{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/partnership-agreement","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/partnership-agreement","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":"partnership-agreement","term":"Partnership Agreement","group":"People and paperwork","definition":"This is a legal contract outlining the rights, responsibilities, and profit/loss sharing among partners in a partnership business. It's crucial for managing co-ownership.","what_it_means":"If you're buying a partnership or buying a business with a partner, the lender will review this agreement to understand the ownership structure and decision-making authority. Ensure it clearly defines roles and responsibilities to avoid future disputes and meet SBA requirements for key principals.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/partnership-agreement","official_sources":[],"related":[{"slug":"partnership","term":"Partnership","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/partnership"},{"slug":"formation-document","term":"Formation Document","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/formation-document"},{"slug":"key-principal","term":"Key principal","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/key-principal"},{"slug":"co-borrower","term":"Co-borrower","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/co-borrower"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"How does life insurance effectively fund a business buy-sell agreement?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/how-does-life-insurance-effectively-fund-a-business-buy-sell-agreement"},{"question":"How does the purchase agreement structure affect an SBA partner buyout?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/how-does-the-purchase-agreement-structure-affect-an-sba-partner-buyout"},{"question":"How does an operating agreement impact an SBA partner buyout loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/how-does-an-operating-agreement-impact-an-sba-partner-buyout-loan"},{"question":"What happens if the seller terminates the purchase agreement mid-process?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-happens-if-the-seller-terminates-the-purchase-agreement-mid-process"},{"question":"What are the specific conditions for an acceptable full standby agreement?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-are-the-specific-conditions-for-an-acceptable-full-standby-agreement"},{"question":"What if a franchise agreement contains provisions for indemnification that concern the SBA?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-if-a-franchise-agreement-contains-provisions-for-indemnification-that-concern-the-sba"}]},"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 — Partnership Agreement","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/partnership-agreement","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}