Glossary · The loan itself
In short
This is the initial period over which your loan is scheduled to be repaid. It determines the length of your payment schedule and impacts your monthly debt service.
For a 7(a) business acquisition loan, the original term can be up to 10 years for working capital and business acquisition only, or up to 25 years if real estate is included. A longer term generally means lower monthly payments, which improves your cash flow after debt service. Your loan authorization will clearly state this.
13 CFR Part 120 — Business Loans
Office of the Federal Register · Federal regulation
SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs
U.S. Small Business Administration · SBA Standard Operating Procedure
Last checked 2026-06-15. Official sources control — verify before relying on any rule for a live deal.
Defined by DealRoom.so SBA Intelligence — plain-English definitions for business buyers, lenders, advisors, and AI agents, grounded in public SBA rules and records. Last reviewed 2026-06-15 · Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an approval decision. Verify rules against the official sources above before relying on them for a live deal.
See which SBA lenders would fund your deal
Tell us the business, the price, and where you are — we'll point you to the lenders most likely to approve a 7(a) like yours and flag what trips up approval.
Free · No documents · Usually same-day