{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/eligibility-criteria","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/eligibility-criteria","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-criteria","term":"Eligibility Criteria","group":"The loan itself","definition":"These are the rules a borrower and business must meet to qualify for an SBA 7(a) loan. If you or the business don't meet them, you won't get the loan.","what_it_means":"Lenders check your personal credit, character, and financial history, plus the business's industry, size, and use of funds. Make sure you understand these upfront to avoid wasting time on deals you can't finance.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/eligibility-criteria","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":"loan-term","term":"Loan Term","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/loan-term"},{"slug":"collateral-requirements","term":"Collateral Requirements","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/collateral-requirements"},{"slug":"participating-lender","term":"Participating Lender","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/participating-lender"},{"slug":"credit-decision","term":"Credit Decision","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-decision"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"What specific criteria does the SBA use to determine affiliation for business size standards?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-specific-criteria-does-the-sba-use-to-determine-affiliation-for-business-size-standar"},{"question":"Are there specific criteria for my business plan and financial projections for an acquisition loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/are-there-specific-criteria-for-my-business-plan-and-financial-projections-for-an-acquisit"},{"question":"What criteria justify a lender waiving a lien on readily marketable personal assets from a guarantor?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-criteria-justify-a-lender-waiving-a-lien-on-readily-marketable-personal-assets-from-a"},{"question":"What specific criteria determine if two businesses are affiliated due to 'identity of interest' for size standards?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-specific-criteria-determine-if-two-businesses-are-affiliated-due-to-identity-of-inter"},{"question":"What are the financial criteria for a business to qualify as 'small' under the alternative size standard?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-are-the-financial-criteria-for-a-business-to-qualify-as-small-under-the-alternative-s"},{"question":"What criteria does the SBA use to determine common management that triggers affiliation for size standard purposes?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-criteria-does-the-sba-use-to-determine-common-management-that-triggers-affiliation-fo"}]},"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 Criteria","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/eligibility-criteria","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}