{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/industry-specific-size-standards","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/industry-specific-size-standards","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":"industry-specific-size-standards","term":"Industry-Specific Size Standards","group":"The loan itself","definition":"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":"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.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/industry-specific-size-standards","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":"terms-conditions-eligibility","title":"7(a) Loan Program — Terms, Conditions, and Eligibility","official_url":"https://www.sba.gov/partners/lenders/7a-loan-program/terms-conditions-eligibility","official_label":"View on SBA.gov","authority_tier":5,"publisher":"U.S. Small Business Administration","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/terms-conditions-eligibility"}],"related":[{"slug":"size-standard","term":"Size standard","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/size-standard"},{"slug":"naics-code","term":"NAICS code","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/naics-code"},{"slug":"affiliation","term":"Affiliation","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/affiliation"},{"slug":"small-business","term":"Small business","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/small-business"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"What specific factors trigger affiliation for common management for 7(a) size standards?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-specific-factors-trigger-affiliation-for-common-management-for-7-a-size-standards"},{"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":"What specific factors trigger affiliation for size standards based on common management, officers, or directors?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-specific-factors-trigger-affiliation-for-size-standards-based-on-common-management-of"},{"question":"Does my business have to meet specific size standards to get a 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/does-my-business-have-to-meet-specific-size-standards-to-get-a-7-a-loan"},{"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 specific documentation is required from a lender to demonstrate 'prudent lending standards' in evaluating a borrower's industry experience for a 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-specific-documentation-is-required-from-a-lender-to-demonstrate-prudent-lending-stand"}]},"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 — Industry-Specific Size Standards","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/industry-specific-size-standards","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}