# Can a private club or single-gender gym get an SBA loan?

**Short answer:** Not if it restricts patronage for any reason other than capacity. A men's-only or women's-only health club is not eligible (13 CFR § 120.110(i); SOP 50 10 8.1, Sec. A, Ch. 1, Para. E). A gym that markets to one gender but admits both can qualify.

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Last checked: 2026-11-08

Not if membership is limited for reasons other than capacity. 13 CFR § 120.110(i) bars private clubs and businesses that limit memberships that way. SOP 50 10 8.1, Sec. A, Ch. 1, Para. E extends it to any restriction on patronage other than capacity.

## The gym example

The SOP says a men's-only or women's-only health club is not eligible. A fitness center that markets to one gender can qualify if both men and women may join or use it. The lender must document:

- An affidavit signed by the applicant that the business is open to both men and women.
- Evidence the facility is open to both, such as appropriate bath and locker rooms or documented membership demographics.

## Hiring practices

Businesses with discriminatory hiring practices are also ineligible, except as permitted under § 702(a) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The SOP's example is a restaurant that employs only servers of one gender.

## Franchises

SBA's Franchise Team may refer a brand that appears to cater to one gender for a final agency decision on Directory listing. The Directory can also flag added issues for lenders, such as proof the business will be open to all (Para. G).

## Sources

- [13 CFR § 120.110(i)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/section-120.110)
- [SOP 50 10 8.1, Sec. A, Ch. 1, Para. E, Restricted Patronage (about p. 22)](https://legacy.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2026-10/SOP%2050%2010%208.1%20Technical%20Policy%20Updates%20effective%20%2010.1.2026.docx)
- [SOP 50 10 8.1, Sec. A, Ch. 1, Para. G (about pp. 31-32)](https://legacy.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2026-10/SOP%2050%2010%208.1%20Technical%20Policy%20Updates%20effective%20%2010.1.2026.docx)