Application Tools

SBA Loan Document Checklist

Every document you'll need for your SBA loan application — organized by category. Check items off as you gather them; your progress saves automatically.

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Business & Legal Documents

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Completed SBA loan application (SBA Form 1919) Required for all SBA 7(a) loans
Business plan with 3-year financial projections Must include market analysis and management overview
Articles of incorporation or organization Filed copy from your state — LLC, corp, or partnership docs
Business licenses and operating permits All current state, county, and city licenses
Business ownership documents (operating agreement / bylaws) Shows ownership percentages for all owners ≥ 20%
Franchise agreement Required if operating a franchised business
Purchase agreement If acquiring an existing business — signed by both parties
Commercial lease agreement Current lease or letter of intent for location
Business insurance certificates General liability, property, key-man life insurance

Business Financial Documents

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3 years of business federal tax returns Signed copies — all schedules included
Year-to-date profit & loss statement Must be within 180 days of application date
Current business balance sheet As of the same date as the P&L statement
3 months of business bank statements All business checking and savings accounts
Accounts receivable aging report Outstanding customer invoices by age
Accounts payable aging report Outstanding vendor invoices by age
Business debt schedule All current loans — lender, balance, payment, collateral
Projected financial statements (2 years) Required for startups and expansion loans
Interim financial statements If more than 120 days have passed since last fiscal year-end

Personal Financial Documents

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Personal financial statement (SBA Form 413) Required for every owner with ≥ 20% ownership
3 years of personal federal tax returns For all owners with ≥ 20% ownership — all schedules
Government-issued photo ID Driver's license or passport for all owners
Personal résumé / management bio For each principal owner and key management
3 months of personal bank statements For all owners ≥ 20%
Personal credit authorization Written permission for lender to pull credit report

Collateral & Real Estate

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List of proposed collateral with estimated values Business and personal assets offered to secure the loan
Real estate deed(s) For any property offered as collateral
Property appraisal reports Independent appraisal of real estate collateral
Equipment list with serial numbers and values All equipment offered as collateral
Equipment appraisals For specialized or high-value equipment
Title insurance commitment Required for real estate-secured loans
Environmental assessment Phase I or Phase II if required for real estate

SBA 504 Loan — Additional Items

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CDC application and project description 504 loans require working with a Certified Development Company
Construction plans and specifications Architect drawings and engineering specs for new construction
General contractor bids / estimates From licensed contractors for any construction work
Building permits and approvals All required local government approvals
Third-party lender commitment letter 504 structure requires a first-mortgage lender covering ~50%

Export / International Trade Loans

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Export business plan Identifies target export markets and strategy
Export orders or contracts Evidence of confirmed or anticipated international sales
Foreign buyer credit information Documentation on international customers' creditworthiness
U.S. Export Assistance Center letter Referral or support letter if applicable

Pro Tips for a Faster Approval

Organize all documents in labeled folders (physical or digital) before submitting
Tax returns must be signed — unsigned copies will be rejected
Financial statements should be no older than 180 days at the time of submission
Lenders appreciate clean, bookkeeper-prepared financials over spreadsheet printouts
Personal credit scores below 650 may need additional explanation letters
More collateral = better terms; list everything available even if not all will be used