{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/eligibility","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/eligibility","data_freshness":{"sba_records_through":"2026-05-31","fdic_records_through":"2026-03-31","dealroom_last_updated":"2026-06-15","timezone":"America/Chicago"},"source_summary":["Public SBA 7(a) loan records","FDIC institution data","DealRoom lender and franchise enrichment"],"term":{"slug":"eligibility","term":"Eligibility","group":"Reading the business","definition":"What makes a business or borrower able to get an SBA loan. This is crucial for you to know early if the deal can even happen, as it dictates whether financing is possible.","what_it_means":"The SBA has specific rules for both the business (type, size, location) and the buyer (character, credit, equity injection). Don't waste time on a deal that's dead on arrival due to an ineligible business or borrower. Confirm these requirements with your lender early in the process.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/eligibility","official_sources":[{"slug":"13-cfr-part-120","title":"13 CFR Part 120 — Business Loans","official_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/chapter-I/part-120","official_label":"View on eCFR","authority_tier":1,"publisher":"Office of the Federal Register","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/13-cfr-part-120"},{"slug":"sop-50-10","title":"SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs","official_url":"https://www.sba.gov/document/sop-50-10-lender-development-company-loan-programs","official_label":"View on SBA.gov","authority_tier":2,"publisher":"U.S. Small Business Administration","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/sop-50-10"}],"related":[{"slug":"credit-standards","term":"Credit standards","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-standards"},{"slug":"federal-debt-limits","term":"Federal debt limits","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/federal-debt-limits"},{"slug":"ineligible-businesses-rule","term":"Ineligible businesses rule","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/ineligible-businesses-rule"},{"slug":"size-standard","term":"Size standard","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/size-standard"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"How does the SBA define a 'speculative' business for eligibility?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/how-does-the-sba-define-a-speculative-business-for-eligibility"},{"question":"How does the SBA define 'small business' for loan eligibility?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/how-does-the-sba-define-small-business-for-loan-eligibility"},{"question":"How does the SBA define a \"small business\" for eligibility purposes?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/how-does-the-sba-define-a-small-business-for-eligibility-purposes"},{"question":"How does the SBA define a 'small business' for loan eligibility?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/how-does-the-sba-define-a-small-business-for-loan-eligibility"},{"question":"How are SBA small business size standards determined for loan eligibility?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/how-are-sba-small-business-size-standards-determined-for-loan-eligibility"},{"question":"What is the primary purpose of SBA Form 1919 for eligibility?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-is-the-primary-purpose-of-sba-form-1919-for-eligibility"}]},"caveats":["Definitions represent DealRoom's plain-English interpretation for buyers; verify regulatory terms against the official SBA and eCFR sources listed.","Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an SBA eligibility determination."],"citation":{"label":"DealRoom.so Glossary — Eligibility","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/eligibility","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}