{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/standby-note","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/standby-note","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":"standby-note","term":"Standby Note","group":"The loan itself","definition":"A type of seller financing where the seller agrees to defer repayment of their loan until the SBA loan is fully satisfied or certain conditions are met. It's essentially 'subordinated' to the SBA loan.","what_it_means":"This is common when the seller provides financing to bridge a gap in your equity injection or project costs. The SBA requires specific language in the standby agreement to ensure the seller's note doesn't interfere with your ability to repay the SBA loan. Expect strict terms, including no payments for at least two years.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/standby-note","official_sources":[{"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"},{"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"}],"related":[{"slug":"seller-note","term":"Seller note","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/seller-note"},{"slug":"standby","term":"Standby","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/standby"},{"slug":"full-standby-agreement","term":"Full Standby Agreement","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/full-standby-agreement"},{"slug":"subordinated-debt","term":"Subordinated Debt","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/subordinated-debt"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"Can a full standby seller note accrue interest during the standby period?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/can-a-full-standby-seller-note-accrue-interest-during-the-standby-period"},{"question":"Can a partial standby seller note include a provision for interest payments during the standby period?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/can-a-partial-standby-seller-note-include-a-provision-for-interest-payments-during-the-sta"},{"question":"Can a seller note on full standby accrue interest during the standby period, even if not paid?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/can-a-seller-note-on-full-standby-accrue-interest-during-the-standby-period-even-if-not-pa"},{"question":"What is the required duration of a full standby seller note?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-is-the-required-duration-of-a-full-standby-seller-note"},{"question":"Is a seller's personal guaranty required for providing a standby note?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/is-a-seller-s-personal-guaranty-required-for-providing-a-standby-note"},{"question":"Can a standby seller note accrue or pay interest during the loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/can-a-standby-seller-note-accrue-or-pay-interest-during-the-loan"}]},"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 — Standby Note","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/standby-note","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}