The majority of nitric acid produced is used in the manufacture of ammonium nitrate a nitrogenous fertilisers.

Several explosives are made using nitric acid, including TNT (trinitrotoluene), nitroglycerine (the explosive component of dynamite) and components of "semtex".

The manufacture of nylon requires hexanedioic (adipic) acid, produced using nitric acid.

Many processes with metals (such as electro plating) require the surface to be "pickled" using nitric acid. It is also used in gold and silver separation.