Glossary · The loan itself
Industry-Specific Size Standards
In short
These are maximum revenue or employee thresholds set by the SBA for a business to qualify as "small" within its industry. Your target business must meet these to be eligible for an SBA loan.
What it means in a deal
Before you get too deep into a deal, verify the target business's NAICS code and confirm it meets the SBA's size standards based on its average annual revenue or number of employees over prior years. Affiliation rules can complicate this for related businesses.
Official sources
13 CFR Part 120 — Business Loans
Office of the Federal Register · Federal regulation
7(a) Loan Program — Terms, Conditions, and Eligibility
U.S. Small Business Administration · Official SBA source
Last checked 2026-06-15. Official sources control — verify before relying on any rule for a live deal.
Related terms
Common questions about Industry-Specific Size Standards
- What specific factors trigger affiliation for common management for 7(a) size standards?
- What specific criteria does the SBA use to determine affiliation for business size standards?
- What specific factors trigger affiliation for size standards based on common management, officers, or directors?
- Does my business have to meet specific size standards to get a 7(a) loan?
- What specific criteria determine if two businesses are affiliated due to 'identity of interest' for size standards?
- What specific documentation is required from a lender to demonstrate 'prudent lending standards' in evaluating a borrower's industry experience for a 7(a) loan?
Defined by CapBench SBA Intelligence — plain-English definitions for business buyers, lenders, advisors, and AI agents, grounded in public SBA rules and records. Last reviewed 2026-06-15 · Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an approval decision. Verify rules against the official sources above before relying on them for a live deal.
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