This Chapter has been extracted from the ONS Explanatory Notes and provides a more detailed explanation of possible activities that could fall within the SIC Codes related to the Chapter.
This division includes all activities (except manufacture and renting) related to motor vehicles and
motorcycles, including lorries and trucks, such as the wholesale and retail sale of new and second-hand
vehicles, the repair and maintenance of vehicles and the wholesale and retail sale of parts and
accessories for motor vehicles and motorcycles. Also included are activities of commission agents
involved in wholesale or retail sale of vehicles, wholesale car auctions and wholesale over the Internet.
This division also includes activities such as washing, polishing of vehicles etc.
This division does not include the retail sale of automotive fuel and lubricating or cooling products or the
renting of motor vehicles or motorcycles.
45.1 Sale of motor vehicles
45.11 Sale of cars and light motor vehicles
45.11/1 Sale of new cars and light motor vehicles
This subclass includes:
- wholesale and retail sale of new vehicles:
• passenger motor vehicles, including specialised passenger motor vehicles such as ambulances and
minibuses, etc. (of a weight not exceeding 3.5 tonnes)
This class also includes:
- wholesale and retail sale of off-road motor vehicles like jeeps (of a weight not exceeding 3.5 tonnes)
This class excludes:
- wholesale and retail sale of parts and accessories for motor vehicles, see 45.3
- renting of motor vehicles with driver, see division 49
- renting of motor vehicles without driver, see 77.1
45.11/2 Sale of used cars and light motor vehicles
This subclass includes:
- wholesale and retail sale of used vehicles:
• passenger motor vehicles, including specialised passenger motor vehicles such as ambulances and
minibuses, etc. (of a weight not exceeding 3.5 tonnes)
This class also includes:
- wholesale and retail sale of off-road motor vehicles like jeeps (of a weight not exceeding 3.5 tonnes)
This class excludes:
- wholesale and retail sale of parts and accessories for motor vehicles, see 45.3
- renting of motor vehicles with driver, see division 49
- renting of motor vehicles without driver, see 77.1
45.19 Sale of other motor vehicles
This class includes:
- wholesale and retail sale of new and used vehicles:
• lorries, trailers and semi-trailers
• camping vehicles such as caravans and motor homes
This class also includes:
- wholesale and retail sale of off-road motor vehicles (of a weight exceeding 3.5 tons)
This class excludes:
- wholesale and retail sale of parts and accessories for motor vehicles, see 45.3
- renting of trucks with driver, see 49.41
- renting of trucks without driver, see 77.12
45.2 Maintenance and repair of motor vehicles
45.20 Maintenance and repair of motor vehicles
This class includes:
- maintenance and repair of motor vehicles:
• mechanical repairs
• electrical repairs
• electronic injection systems repair
• ordinary servicing
• bodywork repair
• repair of motor vehicle parts
• washing, polishing, etc.
• spraying and painting
• repair of screens and windows
• repair of motor vehicle seats
- tyre and tube repair, fitting or replacement
- anti-rust treatment
- installation of parts and accessories not as part of the manufacturing process
This class excludes:
- retreading and rebuilding of tyres, see 22.11
45.3 Sale of motor vehicle parts and accessories
This group includes wholesale and retail trade of all kinds of parts, components, supplies, tools and
accessories for motor vehicles, such as:
• rubber tyres and inner tubes for tyres
• spark plugs, batteries, lighting equipment and electrical parts
45.31 Wholesale trade of motor vehicle parts and accessories
45.32 Retail trade of motor vehicle parts and accessories
This class excludes:
- retail sale of automotive fuel, see 47.30
45.4 Sale, maintenance and repair of motorcycles and related parts and accessories
45.40 Sale, maintenance and repair of motorcycles and related parts and accessories
This class includes:
- wholesale and retail sale of motorcycles, including mopeds
- wholesale and retail sale of parts and accessories for motorcycles (including by commission agents and mail order houses)
- maintenance and repair of motorcycles
This class excludes:
- wholesale of bicycles and related parts and accessories, see 46.49
- retail sale of bicycles and related parts and accessories, see 47.64
- renting of motorcycles, see 77.39
- repair and maintenance of bicycles, see 95.29
For all queries related to this Chapter or any other aspect of SIC Codes, please contact the Office of National Statistics on 01329 444970 or email classifications.helpdesk@ons.gov.uk.