Understanding NACE codes in Belgium
NACE codes classify the economic activities of Belgian companies. Discover their structure, usefulness, and how to leverage them through our API.
In brief
NACE codes are a standardized European classification system that identifies the economic activity of every Belgian enterprise registered in the BCE. Belgium uses the NACE-BEL 2008 version. Structured in 4 hierarchical levels (section, division, group, class), they enable precise sector searches via the Company Belgium API: filter SMEs by activity in a city, analyze sector distribution across a province, or target prospects by NACE code.
What is a NACE code?
The NACE code (Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community) is a standardized classification system for economic activities used throughout the European Union.
In Belgium, the NACE-BEL 2008 version is used, adapted to the specificities of the Belgian economic landscape. Every enterprise registered in the BCE (Banque-Carrefour des Entreprises) can have multiple NACE codes reflecting its different activities.
Structure of NACE codes
NACE codes are hierarchical:
| Level | Format | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section | Letter | C | Manufacturing |
| Division | 2 digits | 62 | Computer programming |
| Group | 3 digits | 62.0 | Programming, consulting |
| Class | 5 digits | 62.010 | Computer programming |
Common examples
- 62.010: Computer programming
- 47.111: Retail sale of food
- 69.101: Legal activities
- 86.101: Hospital activities
- 56.101: Full-service restaurants
Usefulness of NACE codes
For businesses
- Declaration of activities to the BCE
- Sectoral classification for statistics
- Criteria for certain regulations
For developers
- Sector analysis: identify all companies in a sector — for example all construction companies in Brussels
- Commercial targeting: find prospects by activity via the BCE API
- Market research: analyze the distribution of activities by geographic area and consult Belgian company statistics 2026
Search by NACE code via the API
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class="code-comment">// Find all computer programming companies in Brussels
const response = await fetch(
class="code-string">'/api/companies/search?naceCode=62.010&zipCode=1000',
{
headers: {
class="code-string">'X-API-Key': class="code-string">'your_key',
class="code-string">'X-API-Secret': class="code-string">'your_secret',
},
}
);
const data = await response.json();
class="code-comment">// data.results contains the list of companiesMost common NACE codes in Belgium
According to BCE data, the most represented sectors are:
Conclusion
NACE codes are a powerful tool for classifying and searching companies by activity. Our BCE API endpoints let you easily leverage this classification for your applications. You can also combine a NACE code search with an address-based search to refine your results even further.
Frequently asked questions
What is a NACE code and what is it used for in Belgian companies ?
The NACE code (Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community) is a numeric identifier classifying a company's main economic activity. In Belgium, the NACE-BEL 2008 version is used and every enterprise registered in the BCE is assigned one or more codes. These codes serve for activity declaration with the BCE, economic statistics by the National Bank, certain sectoral regulations, and targeted company search by sector.
How to read and interpret a Belgian NACE code ?
The NACE code is structured in 4 hierarchical levels. The section is represented by a letter (e.g. C for manufacturing). The division corresponds to the first 2 digits (e.g. 62 for IT activities). The group adds a digit after the dot (e.g. 62.0). The class is the full 5-digit code (e.g. 62.010 for computer programming). To identify the NACE code of a Belgian enterprise, you can query the BCE database via the Company Belgium API using the enterprise number.
What are the most common NACE codes in Belgium in 2026 ?
According to BCE data, the 5 most represented sectors are: retail trade (47.xxx) with around 180,000 companies, construction (41-43.xxx) with around 120,000, consulting and management activities (70.xxx) with around 95,000, food service (56.xxx) with around 65,000, and information technology (62.xxx) with around 45,000 companies. These figures vary by region: construction is overrepresented in Flanders, food service in Brussels.
How to search for companies by NACE code via the Company Belgium BCE API ?
The Company Belgium API allows filtering Belgian companies by NACE code in the search parameters. You can combine the NACE code with other filters such as postal code, province, region or legal form. The API returns for each company its BCE number, name, address and full NACE codes. This feature is particularly useful for commercial prospecting, market research and competitive intelligence at the national or regional level.
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