Who Is Eligible for the SBA Loan?
You are eligible for an SBA loan if your business is a for-profit operating company, located in the United States, small under SBA size standards, and not in an excluded industry, and if you as the owner can clear the lender's credit and cash flow bar.
Last updated · Reviewed by Cody Dreis
50+ Lenders|Funding in as little as 24 hours
The Full Answer
The SBA layer first. Size standards vary by industry but are generous; most American small businesses qualify easily. Excluded categories include lending, gambling, and speculation. Owners generally need to have invested their own time or money in the business, and 20%+ owners must personally guarantee the loan.
Then the lender layer, which is where eligibility becomes approval. SBA lenders typically look for a personal credit score around 680 (some flex to 640–650 on strong files), roughly 2+ years in business, and cash flow that covers the proposed payment with margin. Startups can qualify with strong plans, projections, and an equity injection, though established businesses clear faster.
What you get for the effort: the cheapest capital in small business lending, currently about 9.75–11.5% on 7(a) loans, with terms to 10 years for working capital and 25 for real estate, and amounts to $5 million.
How Quordx Helps
Every SBA lender weighs files differently, and applying to the wrong one wastes weeks. Quordx routes your profile to the SBA lenders in its 50+ network most likely to approve it, free to borrowers.
Check your SBA eligibility the efficient way: apply free in about 10 minutes.
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No obligation · Initial inquiry doesn't impact credit · Takes about 10 minutes
Written by
Cody Dreis
Founder, Quordx Capital
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Important Disclosures
Quordx Capital is a business funding broker, not a lender. We facilitate introductions between U.S. small and medium-sized businesses and lenders or capital providers in our network. All credit decisions, funding amounts, rates, fees, repayment terms, and timelines are determined solely by individual lenders based on their own underwriting criteria.
Funding figures and timelines shown on this page are illustrative and represent ranges within our lender network, they are not guarantees and individual outcomes may vary based on business profile, industry, time in business, revenue, credit history, and lender availability. Not all applicants qualify for every product.
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