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Janover Capital editorial team · Data as of October 1, 2026 · Checked November 9, 2026
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The latest entry is dated October 1, 2026: SBA updates Form 1506, the 504 servicing agent agreement. This log lists 63 SBA notices and rules since February 2024, each with its effective date and who it affects.
changes logged
63
latest entry
Oct 1, 2026
log starts
Feb 15, 2024
Each entry summarizes one SBA notice, rule or SOP update in plain English. It says what changed, who it affects, when it took effect and which pages on this site it touches. Each entry links to SBA's own document.
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SBA released a revised Form 1506 to conform with Executive Order 14247 on electronic payments. The Third Party Lender fee must now be withheld from the CDC's processing fee. Monthly payments run by ACH debit, or by wire if ACH is unavailable, and checks are not accepted. CDCs had a 30-day grace period to start using the new form.
Who it affects. CDCs, Third Party Lenders, and you if you are closing a 504 loan and signing the Servicing Agent Agreement.
SBA rescinded parts of 13 CFR Part 112, its Title VI civil rights rules. The removed text authorized affirmative action based on race, color or national origin. It also covered employment practices where providing jobs was not a primary aim of the assistance. SBA says the rules now prohibit only intentional discrimination and that it will not pursue disparate-impact liability against recipients of SBA financial assistance.
Who it affects. Organizations that receive SBA financial assistance under 13 CFR Part 112. The rule concerns civil rights compliance, not loan terms.
SBA issues technical updates to SOP 50 10 8.1 before it takes effect
SBA replaced the August 2026 version of SOP 50 10 8.1 with an updated version. It applies to applications SBA receives on or after October 1, 2026. When trusts own 20% or more of an applicant, each trust must give an unlimited full guaranty. The trustor must also guarantee personally. Lenders may do internal valuations on 7(a) Small and SBA Express changes of ownership when the purchase price is $350,000 or less. Appendix 15's debt service coverage minimums still apply to those loans. Working-capital true-ups are not seller rebates. A special purpose property bought with its business may use one loan with a term up to 25 years. That applies when the property's value depends on the business. An existing Quality of Earnings report can be reused with a reliance letter or a different firm's review. A 504 Third Party Lender loan may now amortize longer than the debenture. The annual field examination applies to Working Capital CAPLines of $1,000,000 or more.
Who it affects. 7(a) lenders, CDCs and Third Party Lenders. You if you are buying a business, hold shares through a trust, or use a Working Capital CAPLine.
SBA set the upfront fee at 0% for fiscal 2027 7(a) loans of $700,000 or less to three groups. They are manufacturers (NAICS 31-33), listed food supply chain businesses and businesses in rural areas. Fiscal 2027 covers loans approved October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. Last year's waiver covered manufacturers only, on loans of $950,000 or less. Other upfront fees on the guaranteed portion are 2% at $150,000 or less and 3% from $150,001 to $700,000. Larger loans pay 3.5% up to $1,000,000 plus 3.75% above that, and loans of 12 months or less pay 0.25%. The annual service fee is 0.55% of the guaranteed balance, and lenders may not pass it to borrowers. SBA Express loans to veteran-owned businesses keep a $0 upfront fee.
Who it affects. You if you are a 7(a) borrower, especially a manufacturer, listed food supply chain business, rural business or veteran-owned business using SBA Express. Also 7(a) lenders.
SBA waived the upfront and annual service fees on fiscal 2027 504 loans for three groups. They are manufacturers (NAICS 31-33), listed food supply chain businesses and businesses in rural areas, including 504 debt refinance loans. Fiscal 2027 covers loans approved October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. Other 504 loans pay an upfront fee of 0.50% and an annual service fee of 0.203% of the outstanding balance. Loans under the 504 Debt Refinance without Expansion program pay an annual service fee of 0.204%. Last year's waiver covered manufacturers only.
Who it affects. You if you are a 504 borrower, especially a manufacturer, listed food supply chain business or rural business. Also CDCs.
SBA rescinded 13 CFR 101.108, which made it follow notice-and-comment rulemaking on loans, grants and contracts even when the law did not require it. SBA now follows the Administrative Procedure Act's default rules and says it may still seek comment case by case. SBA may change loan program rules without a comment period where the Act's exemption applies.
