NAICS Code 53 — Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

Sector in the official 2022 North American Industry Classification System (U.S. Census Bureau). It contains 3 direct sub-codes.

Code	53
Title	Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
Level	Sector (2-digit)
Edition	NAICS 2022 edition

Official definition (2022 NAICS)

The Sector as a Whole

The Real Estate and Rental and Leasing sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in renting, leasing, or otherwise allowing the use of tangible or intangible assets, and establishments providing related services. The major portion of this sector comprises establishments that rent, lease, or otherwise allow the use of their own assets by others. The assets may be tangible, as is the case of real estate and equipment, or intangible, as is the case with patents and trademarks.

This sector also includes establishments primarily engaged in managing real estate for others, selling, renting, and/or buying real estate for others, and appraising real estate. These activities are closely related to this sector's main activity, and from a production basis they are included here. In addition, a substantial proportion of property management is self-performed by lessors.

The main components of this sector are the real estate lessors industries (including equity real estate investment trusts (REITs)); equipment lessors industries (including motor vehicles, computers, and consumer goods); and lessors of nonfinancial intangible assets (except copyrighted works).

Excluded from this sector are establishments primarily engaged in renting or leasing equipment with operators. Establishments renting or leasing equipment with operators are classified in various subsectors of NAICS depending on the nature of the services provided (e.g., transportation, construction, agriculture). These activities are excluded from this sector because the client is paying for the expertise and knowledge of the equipment operator, in addition to the rental of the equipment. In many cases, such as the rental of heavy construction equipment, the operator is essential to operate the equipment. Also excluded from this sector are mortgage REITs and establishments primarily engaged in managing the financial portfolio assets of REITs on a fee or commission basis. These establishments are classified in Sector 52, Finance and Insurance.

Codes under 53

Code	Title
531	Real Estate
532	Rental and Leasing Services
533	Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works)

Related Sector codes

• 11 — Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
• 21 — Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
• 22 — Utilities
• 23 — Construction
• 31-33 — Manufacturing
• 42 — Wholesale Trade
• 44-45 — Retail Trade
• 48-49 — Transportation and Warehousing
• 51 — Information
• 52 — Finance and Insurance
• 54 — Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• 55 — Management of Companies and Enterprises
• 56 — Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
• 61 — Educational Services
• 62 — Health Care and Social Assistance
• 71 — Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
• 72 — Accommodation and Food Services
• 81 — Other Services (except Public Administration)
• 92 — Public Administration

Data: official 2022 NAICS structure, descriptions and Census concordances, U.S. Census Bureau — U.S. government works in the public domain (17 U.S.C. §105). Suggested reference, not an official determination.