SBA defines a small business as one that is independently owned
and operated and not dominant in its field.
A small business must also meet the employment or sales
standards developed by the SmallBusiness Administration and based
on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).
In general, the following criteria are used by SBA to determine
if a concern qualifies as a small business and is eligible for
SBA loan assistance:
- WHOLESALE
- not more than 100 employees;
- RETAIL
or SERVICE - Average (3 year) annual sales or receipts of
not more than $6.0 million to $29.0 million, depending
on business type;
- MANUFACTURING
- Generally not more than 500 employees, but in some
cases
up to 1,500 employees;
- CONSTRUCTION
- Average (3 year)
annual sales or receipts of not more than $12.0 millionto
$28.5 million,
depending on the specific business type.
Learn More Specific About Size Standards and Eligibility