Who it affects. 7(a) lenders, CDCs, trade groups, and you if you follow or comment on SBA rulemaking.
SBA publishes SOP 50 10 8.1, effective October 1, 2026
SOP 50 10 8.1 takes effect October 1, 2026 and replaces SOP 50 10 8. It folds in the citizenship, SBSS, International Trade, alternative base rate, MARC and 7(a)/504 limit notices issued since June 2025. Changes of ownership now follow a new Appendix 15. Initial acquisitions need debt service coverage of 1.25:1, above the prior 1.15:1 Standard 7(a) minimum. They also need 10% equity that cannot be reduced. Initial acquisitions and business expansions at a $3,000,000 purchase price or more need a Quality of Earnings report. Seller debt counts as equity only on full standby and can supply at most half of required equity. Seller notes can be refinanced after 36 months, up from 24. A seller may stay as a consultant for up to 24 months, up from 12. A lender can issue a new SBA Express loan before amortization starts. The new loan can restart the revolving period or extend repayment up to 10 years. Non-SBA debt at the lender's own institution may now be refinanced under PLP delegated authority. Merchant cash advances can be refinanced only after conversion to a term loan amortized for at least 24 months. Factoring remains ineligible. The 504 minimum debt service coverage rose to 1.15:1 from 1:1. MARC loans must now revolve and opened to wholesalers and food supply chain businesses at up to $2,000,000. New text bars businesses where a minor child owns 20% or more and bars agents located outside the United States. Information Notice 5000-880695 announced the SOP.
Who it affects. You if you are applying for a 7(a) or 504 loan. That especially means buying a business, keeping an SBA Express line or refinancing a merchant cash advance. Also 7(a) lenders and CDCs.
SBA added mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction businesses to the industries it has found are hurt by import competition. They are NAICS sector 21, subsectors 211, 212 and 213. These businesses no longer need separate proof of injury to qualify under the import-competition test for an International Trade loan.
Who it affects. You if you run a small mining, quarrying or oil and gas business. Also 7(a) lenders offering International Trade loans.
SBA may now waive the prior loss rule case by case. The waiver is for an owner whose only tie to a defaulted SBA loan was a small passive stake. The owner must have held less than 20% of the business with the loss, not been a guarantor or co-borrower, and had no control. The waiver covers losses on 7(a) and 504 loans only, not PPP, COVID EIDL or other federal debt. Applicants with delinquent non-tax federal debt remain ineligible.
Who it affects. You if an owner of your business held a small passive stake in a business that defaulted on an SBA loan. Also lenders and CDCs.
A borrower's 7(a) balance, up to the 7(a) maximum, does not reduce the 504 program limit. A business can use both programs in sequence. SBA restated the 504 limit of $5,000,000 per business and affiliates. The limit is $5,500,000 per project for small manufacturers and eligible energy projects, with a $16,500,000 aggregate cap on energy projects. A 504 Project may also include several eligible assets financed at the same time.
Who it affects. You if you are combining 7(a) and 504 financing, or buying a facility and equipment together. Also 7(a) lenders and CDCs.
SBA set its fiscal 2026 annual oversight fee at $128.19 per $1 million of outstanding 7(a) guaranty for all lenders. That is down from $131.60 for SBA-supervised lenders and $136.48 for federally regulated lenders. Delegated lenders pay $144.64 in total, down from $148.74 and $153.62.
Who it affects. 7(a) lenders, who are billed for these fees.
SBA opens International Trade loans to import-affected manufacturers and food businesses
SBA found that manufacturers (NAICS 31-33) and listed food supply chain businesses are hurt by import competition. They no longer need separate proof of injury to qualify for an International Trade loan with its 90% guaranty. The notice also sets which changes of ownership qualify under the import-competition test. Proceeds can fund facilities, equipment and up to $2,000,000 of working capital.
Who it affects. You if you are a small manufacturer or food supply chain business facing import competition. Also 7(a) lenders.
