{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/eligible-borrower","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/eligible-borrower","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":"eligible-borrower","term":"Eligible Borrower","group":"People and paperwork","definition":"The set of criteria an individual or business must meet to qualify for an SBA loan, covering citizenship, character, and business type. If you don't meet these, you won't get the loan.","what_it_means":"To be an eligible borrower, you generally need to be a U.S. citizen or Qualified Alien, have good character, and the business must operate in an eligible industry within the U.S. Lenders will verify your background through Form 1919, credit checks, and criminal history reviews, ensuring you meet all SBA requirements.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/eligible-borrower","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":"qualified-alien","term":"Qualified Alien","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/qualified-alien"},{"slug":"form-1919","term":"Form 1919","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/form-1919"},{"slug":"good-character","term":"Good character","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/good-character"},{"slug":"ineligible-businesses-rule","term":"Ineligible businesses rule","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/ineligible-businesses-rule"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"Can a trust or an estate be an eligible borrower for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/can-a-trust-or-an-estate-be-an-eligible-borrower-for-an-sba-7-a-loan"},{"question":"What are specific requirements for a U.S. citizen residing abroad to be an eligible 7(a) borrower?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-are-specific-requirements-for-a-u-s-citizen-residing-abroad-to-be-an-eligible-7-a-bor"},{"question":"Are franchises eligible for SBA 7(a) loans?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/are-franchises-eligible-for-sba-7-a-loans"},{"question":"Are proceeds from personal investment sales eligible for equity injection?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/are-proceeds-from-personal-investment-sales-eligible-for-equity-injection"},{"question":"Is a loan secured by personal assets eligible for the down payment?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/is-a-loan-secured-by-personal-assets-eligible-for-the-down-payment"},{"question":"How are SBA 7(a) loan interest rates determined for borrowers?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/how-are-sba-7-a-loan-interest-rates-determined-for-borrowers"}]},"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 — Eligible Borrower","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/eligible-borrower","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}