NAICS 2022
491
Postal Service
Analysis
NAICS 491 is the 2022 subsector for postal service.
It has only one more detailed code, 491110, which covers exactly the same activities; the definition, index entries and statistics are on that page.
County Business Patterns publishes no national count for it, either because the code is out of the survey's scope or because the figures are suppressed to protect individual businesses.
Official definition
The Postal Service subsector includes the activities of the National Post Office and its subcontractors operating under a universal service obligation to provide mail services, and using the infrastructure required to fulfill that obligation. These services include delivering letters and small parcels. These articles can be described as those that can be handled by one person without using special equipment. This allows the collection, pick-up, and delivery operations to be done with limited labor costs and minimal equipment. Sorting and transportation activities, where necessary, are generally mechanized. The restriction to small parcels distinguishes these establishments from those in the transportation industries. These establishments may also provide express delivery services using the infrastructure established for provision of basic mail services.
The traditional activity of the National Postal Service is described in this subsector. Subcontractors include rural post offices on contract to the Postal Service.
Bulk transportation of mail on contract to the Postal Service is not included here, because it is usually done by transportation establishments that carry other customers' cargo as well. Establishments that provide courier and express delivery services without operating under a universal service obligation are classified in Subsector 492, Couriers and Messengers.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.