{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/if-the-business-i-am-acquiring-has-multiple-locations-how-does-that-affect-sba-size-standa","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/questions/if-the-business-i-am-acquiring-has-multiple-locations-how-does-that-affect-sba-size-standa","question":"If the business I am acquiring has multiple locations, how does that affect SBA size standard eligibility?","topic":"Eligibility & size","audience":"borrower","bot_mode":"buyer","short_answer":"If the business you are acquiring has multiple locations, all those locations' revenue and employees are aggregated when determining SBA size standard eligibility.","rule":"SBA size standards apply to the entire business entity, including all its branches and subsidiaries. For a business acquisition, the combined revenues or employee counts of all existing locations and any new ones will be used to determine if the consolidated entity meets the SBA's small business size standard for its primary industry.","example":"If you acquire a restaurant chain with three locations, each generating $1.5 million in annual revenue and employing 20 people, the SBA would aggregate these to $4.5 million in revenue and 60 employees to check against the size standard for restaurants, not each individual location.","what_lenders_check":"Lenders must accurately assess the total size of the applicant business, including all affiliates and locations, to ensure compliance with SBA size standards. They request consolidated financial statements and employee counts for all entities under common ownership or control.","required_facts":[],"source_families":["13 CFR Part 121 - Small Business Size Regulations","SBA Table of Size Standards","Affiliation and Lending Criteria for SBA Business Loan Programs - Final Rule"],"official_sources":[{"title":"13 CFR Part 121 - Small Business Size Regulations","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/chapter-I/part-121"},{"title":"SBA Table of Size Standards","url":"https://www.sba.gov/document/support-table-size-standards"},{"title":"Affiliation and Lending Criteria for SBA Business Loan Programs - Final Rule","url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/10/2023-07173/affiliation-and-lending-criteria-for-the-sba-business-loan-programs"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"Can I use an SBA 7(a) loan to acquire a business that previously used an SBA loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/can-i-use-an-sba-7-a-loan-to-acquire-a-business-that-previously-used-an-sba-loan"},{"question":"How does the SBA define \"affiliation\" when considering my eligibility for a 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/how-does-the-sba-define-affiliation-when-considering-my-eligibility-for-a-7-a-loan"},{"question":"Can an SBA 7(a) loan be used to purchase a business that is a startup or has limited operating history?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/can-an-sba-7-a-loan-be-used-to-purchase-a-business-that-is-a-startup-or-has-limited-operat"},{"question":"Are there specific types of businesses that are ineligible for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/are-there-specific-types-of-businesses-that-are-ineligible-for-an-sba-7-a-loan"},{"question":"What types of businesses are generally eligible to apply for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-types-of-businesses-are-generally-eligible-to-apply-for-an-sba-7-a-loan"},{"question":"Do businesses that primarily generate passive income qualify for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/do-businesses-that-primarily-generate-passive-income-qualify-for-an-sba-7-a-loan"}],"related_terms":[{"term":"SBA size standard","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/sba-size-standard"},{"term":"Business size standard","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/business-size-standard"},{"term":"Size standard","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/size-standard"},{"term":"Small business size standard","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/small-business-size-standard"},{"term":"Size standard compliance","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/size-standard-compliance"},{"term":"Alternative size standard","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/alternative-size-standard"}],"related_tools":[{"name":"SBA 7(a) payment & fee calculator","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/calculator"},{"name":"Find an active SBA 7(a) lender","url":"https://dealroom.so/lenders"}],"data_freshness":{"last_reviewed":"2026-06-13","sba_rule_sources_checked_through":"2026-06-13"},"citation":{"label":"DealRoom.so SBA 7(a) Q&A","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/if-the-business-i-am-acquiring-has-multiple-locations-how-does-that-affect-sba-size-standa","source_type":"DealRoom Q&A"},"caveats":["Grounded in the current SBA rulebook; verify against official sources before relying on it for a live deal.","Not legal, tax, or financial advice and not an approval decision."]}