What is the largest SBA microloan you can get?
Short answer
$50,000, and no borrower may owe one intermediary more than that at any one time. A microloan above $20,000 requires showing you cannot get credit elsewhere at comparable rates and have good prospects for success (13 CFR § 120.707(b)).
The legal ceiling is $50,000, and the rule sets lower steps below it (13 CFR § 120.707(b)).
The three steps
- Up to $10,000. Generally, an intermediary should not lend more than this to one borrower.
- Above $20,000. An intermediary may not lend above $20,000 unless you show two things. You cannot obtain credit elsewhere at comparable interest rates, and you have good prospects for success.
- $50,000. The absolute cap. No borrower may owe an intermediary more than this at any one time.
The rule sets no separate test for loans between $10,000 and $20,000, beyond the general guideline.
What is typical
SBA says the average microloan is about $13,000. SBA gives no date for that figure (sba.gov/loans/microloans, read November 8, 2026). Actual amounts vary by intermediary, since each one sets its own terms.
What is not settled
The cap applies to what you owe one intermediary. 13 CFR § 120.707 does not say whether you can borrow from two intermediaries at once. Ask before you apply to a second one.
If you need more
For a larger need, look at a 7(a) Small loan, SBA Express (up to $500,000) or a 504 loan for fixed assets. Those come from SBA lenders and Certified Development Companies (CDCs), not microloan intermediaries.
Ask lending partners about your loan
Tell us the amount you need and what it is for. We refer you to lenders that may fund businesses like yours, and it costs you nothing.
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