541214 — Payroll Services
Description
This U.S. industry comprises establishments (except offices of CPAs) engaged in the following without also providing accounting, bookkeeping, or billing services: (1) collecting information on hours worked, pay rates, deductions, and other payroll-related data from their clients and (2) using that information to generate paychecks, payroll reports, and tax filings. These establishments may use data processing and tabulating techniques as part of providing their services (as defined in the official U.S. Census Bureau 2022 NAICS Manual).
Exclusions & Cross-References
- Establishments of CPAs are classified in U.S. Industry 541211, Offices of Certified Public Accountants;
- Establishments of non-CPAs providing tax return preparation services only are classified in U.S. Industry
- 541213, Tax Preparation Services;
- Establishments of non-CPAs providing accounting, bookkeeping, or billing services along with payroll
- services are classified in U.S. Industry 541219, Other Accounting Services;
- Establishments primarily engaged in processing financial transactions (except central bank) are classified in
- Industry 522320, Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities; and
- Establishments primarily engaged in providing data processing services (except payroll processing services
- and financial transaction processing services) at their own facility for others are classified in Industry
- 518210, Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services.
Overview Facts
Legacy SIC Concordance
Trace the historical mapping chain from the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) to the modern 2022 NAICS code format.
- SIC 7819 - Services Allied to Motion Picture Production (via SIC1987:7819→NAICS1997:541214→2002:541214→2007:541214→2012:541214→2017:541214→2022:541214)
- SIC 8721 - Accounting, Auditing, and Bookkeeping Services (via SIC1987:8721→NAICS1997:541214→2002:541214→2007:541214→2012:541214→2017:541214→2022:541214)
Suggested Product Service Codes (Advisory)
The following Product Service Codes (PSCs) are advisory suggestions aligned with this NAICS code. Note: NAICS and PSC codes map to different dimensions of procurement (industry vs. product/service). There is no official binding 1:1 crosswalk.
- PSC R703 — Accounting Services (NOTE: New code created for Financial Services See R710 below)
Source: DoD DPCAP PSC Selection Tool (Ingested: 2026-06-29)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is NAICS code 541214 valid in 2022? ▾
Yes, 541214 is a valid 6-digit 2022 NAICS national industry code representing 'Payroll Services' under Sector 54 in the official classification index.
What is the SBA size standard for NAICS code 541214? ▾
The Small Business Administration (SBA) has established a small business size standard of $39,000,000 for NAICS code 541214 (Payroll Services), calculated based on receipts.
What is the legacy SIC equivalent for NAICS 541214? ▾
According to official Census Bureau concordance tables, NAICS code 541214 (Payroll Services) maps to legacy 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes: 7819 - Services Allied to Motion Picture Production, 8721 - Accounting, Auditing, and Bookkeeping Services.
Related Pages & Tools
Further regulatory reference links for NAICS code 541214:
- Sector 54 Directory Hub — List of related industries in the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector.
- SIC ↔ NAICS Crosswalk Tool — Look up mappings between legacy SIC codes and modern classifications.
- NAICS 541214 to SIC Crosswalk — Bidirectional mapping to legacy SIC codes (Payroll Services).
- IRS PBA Code for Payroll Services — Principal Business Activity tax reporting details.
- SBA Size Standards Guide — Complete rules and averaging periods for small business classifications.
- Calculating Annual Receipts Guide — Detailed worked example of revenue calculation rules.
- IRS Principal Business Activity Guide — How NAICS codes map to corporate and entity tax filings.