SIC code 45111 classifies businesses engaged in sale of new cars and light motor vehicles. There are 4,453 active companies registered under this code in the UK, forming a substantial sector within the national economy. It falls under Section G (Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles) of the UK SIC 2007 classification system, which is used by Companies House to categorise all registered businesses.
See the full industry analysis on the Sale of new cars and light motor vehicles industry page.
With a 86% survival rate, this sector shows strong business longevity. Only 24 of 5,156 companies registered under this code have dissolved, well below the UK average. The average company age is 18.6 years, indicating an established sector with a mix of long-running businesses and newer entrants. Growth has been exceptional recently: 41% of all active companies were formed since 2020, marking this as one of the fastest-expanding classifications. The 2010s contributed another 17%, meaning the vast majority of businesses are relatively new. Companies are geographically dispersed across the UK, with no single location dominating. The top three locations — LONDON, NOTTINGHAM, MANCHESTER — together account for just 18% of the sector.
SIC code 45111 stands for "Sale of new cars and light motor vehicles" under the UK Standard Industrial Classification (SIC 2007) system. It belongs to Section G — Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles. Companies use this code when registering with Companies House to indicate their primary business activity. The code is required for annual confirmation statements and is used by HMRC, ONS, and other government bodies for statistical and regulatory purposes.
There are currently 4,453 active companies registered under SIC code 45111 in the UK, out of 5,156 total registrations. This gives a survival rate of 86%, meaning 14% of companies registered under this code have since dissolved. These figures are based on Companies House data and updated regularly.
The top locations for sale of new cars and light motor vehicles companies (SIC 45111) are: LONDON (624), NOTTINGHAM (80), MANCHESTER (77), LEICESTER (73), BIRMINGHAM (66). Geographic concentration can reflect local economic conditions, industry clusters, or proximity to key markets and supply chains.
The sector is growing: 41% of currently active SIC 45111 companies were formed since 2020, and 17% during the 2010s. This sustained formation rate indicates ongoing demand for sale of new cars and light motor vehicles services in the UK.
Companies classified under SIC 45111 have an average age of 18.6 years. This indicates a mature sector where businesses tend to operate long-term. Notable companies include YEOMANS LIMITED, PEUGEOT MOTOR COMPANY PLC, CITROEN U.K. LIMITED.
Related SIC codes within the same division include: 45200 (Maintenance and repair of motor vehicles), 45112 (Sale of used cars and light motor vehicles), 45320 (Retail trade of motor vehicle parts and accessories), 45310 (Wholesale trade of motor vehicle parts and accessories). Companies may use multiple SIC codes if they operate across several of these related activities. When registering with Companies House, businesses should select the code that best represents their primary activity.
You can search for companies with SIC code 45111 (Sale of new cars and light motor vehicles) using UVAGATRON's company explorer, which allows filtering by SIC code, location, and company status. Alternatively, Companies House offers a basic search on their website. Our platform adds risk intelligence, director networks, and signals from 50+ government databases to each company record.
Search, filter, and analyse 4,453 companies classified under this SIC code with AI-powered risk intelligence.
Data sourced from Companies House, HM Land Registry, FCA Register, and 50+ government databases. SIC classification follows the UK Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities 2007 (SIC 2007). Last updated: 2026-04-17.