SBA clarified its March 2026 citizenship and underwriting changes in 11 questions and answers. An Ineligible Person may divest ownership before the SBA loan number is issued. A non-owner may still give a supplemental or limited guaranty unless in the U.S. illegally. Loans approved before March 1, 2026 can keep being serviced, but they cannot be increased if an owner is ineligible. Lenders may underwrite a loan of $350,000 or less under Standard 7(a) rules instead of 7(a) Small rules. On 7(a) Small loans, two months of bank activity or statements must confirm debts such as merchant cash advances.
Who it affects. You if your business has a non-citizen owner or guarantor, or you are applying for a 7(a) Small loan. Also 7(a) lenders and CDCs.
SBA extended its temporary rule that lenders must enter the date of birth of every owner they list in SBA's E-Tran system. The rule stays in place until the 7(a) and 504 application process is updated.
Who it affects. 7(a) lenders and CDCs, and you if you are an owner listed on an application.
For 7(a) Small loans approved on or after March 1, 2026, lenders must use their normal credit analysis instead of the SBSS score. Debt service coverage must be at least 1.10:1 on a historical or projected basis. Lenders must also review two months of commercial bank activity to confirm debts and obligations. A loan that misses the coverage test must go through Standard 7(a) or SBA Express procedures. This notice replaced the changes in Procedural Notice 5000-875701. SBA Express underwriting did not change.
Who it affects. You if you are applying for a 7(a) Small loan of $350,000 or less. Also 7(a) lenders.
For 7(a) and 504 loans, all direct and indirect owners and required guarantors must be U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals. Their principal residence must be in the United States, its territories or possessions. Lawful permanent residents, people granted asylum or refugee status, visa holders and citizens of China or Hong Kong are Ineligible Persons. A business is ineligible if an Ineligible Person held ownership in the six months before the SBA loan number. The exception is when that person fully divests before the number is issued. Entities in the ownership chain must be organized in the United States, its territories or possessions. Lenders must collect new applicant certifications until Forms 1919 and 1244 are updated. The rules apply to delegated loans approved and non-delegated applications entering review on or after March 1, 2026.
Who it affects. You if your business has an owner or guarantor who is not a U.S. citizen or national, or who lives abroad. Also lenders and CDCs, which must certify ownership.
SBA added three alternative base rates for variable-rate 7(a) loans: SOFR, the 5-year Treasury Note rate and the 10-year Treasury Note rate. The change was also published at 91 FR 5805. The all-in rate is still capped at Prime plus the allowed spread for the loan size. Loans using an alternative base rate cannot be sold on the secondary market for now. SBA also removed the 3-percentage-point SOFR add-on in the Working Capital Pilot guide.
Who it affects. You if you are choosing a variable rate on a 7(a) loan. Also 7(a) lenders.
Citing Executive Order 14159, SBA required that 100% of direct and indirect owners be U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals. Their principal residence must be in the United States, its territories or possessions. Lawful permanent residents may no longer own any percentage of an applicant. The notice also rescinded the December 2025 exception that allowed up to 5% foreign or offshore ownership.
Who it affects. You if an owner of your business is a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national or a U.S. citizen living abroad. Also lenders and CDCs.
SBA issued an updated program guide for the 7(a) Working Capital Pilot. Pilot lines can now support financial letters of credit such as warranty bonds. Lenders can charge the 2% extraordinary servicing fee when monitoring is outsourced to a third party. Renewals now count like new originations toward delegated pilot authority.
Who it affects. You if you use a 7(a) Working Capital Pilot line of credit. Also participating lenders.
SBA announced that it would stop using the FICO Small Business Scoring Service score for 7(a) Small loans on March 1, 2026. Lenders would rely on their own credit analysis instead. Procedural Notice 5000-876777 replaced these procedures before they took effect.
Who it affects. You if you are applying for a 7(a) Small loan. Also 7(a) lenders.
For applications approved from January 1, 2026, SBA let a small group of owners hold up to 5% of an applicant in total. The group was foreign nationals living abroad, conditional permanent residents, and U.S. citizens, nationals or permanent residents living abroad. U.S. citizens, nationals and lawful permanent residents living in the United States had to own the rest. SBA rescinded this exception effective March 1, 2026.
Who it affects. You if your business had a small foreign or offshore owner in early 2026. Also lenders and CDCs.
