Glossary · The loan itself
Underwriting fee
In short
This is a fee charged by some lenders for processing and evaluating your loan application. It covers their internal costs for due diligence and preparing the loan for approval.
What it means in a deal
While the SBA sets limits on certain fees, an underwriting or packaging fee might be part of your lender's closing costs. Ensure you understand all lender-specific fees upfront and that they are reasonable and fully disclosed in the commitment letter. These fees contribute to your total project costs.
Official sources
SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs
U.S. Small Business Administration · SBA Standard Operating Procedure
Last checked 2026-06-15. Official sources control — verify before relying on any rule for a live deal.
Related terms
Common questions about Underwriting fee
- Can the lender charge application fees or underwriting fees in addition to the SBA guaranty fee?
- Are there any other lender-specific fees beyond the SBA guaranty fee and ongoing servicing fee?
- Are there annual servicing fees or other recurring charges beyond the SBA servicing fee?
- Can the lender charge an additional "packaging fee" on top of the SBA fees?
- Beyond the upfront guaranty fee, what other ongoing fees or charges are associated with an SBA 7(a) loan?
- Are there any annual fees I must pay on an SBA 7(a) loan after the upfront guaranty fee?
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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