Official definition
This Canadian industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in acquiring distribution rights and distributing film and video productions to motion picture theatres, television networks and stations, and other exhibitors.
Canadian industry
512120 Motion picture and video distribution
Distribution de films et de vidéos
Official classification fields for this page
Official classification fields taken from the current StatCan source bundle.
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| Official title | Motion picture and video distribution |
| Classification | NAICS Canada 2022 Version 1.0 |
| Publishing authority | Statistics Canada |
| Hierarchical level | Canadian industry |
| Parent code | 51212 - Motion picture and video distribution |
| International correspondence | J5913* |
| Source | https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/subjects/standard/naics/2022/v1/index |
| Source verification | 2026-05-05 |
Canada-wide tax and filing context
Canada-wide business, tax, and filing context from the local country pack and tax pack.
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| Tax authority | Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) |
| Business identifier | Business Number (BN): 9-digit identifier with program account suffixes such as RT0001 for GST/HST, RP0001 for payroll, and RC0001 for corporate income tax. |
| Filing requirements | Business Number registration; Form T2125 (Statement of Business or Professional Activities) attached to T1; Form T2 (Corporation Income Tax Return); Form T5013; Form GST34 |
| Sector authority | Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and Quebec Law 25 authorities |
Exclusions
- both producing and distributing motion pictures and videos (See 512110 Motion picture and video production (US))
- mass duplication of audio and video recordings (See 334610 Manufacturing and reproducing magnetic and optical media (MEX))
- operating film and video archives whose primary purpose is preservation (See 519212 Archives (CAN))
- providing motion picture and video stock footage (via libraries) to producers, the media, multimedia and advertising industries (See 512190 Post-production and other motion picture and video industries (MEX))
- renting video recordings to the general public (See 532280 All other consumer goods rental (CAN))
- retailing video recordings (See 449214 Audio and video recording retailers (CAN))
- wholesaling video recordings (See 414450 Video recording merchant wholesalers (CAN))
Examples
- film distribution agencies
- television show syndicators
- acquiring and reselling distribution rights to movies and videos
- film distribution agencies
- film libraries, that own rights to films and distribute them
- motion picture distribution, without any production
- motion picture film libraries, commercial distribution
- television show syndicators
Who is this code for
This code typically applies to:
Also relevant for
film distribution agenciestelevision show syndicatorsacquiring and reselling distribution rights to movies and videosfilm libraries, that own rights to films and distribute themmotion picture distribution, without any production
Source: STATCAN_TITLE, 2026-05-05
Classification Confidence Score
5 of 6 factors passing
8/ 10
Verified official source — naics-scian-2022-structure-v1-eng.csv (2026-05-05)
International crosswalk — ISIC Rev. 4 mapping: J5913*
Previous edition migration — NAICS 2017 to 2022 continuity confirmed
Complete hierarchy — 5 levels confirmed in hierarchy
Size or threshold documented — SME thresholds documented in federal tax pack
Trade or export match — No direct HS code correspondence in current bundle
Legacy crosswalk — Legacy system (SIC 1980) retired in this region
Business Profiles
When you might need code 512120
These role examples come from the official title and example wording attached to this code.
01
512120
Motion picture and video distribution
Use this page when the business is directly described by the official title or definition for 512120 Motion picture and video distribution. It is the closest source-backed checkpoint before BN registration, GST/HST review, banking onboarding, or internal classification work.
02
512120
film distribution agencies
Use this page when the activity is described in the official StatCan example wording as film distribution agencies. Compare the definition, exclusions, and nearby codes here before attaching 512120 Motion picture and video distribution to a business file.
03
512120
television show syndicators
Use this page when the activity is described in the official StatCan example wording as television show syndicators. Compare the definition, exclusions, and nearby codes here before attaching 512120 Motion picture and video distribution to a business file.
04
512120
acquiring and reselling distribution rights to movies and videos
Use this page when the activity is described in the official StatCan example wording as acquiring and reselling distribution rights to movies and videos. Compare the definition, exclusions, and nearby codes here before attaching 512120 Motion picture and video distribution to a business file.
Business categories in this branch
A rotating set of business activity examples linked to this part of the Canadian hierarchy.
In this section
- 512120Motion picture and video distribution
Commonly confused with
512110 — Motion picture and video production
both producing and distributing motion pictures and videos (See 512110 Motion picture and video pro...
334610 — Manufacturing and reproducing magnetic and optical media
mass duplication of audio and video recordings (See 334610 Manufacturing and reproducing magnetic a...
519212 — Archives
operating film and video archives whose primary purpose is preservation (See 519212 Archives (CAN))
512190 — Post-production and other motion picture and video industries
providing motion picture and video stock footage (via libraries) to producers, the media, multimedi...
532280 — All other consumer goods rental
renting video recordings to the general public (See 532280 All other consumer goods rental (CAN))
ISIC Rev. 4 correspondence
J5913*Motion picture, video and television programme distribution activities
Approximate correspondence
Motion picture and video distribution
US NAICS reference512120 - Motion Picture and Video Distribution
Source row
512120Motion picture and video distribution
This page mirrors the source row from the structure CSV and the matching rows from the elements and crosswalk files.
Frequently asked questions
What does code 512120 cover?
Motion picture and video distribution: This Canadian industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in acquiring distribution rights and distributing film and video productions to motion picture theatres, television networks and stations, and other exhibitors.
Which level of the hierarchy is 512120?
It is a canadian industry page in the NAICS Canada 2026 hierarchy.
What is the parent of 512120?
It rolls up to 51212 Motion picture and video distribution.
Should I stop at 512120 or go lower?
This page already points to the exact six-digit Canadian industry in the current site structure.
Are official inclusion notes attached to 512120?
No inclusion rows are attached to this page in the local elements file.
Are there exclusion notes for 512120?
Yes. 7 exclusion note(s) help separate this page from nearby codes.
Does 512120 include illustrative examples?
Yes. 8 example row(s) are available for boundary checking.
What kinds of businesses often start from this page?
Examples in this branch include Streaming media, Data processing, Platform services, Telecom operations, Publishing services, Information delivery.
Is there an ISIC mapping for 512120?
Yes. The page shows J5913* Motion picture, video and television programme distribution activities.
Does this page show a US NAICS reference?
Yes. A same-code US reference is attached: Motion Picture and Video Distribution.
Why are both English and French titles shown?
NAICS Canada is bilingual, so the page keeps both language titles visible for comparison and lookup.
Where does the page text come from?
From the local StatCan structure file, elements file, ISIC crosswalk, and the bundled US 6-digit reference workbook.