SBA updated SOP 50 10 8 after lender and CDC feedback. The new-business definition dropped the same-area test, so a same-NAICS business with identical ownership and co-borrowers counts as an expansion. A lender may sell a 7(a) loan on the secondary market once a required lien is filed. If the lien is never perfected, the lender risks losing the guaranty. For 504 projects, the construction contingency rose from 10% to 15%. Do-it-yourself construction can now be supported by one third-party estimate instead of two bids.
Who it affects. 7(a) lenders and CDCs. You if you are building or renovating with a 504 loan or expanding into the same line of business.
For 504 loans approved on or after October 1, 2025, each project must create or retain one job per $95,000 guaranteed, up from $90,000. For small manufacturers and energy public policy projects the figure is one job per $150,000, up from $140,000. CDC portfolios may average up to $150,000 per job under other economic development goals. The same applies to projects in places such as Alaska, Hawaii and Opportunity Zones.
Who it affects. You if you are a 504 borrower. Also CDCs, which track job figures across their portfolios.
SOP 50 57 4 replaced SOP 50 57 3.1 for servicing and liquidation actions on or after November 1, 2025 (Information Notice 5000-872353). It raised the personal property liquidation value threshold for certain actions from $5,000 to $10,000 and added an SBA Uncollectible loan status. New obligors must meet the current citizenship rules. Loans are now serviced from the Fresno center or the Herndon guaranty purchase center after the Little Rock center closed.
Who it affects. 7(a) lenders, and you if your 7(a) loan is in servicing or liquidation.
SBA revised SOP 50 56 so that 7(a) lenders and CDCs must give SBA their environmental review and approval documentation for oversight. It also added the ALP Express corporate governance and review standards to the SOP.
SBA created 7(a) Manufacturers' Access to Revolving Credit (MARC) loans for NAICS 31-33 manufacturers, available October 1, 2025. Loans go up to $5,000,000, with an 85% guaranty at $150,000 or less and 75% above that. Revolving loans can run 20 years and term loans 10 years. Lenders review financials annually and may charge up to 0.50% at that review. SOP 50 10 8.1 later required these loans to be revolving and raised the coverage test.
Who it affects. You if you are a small manufacturer needing working capital. Also 7(a) lenders.
The fiscal 2026 upfront fee is 0% on 7(a) loans of $950,000 or less to manufacturers (NAICS 31-33), other than MARC loans. Fiscal 2026 covers loans approved October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Other upfront fees on the guaranteed portion are 2% at $150,000 or less and 3% from $150,001 to $700,000. Larger loans pay 3.5% up to $1,000,000 plus 3.75% above that. The annual service fee is 0.55% of the guaranteed balance. SBA also clarified how the 90-day rule treats Working Capital Pilot and export working capital loans.
Who it affects. You if you are a 7(a) borrower, especially a manufacturer. Also 7(a) lenders.
For 504 loans approved October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, the upfront and annual service fees are waived for manufacturers (NAICS 31-33). Other 504 loans pay an upfront fee of 0.50% and an annual service fee of 0.209% of the outstanding balance. 504 Debt Refinance without Expansion loans pay an annual fee of 0.2115%.
Who it affects. You if you are a 504 borrower, especially a manufacturer. Also CDCs.
SBA issued a redesigned CDC Annual Report Guide with a simplified Economic Development Report and a renamed Job Opportunity Analysis Report. CDCs must file within 180 days of their fiscal year end.
Who it affects. Certified Development Companies.
SBA reissues Form 413 and sets a 120-day freshness rule
SBA issued a revised Form 413, Personal Financial Statement. For 7(a) and 504 loans, the information must be current within 120 days of submission. SBA still accepts a lender's equivalent form that collects the same data. After 60 days, SBA accepts only the renewed version.
Who it affects. You if you are an owner or guarantor completing a personal financial statement. Also lenders and CDCs.
SBA lowered its fiscal 2025 annual oversight fee to $131.60 per $1 million of outstanding guaranty for SBA-supervised lenders. Federally regulated lenders pay $136.48. Those fees are down from $183.47 and $188.44. Delegated lenders pay $148.74 and $153.62 in total.
Who it affects. 7(a) lenders, who are billed for these fees.
