. Bulk printing/writing paper is classified under 424110; industrial/personal service paper under 424130. ²

• What is the SBA small business size standard for NAICS 424120?

  • The small business size standard is 150 employees for NAICS 424120, per SBA’s Table of Small Business Size Standards effective March 17, 2023. ³

• How is wholesaling defined for federal statistics and surveys?

  • Wholesale Trade (sector 42) includes establishments selling merchandise to other businesses without transformation and providing services incidental to the sale. The Annual Wholesale Trade Survey covers merchant wholesalers and reports sales, e-commerce, inventories, and related measures. ⁴

• Did the 2022 NAICS update change how 424120 is used?

  • Census implemented 2022 NAICS across programs beginning in 2024; sector updates occurred, but no specific change to the 424120 definition is detailed in Census summaries. Not specified by official sources ⁵.

• Which PSC codes commonly align with office supply wholesaling?

  • Product codes frequently associated with stationery/office supply buys include 7510 (Office Supplies) and 7530 (Stationery and Record Forms); agencies may also use 7520 (Office Devices and Accessories) depending on the items. ⁶

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 424120 overview
• Census: NAICS Codes & Understanding Industry Classification Systems. ¹
• Census: 2022 NAICS implementation timeline and program adoption. ⁵
• Census: 2022 NAICS Descriptions (industry reference files). ²
• SBA: Table of Small Business Size Standards (effective March 17, 2023). ³
• Acquisition.gov: Product and Service Codes (PSC) Manual (April 2025). ⁶

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS Codes & Understanding Industry Classification Systems. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/year/2022/guidance/understanding-naics.html
2. U.S. Census Bureau — 2022 NAICS Descriptions (industry reference files). https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/technical-documentation/reference/naics-descriptions.html
3. U.S. Small Business Administration — Table of Small Business Size Standards (effective March 17, 2023). https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/Table%20of%20Size%20Standards_Effective%20March%2017%2C%202023%20%282%29.pdf
4. U.S. Census Bureau — Annual Wholesale Trade Survey FAQs (scope and definitions). https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/awts/about/faq.html
5. 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
6. Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Codes (PSC) Manual, April 2025. https://login.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf