In brief
- ÖNACE 2008 is the Austrian version of the European classification NACE Rev. 2: 21 sections, 88 divisions, 272 groups, 615 classes and 701 national subclasses.
- ÖNACE 2025 has applied since 1 January 2025; official figures up to 2024 are still broken down by ÖNACE 2008.
- For a target group, the division (two digits) or the class (four digits) is usually enough. Trade licences and ÖNACE codes are two different things.
How ÖNACE is structured
ÖNACE assigns every economic activity to exactly one position. Statistics Austria describes the structure in an overview (Statistics Austria, information on ÖNACE):
You can scroll the table sideways.
| Level | Example | ÖNACE 2008 | ÖNACE 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section | F construction | 21 (A to U) | 22 (A to V) |
| Division (2 digits) | 43 specialised construction activities | 88 | 87 |
| Group (3 digits) | 43.2 electrical, plumbing and other construction installation | 272 | 287 |
| Class (4 digits) | 43.21 electrical installation | 615 | 651 |
| Subclass (national) | coded 01.11-0 to 99.00-0 | 701 | 711 |
Down to class level, ÖNACE is identical to the European NACE. That is useful: an industry definition for Austria can be compared with figures from Germany, Czechia or the whole EU.
ÖNACE 2008 and ÖNACE 2025
From 1 January 2025 the revised classification NACE Rev. 2.1 applies in the European Union, in Austria as ÖNACE 2025. The number of sections rises to 22 and some activities move to other divisions. The official business counts shown on firmdat.at come from the 2024 structural business statistics and are still broken down by ÖNACE 2008. To keep figures and definitions consistent, our industries use ÖNACE 2008 codes for now.
ÖNACE code and trade licence: two different things
In Austria you meet two classifications that are often confused:
- The trade licence (Gewerbe) is a legal permission under the Trade Act, for example “master builder” or “electrical engineering”. It is recorded in the trade licence register (GISA). A business can hold several licences.
- The ÖNACE code describes the main economic activity for statistics. Statistics Austria assigns the businesses in its business register to a class and informs them of the assignment with a classification notice.
For a target group list this means: anyone looking for “all electricians in Styria” usually means class 43.21. An electrical retailer that also installs may, however, sit in another class because its main activity is retail. Liberal professions such as doctors or lawyers have an ÖNACE code but no trade licence.
How to define a target group
- Describe the activity in words. “Businesses that install heating systems” is clearer than a code taken from memory.
- Find the matching class. In our example 43.22 (plumbing, heat and air-conditioning installation).
- Check neighbouring classes. What belongs, what does not? Plumbing wholesalers are in division 46, design offices in 71.
- Set the region. In Austria usually federal state or political district. Note that the first digit of the postcode is not a reliable indicator of the federal state.
- Decide on required fields. For a postal mailing the address is enough; for CRM matching, website and register number help.
Our 21 industries and their ÖNACE codes
The firmdat.at industries combine one or more ÖNACE positions. A minus sign before a code means the class is excluded. The official figure per industry, such as 43,120 businesses in section F construction, is shown on each industry page.
You can scroll the table sideways.
| Industry | ÖNACE 2008 |
|---|---|
| Business and consulting services | M 69, M 70, M 73 |
| Construction and building trades | F 41, F 42, F 43 |
| Manufacturing and industry | C 13–33 |
| Real estate and property management | L 68 |
| Energy, water and waste | D 35, E 36–39 |
| Hospitality and tourism | I 55, I 56, N 79 |
| Agriculture, forestry and food | A 01–03, C 10–11 |
| Transport and logistics | H 49–53 |
| IT, software and technology | J 62, J 63 |
| Architecture and engineering offices | M 71 |
| Healthcare and wellness | Q 86–88, S 96.02, S 96.04 |
| Finance and insurance | K 64–66 |
| Municipalities and public institutions | O 84 |
| Motor trade and garages | G 45 |
| Retail and online retail | G 47, −47.73, −47.74 |
| Wholesale and trade agents | G 46 |
| Pharmacies, opticians, hearing care and orthopaedic suppliers | G 47.73, G 47.74, G 47.78 |
| Education and training | P 85 |
| Clubs, associations, sport and culture | R 90–93, S 94 |
| Building cleaning, caretaking and gardening | N 81 |
| Staffing and temporary employment | N 78 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ÖNACE 2008 and NACE Rev. 2?
Sections, divisions, groups and classes are identical. Austria adds national subclasses (five digits, for example 01.11-0) to the European structure; according to Statistics Austria, ÖNACE 2008 has 701 subclasses.
Is ÖNACE 2008 still in use?
Since 1 January 2025 the revised classification NACE Rev. 2.1 applies in the EU; the Austrian version is called ÖNACE 2025. Official business counts up to reference year 2024 are still broken down by ÖNACE 2008. Our industries therefore use ÖNACE 2008 codes for now.
Is a trade licence the same as an ÖNACE code?
No. A trade licence (Gewerbe, for example master builder or electrical engineering) is a legal permission under the Trade Act. The ÖNACE code describes the main economic activity for statistical purposes. A business can hold several trade licences but has only one main activity.
As of 25 October 2026. Structure according to Statistics Austria, retrieved on the same day.