SBA issues technical updates to SOP 50 10 8 before it takes effect
SBA replaced the April version of SOP 50 10 8 days before its June 1, 2025 effective date. Partial sellers who keep less than 20% must give a full guaranty for at least two years. Vehicles worth $20,000 or less, or already liened, need no lien. All 7(a) term loans may start with an interest-only period. Lenders must enter 100% of direct and indirect owners in SBA's E-Tran system and check CAIVRS. Search-fund deals that give a non-guarantor investor control are ineligible, and equity repayable before the guaranty is released counts as debt.
Who it affects. You if you are selling part of a business, buying with investor money, or pledging vehicles. Also lenders and CDCs.
SBA capped loans by Community Advantage small business lending companies at $350,000, below the $500,000 ceiling it announced in December 2024. At least 60% of the number of loans closed must meet underserved market requirements. Capital minimums rise to $375,000 on May 15, 2025 and $750,000 on May 15, 2026, or 10% of outstanding loans if greater. These are licensed lenders; the Community Advantage pilot ended October 31, 2023.
Who it affects. Community Advantage small business lending companies, and you if you borrow from one.
SBA said SOP 50 10 8, effective June 1, 2025, largely restored rules in place before January 2021 (Information Notice 5000-866746). The SBA Franchise Directory returned, and lenders must again weigh the liquidity of 20% owners when deciding credit is not available elsewhere. The 7(a) Small ceiling fell to $350,000 from $500,000, and the minimum SBSS score rose to 165 from 155. Standard 7(a) and 7(a) Small start-ups need at least 10% equity. On a complete change of ownership, seller debt counts toward the 10% only on full standby for the life of the loan. Seller debt cannot exceed half of the required equity. Merchant cash advances and factoring became ineligible for refinancing. 7(a) Small loans above $50,000 need a first lien on financed assets.
Who it affects. You if you are starting or buying a business, have a franchise, or carry a merchant cash advance. Also lenders and CDCs.
When a lender seeks the guaranty, SBA now applies the SOP 50 10 in effect at loan approval for loan making and closing issues. Servicing actions after full disbursement follow the SOP 50 57 in effect at that time. On early defaults, lenders must show that any required equity injection came from an acceptable source.
SBA revised Form 1244 in response to Executive Order 14168. It replaced gender with sex and removed the Not Disclosed option in the voluntary demographic section. SBA also merged the two debt refinancing purpose categories into one and removed the Associate signature block.
Who it affects. You if you are a 504 applicant completing Form 1244. Also CDCs.
Starting March 27, 2025, lenders must enter every listed owner's date of birth in SBA's E-Tran system until the application forms are updated. SBA extended this requirement on March 18, 2026.
Who it affects. 7(a) lenders and CDCs, and you if you are an owner listed on an application.
SBA replaced its fiscal 2025 fee schedule for 7(a) loans approved from March 27, 2025 through September 30, 2025. Upfront fees on the guaranteed portion returned at 2% for loans of $150,000 or less and 3% from $150,001 to $700,000. Larger loans pay 3.5% up to $1,000,000 plus 3.75% above that. Loans of 12 months or less pay 0.25%, and the annual service fee rose to 0.55% of the guaranteed balance. SBA Express loans to veteran-owned businesses kept a $0 upfront fee. Non-delegated applications already in review by March 26, 2025 kept the earlier fee relief.
Who it affects. You if you are a 7(a) borrower. Also 7(a) lenders.
When a report finds no contamination on a non-delegated 7(a) or 504 loan, the lender certifies this in E-Tran and keeps the report. Where contamination is found, lenders follow SBA's review steps and appeal process. Environmental reports must be dated within one year of the SBA loan number on all loans.
Who it affects. 7(a) lenders and CDCs, and you if real estate secures your SBA loan.
SBA revised Form 1919, the 7(a) borrower form, in response to Executive Order 14168. It replaced gender with sex and removed the Not Disclosed option in the voluntary demographic section. The form is dated February 2025.
Who it affects. You if you are a 7(a) applicant completing Form 1919. Also 7(a) lenders.
