SBA size standards

Definition

The limits, by industry, a business must be under to use SBA money.

Why It Matters

A target above both its industry's size standard and the alternative standard is ineligible for 7(a) money, which quietly rules out some larger deals before you even model them. The standard runs on revenue or employee count and counts affiliates too, so a searcher who controls other businesses checks it early rather than finding the ceiling after an LOI. A proposal published in August 2026 would rewrite the whole table: it raises most ceilings, sets them at a broader industry level, and moves retail and much of construction from a dollar figure onto a headcount. It is a proposal and not law, its comment period was extended to November 20, 2026, and the table in force is still the one to check.

In numbers: Most searcher targets clear the bar easily; the alternative size standard caps at about $20M tangible net worth and $6.5M average net income, well above a typical Main Street deal.