Guides / CPV codes list and how to use them
CPV codes list and how to use them
The Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV) is the EU's classification for public contracts. Every notice on TED, Find a Tender and most European national portals carries CPV codes, in every language. Searching by the right codes is the most reliable way to find tenders for your business.
Reviewed 8 Oct 2026 by the Bidstage team.
How a CPV code is built
A CPV code has eight digits and a check digit, for example 72000000-5. The digits narrow down from left to right:
| Digits | Level | Example |
|---|---|---|
| First 2 | Division | 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support |
| First 3 | Group | 722 - Software programming and consultancy services |
| First 4 | Class | 7226 - Software-related services |
| First 5 | Category | 72262 - Software development services |
| Digits 6 to 8 | Further detail | 72262000 - Software development services |
Divisions 03 to 44 and 48 are supplies, 45 is construction work, and 50 to 98 are services. A supplementary vocabulary adds attributes such as material or use, but it is rarely needed for searching.
How to find your CPV codes
- Start from the division that describes your work (the table below), then open the groups inside it.
- Look at notices for contracts you could have won and note the main and additional CPV codes buyers used.
- Search with codes at the group or class level (3 or 4 digits). Exact 8-digit codes miss notices that buyers classified slightly differently.
- Add the codes to your saved searches on TED and the national portals, and to your Bidstage profile.
CPV, NAICS and UNSPSC
CPV is used in the EU, EEA, UK and Switzerland. US federal notices use NAICS codes and product or service codes, and CanadaBuys uses UNSPSC. Bidstage normalises all of these, so a single profile matches tenders across every source.
CPV divisions with open tenders now
45 CPV divisions with at least five open tenders, counted from official notices. Each links to the open tenders in that division.
Questions
Where is the official CPV list?
The CPV is set by Regulation (EC) No 2195/2002, amended by Regulation (EC) No 213/2008. The full list in all EU languages is published by the Publications Office of the EU through TED and the EU Vocabularies site.
What is the check digit after the dash?
The ninth digit verifies the first eight. You can usually search without it.
Does the UK still use CPV codes after Brexit?
Yes. Find a Tender and Contracts Finder notices still carry CPV codes under the Procurement Act 2023.