SBA barred businesses owned in whole or part by people in the U.S. illegally. Lenders must list at least 81% of beneficial owners in E-Tran and certify that none is an ineligible person. Ineligible persons included foreign nationals, those granted asylum, refugees, visa holders and DACA recipients. Lawful permanent residents remained eligible at that time. Borrowers must certify this on Forms 1919 and 1244.
Who it affects. You if your business has an owner who is not a U.S. citizen. Also lenders and CDCs.
SBA said approved Community Advantage SBLCs could request loan ceilings of $1,000,000, or $2,000,000 for climate-related projects. SBA rescinded this notice on March 14, 2025.
Who it affects. Community Advantage small business lending companies.
SBA made permanent the delegated authority that lets Accredited Lenders Program CDCs make the credit decision on 504 loans of $500,000 or less. SBA still reviews each loan's eligibility. The pilot had been set to expire September 30, 2025.
Who it affects. CDCs in the Accredited Lenders Program, and you if you borrow through one on a 504 loan of $500,000 or less.
From January 1, 2025, SBA said qualifying Community Advantage SBLCs could make 7(a) loans up to $500,000, up from $350,000. They could also apply to lend in additional states. SBA set the ceiling back at $350,000 in May 2025.
Who it affects. Community Advantage small business lending companies.
SBA extended several 2023 and 2024 notices and made new changes to SOP 50 10 7.1. Merchant cash advances, factoring agreements and non-amortizing credit could be refinanced without the 10% payment reduction test. All changes of ownership could use a blended maturity, or up to 25 years if 51% or more of proceeds are for real estate. On Standard 7(a) loans, lenders no longer had to lien vehicles worth $10,000 or less. Both 7(a) and 504 loans can be used with C-PACE financing. SOP 50 10 8 later barred the merchant cash advance refinancing and multi-step partial buyouts this notice allowed.
Who it affects. You if you carry a merchant cash advance, are buying a business, or have C-PACE financing. Also lenders and CDCs.
SBA issued a new Form 1244 to match SOP 50 10 7.1 and the criminal justice rule. Applicants must identify beneficial owners of at least 20% and at least 51% of total beneficial ownership. The form is split into borrower and CDC parts and adds questions on fees and ineligible business types.
Who it affects. You if you are a 504 applicant. Also CDCs.
SBA removed the 50% cap on 504 debt refinancing without expansion. Refinance projects that include other business expenses can reach 90% loan to value, and the separate cap on those expenses is gone. Refinancing with expansion now uses the same 75% substantially-all test as refinancing without expansion. SBA dropped the 10% payment reduction test on refinancing other government debt and allowed certain other secured debt as an eligible expense. Procedural Notice 5000-857295 updated SOP 50 10 7.1 to match.
Who it affects. You if you are refinancing owner-occupied real estate or equipment debt with a 504 loan. Also CDCs and Third Party Lenders.
SBA issued technical corrections to its 7(a) servicing and liquidation SOP, effective December 1, 2024. The changes include where lenders send servicing requests on loans of $500,000 or less. They also cover litigation plans, equity injection review at guaranty purchase and a five-year PPP forgiveness deadline.
For 7(a) loan pools issued on or after October 1, 2024, SBA cut the minimum maturity ratio by 3 percentage points to 89.0%. The change covers Standard and Weighted-Average Coupon pools.
Who it affects. Pool assemblers, investors and 7(a) lenders that sell guaranteed portions of loans.
SBA opens license windows for new small business lending companies
SBA accepted applications for new Small Business Lending Company licenses from September 2 to October 15, 2024. Applications for Community Advantage SBLC licenses ran from September 2 to December 20, 2024.
Who it affects. Non-bank companies seeking to make SBA 7(a) loans.
For 7(a) loans approved from October 1, 2024, loans of $1,000,000 or less with terms over 12 months paid no upfront fee. Larger loans paid 3.5% of the guaranteed portion up to $1,000,000 plus 3.75% above that. Annual service fees were 0% at $500,000 or less, 0.17% from $500,001 to $1,000,000, and 0.55% above that. SBA replaced this schedule for loans approved from March 27, 2025.
Who it affects. You if you took a 7(a) loan in fiscal 2025. Also 7(a) lenders.
