Show divisions are set by the National Cage Bird Show organization (NCBS). Here is the list of divisions with a brief description. The NCBS official catalog contains more detailed classifications. Society names below in blue are links to their webpage. Societies for many of the canary breeds don't have websites, but some of the standards are on this webpage: Pictures and Standards of Type Canaries
| Div. | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Border Fancy Canaries | Judged to North American Border Club standard. |
| 2 | Gloster Canaries | Judged to International Gloster Breeders Association standard. |
| 3 | Type Canaries | Includes Yorkshire, Norwich Plainhead, Columbus Fancy, Stafford, and other Type canaries not listed in other divisions. |
| 4 | Old Variety Canaries | Includes Parisian Frill, Northern Dutch Frill, Gibber Italicus, Southern Dutch Frill, Florino, any other frilled breed, Lizard, Old Crested and Crest Bred, Belgian Fancy, Scot Fancy, and Lancashire. Judged to Old Varieties Canary Association standards. |
| 5 | Domestic Hartz Canaries | Judged to Hartz Club of America standard. |
| 6 | Fife Fancy Canaries | Judged to Fife Fancy Club of America standard. |
| 7 | American Singer Canaries | Judged to American Singers Club standard. |
| 8 | Colorbred Lipochrome Canaries | All clear birds, no melanin. Includes red, yellow, and white ground, ivories, and clear mosaic (dimorphic). Judged to National Colorbred Association standard. |
| 9 | Colorbred Melanin Classic Canaries | Includes bronze, brown, agate, isabel, yellow and white ground melanin, and classic melanin mosaics. Judged to National Colorbred Association standard. |
| 10 | Colorbred Melanin New Color Canaries | Includes opals, inos, satinets, pastels, mosaics (dimorphics), with other new melanin mutations, variegated birds and Siskin crosses. Judged to National Colorbred Association standard. |
| 11 | Finches and Softbills | Judged to National Finch and Softbill Society standards. |
| 12 | Parrots | Includes all hookbills not listed in other divisions, including Parrotlets and Budgerigars. Judged to North American Parrot Society and International Parrotlet Society standards. |
| 13 | Love Birds, Rares and Eye-Rings | Includes Fisher's, Masked, and rare species. Judged to African Love Bird Society standards. |
| 14 | Love Birds, Peach Faced | Judged to African Love Bird Society standards. |
| 15 | Cockatiels | Judged to National Cockatiel Society standard. |
| 16 | Waterslager Canaries | Judged to American Waterslager Society standard. |
| 17 | Spanish Timbrado Canaries | Judged to Spanish Timbrado Society of America standard. |
| 18 | Youth Division | Respective division judges will judge entries by exhibitors in grades 6-12. First prize is $1,000 scholarship! |
| German Roller Canaries | Demonstration Only, not an official division yet. Sponsored by the Oakland International Roller Canary Club |