SBA 7(a) Loan Program
Open continuously
No deadline — apply whenever you are ready.
SBA: 'The maximum loan amount for a 7(a) loan is $5 million.' SBA guarantees a portion of the loan (85% for loans up to $150,000 and 75% above that); SBA's maximum exposure is $3.75 million. The loan itself is made by a participating lender, not by SBA.
U.S. Small Business Administration
ppp · national
Deadline: rolling — No deadline; applications are made to participating lenders year-round.
This funder does not publish a success rate. We rank it using the rate observed across similar programmes and label it as an estimate rather than implying we know.
Major bid — written case, budget, possibly partners.
Who can apply
- Stage: seed, growth
- Locally registered entity required
SBA criteria: operate as a for-profit business, be located in the US, meet SBA size standards, not be an ineligible business type, demonstrate inability to obtain comparable credit elsewhere, and show creditworthiness and repayment ability. No SAM.gov registration or UEI is needed for SBA guaranteed loans - SAM/UEI is the gate for federal grants and contracts, not for 7(a) lending. Size standards vary by NAICS code.
How to apply
- Check eligibility against SBA size standards and the ineligible-business list. — link
- Find a participating lender using SBA's Lender Match tool or approach a local bank/CDFI directly. — link
- Submit the lender's application package; the lender makes the credit decision and requests the SBA guarantee.
What you will need
- Business plan and financial projections
- Business and personal tax returns and financial statements
- Personal guarantee from owners of 20% or more
Source. https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/7a-loans — checked 2026-08-14
"The maximum loan amount for a 7(a) loan is $5 million."