For 504 loans approved October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025, the upfront fee was 0%. The annual service fee was 0.331% of the outstanding balance, or 0.356% for 504 Debt Refinance without Expansion loans.
Who it affects. You if you took a 504 loan in fiscal 2025. Also CDCs.
Working Capital Pilot loans of $1,000,000 or less paid no upfront fee in fiscal 2024 or 2025. Larger loans paid from 0.25% of the guaranteed portion for maturities up to 12 months to 1.35% for 49 to 60 months. The pilot opened August 1, 2024. SBA replaced these fees in March 2025.
Who it affects. You if you took a Working Capital Pilot line before March 2025. Also participating lenders.
SBA created a pilot running August 1, 2024 through July 31, 2027 for 7(a) lines of credit up to $5,000,000. The lines support domestic and international transactions. Terms run up to 60 months, with an 85% guaranty at $150,000 or less and 75% above. Fees are based on how long the line runs.
Who it affects. You if you need an asset-based or transaction-based line of credit. Also 7(a) lenders.
SBA revised Form 1919 to match the criminal justice rule, including Question 4 on incarceration and indictment. It also added a borrower certification letting SBA share information about existing SBA loans with the lender. Lenders had a 30-day grace period.
Who it affects. You if you are a 7(a) applicant. Also 7(a) lenders.
Lenders may use delegated authority for loans to cooperatives and to businesses a cooperative owns or controls. An independent business valuation is no longer required on 7(a) ESOP change-of-ownership loans; the lender may use the ESOP's own ERISA-compliant valuation.
Who it affects. You if you run a cooperative or are selling to an ESOP. Also lenders and CDCs.
A business is now ineligible only if an associate is currently incarcerated or serving a sentence of imprisonment. An associate under indictment for a felony or a crime involving financial misconduct or false statements also disqualifies the business. Probation and parole no longer disqualify on their own. Procedural Notice 5000-857477 updated SOP 50 10 7.1 to match. Lenders may still apply their own background policies.
Who it affects. You if an associate of your business has a criminal history record. Also lenders and CDCs.
SBA removed the $16,500,000 aggregate cap on 504 Energy Public Policy Projects from SOP 50 10 7.1. SOP 50 10 8 later restated that limit, and Policy Notice 5000-879058 still states it. SBA's Sacramento center can also decide extensions of the 48-month disbursement period unless referral to SBA's Office of Financial Assistance is warranted.
Who it affects. You if you are financing an energy project with a 504 loan. Also CDCs.
SBA set its fiscal 2024 annual oversight fee at $183.47 per $1 million of outstanding guaranty for SBA-supervised lenders. Federally regulated lenders pay $188.44. Both are slightly above the prior fees.
Who it affects. 7(a) lenders, who are billed for these fees.
SBA rebuilt how it assigns each 7(a) lender and CDC a risk rating from 1 to 5. The new method uses loan-level default models and a projected purchase rate for each portfolio. SBA uses the ratings to focus its oversight.
Who it affects. 7(a) lenders and CDCs.
SBA raises the alternative size standard for 7(a) and 504 loans
SBA made the alternative size standard permanent and raised it for inflation. A business and its affiliates can now qualify with tangible net worth of no more than $20 million, raised from $15 million. Average net income cannot exceed $6.5 million, raised from $5 million. Applicants may use whichever size test helps them. Procedural Notice 5000-855070 updated SOP 50 10 7.1 to match.
Who it affects. You if your business is near the size limit for its industry. Also lenders and CDCs.
Each entry summarizes the SBA document it links. The log covers notices, rules and SOP changes that affect borrowers or lenders in 7(a), 504, SBA Express and related programs. It does not cover every SBA announcement, and it runs through October 1, 2026. A summary is not legal advice, so read the document before you rely on it. If an entry is wrong, write to hello@sbaexpress.loans and see our corrections.
Cite this page
What changed in SBA lending rules. SBA Express Loans, Janover Capital LLC (data as of October 1, 2026). https://www.sbaexpress.loans/what-changed/. Source: the SBA notices and Federal Register documents linked in each entry.
Janover Capital LLC is not a lender and is not the SBA. The lender makes the credit decision. A lender or marketplace may pay us a referral fee if we connect you, at no cost to you. Advertiser disclosure.