SBA Loan Requirements: Complete List for Eligibility
One viable way to fund your startup is to get a loan from the SBA. Find the SBA loan requirements in an easy-to-follow format here.
Landing on CAIVRS means no government backed loans
CAIVRS refers to the Credit Alert Verification Reporting System. Only the government could add an extra "I" to the acronym. CAIVRS was developed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in June 1987 as a shared database of defaulted Federal debtors, and enables processors of applications for Federal credit benefit to identify individuals who are in default or have had claims paid on direct or guaranteed Federal loans, or are delinquent or other debts owed to Federal agencies. This means, for instance, that if you apply for an FHA loan, a loan guaranteed by the government, you will be denied when you turn up on CAIVRS.
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Pursuant to federal law, a person may not obtain any Federal financial assistance in the form of a loan or loan insurance or guarantee administered by the agency if the person has an outstanding debt (other than a debt under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) with any Federal agency which is in a delinquent status, as determined under standards prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury. Such a person may obtain additional loans or loan guarantees only after such delinquency is resolved in accordance with those standards.
A person owing an outstanding non-tax debt that is in delinquent status shall not be eligible for Federal financial assistance. This eligibility requirement applies to all persons seeking Federal financial assistance and owing an outstanding non-tax debt in delinquent status, including, but not limited to, guarantors. If you have defaulted on an SBA loan, you probably signed a personal guarantee. This eligibility requirement applies to all Federal financial assistance even if creditworthiness or credit history is not otherwise a factor for eligibility purposes, e.g., student loans. A person may be eligible for Federal financial assistance only after the delinquency is resolved. An agency may waive this eligibility requirement.
If you find that you are on CAIVRS you may have some options to be released. The first option, of course, is to pay the debt. Once the debt is paid, it is no longer delinquent.
Obtain a waiver from the originating agency. Thus, if you have a defaulted SBA loan in your past, you can apply to the agency you are seeking assistance from to waive the problem.
Lastly, you can show that the debt is not delinquent as a matter of law. A debt is in "delinquent status" if the debt has not been paid within 90 days of the payment due date. The payment due date is the date specified in the creditor agency's initial written demand for payment or applicable agreement or instrument (including a post-delinquency repayment agreement). Certain exceptions legal exceptions apply to the definition of "delinquent status" which may enable you to be removed from CAIVRS.
If you have been placed on CAIVRS and are preventing for obtaining government backed loans or assistance, you may be released.
Schedule a case evaluation today to determine your eligibility.
Millions of Dollars in SBA Debts Resolved via Offer in Compromise and Negotiated Repayment Agreements without our Clients filing for Bankruptcy or Facing Home Foreclosure
Millions of Dollars in Treasury Debts Defended Against via AWG Hearings, Treasury Offset Program Resolution, Cross-servicing Disputes, Private Collection Agency Representation, Compromise Offers and Negotiated Repayment Agreements
Our Attorneys are Authorized by the Agency Practice Act to Represent Federal Debtors Nationwide before the SBA, The SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals, the Treasury Department, and the Bureau of Fiscal Service.

Clients' 7(a) loan was referred to Treasury's Bureau of Fiscal Service for enforced collection in 2015. They not only personally guaranteed the loan, but also pledged their primary residence as additional collateral. One of the clients filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy thinking that it would discharge the SBA 7(a) lien encumbering their home. They later discovered that they were mistakenly advised. The Firm was subsequently hired to review their case and defend against a series of collection actions. Eventually, we were able to negotiate a structured workout for $180,000 directly with the SBA, saving them approximately $250,000 (by reducing the default interest rate and removing Treasury's substantial collection fees) and from possible foreclosure.

Our firm successfully resolved an SBA COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) default in the amount of $150,000 on behalf of Illinois-based client. After the business permanently closed due to the economic impacts of the pandemic, the owners faced potential personal liability if the business collateral was not liquidated properly under the SBA Security Agreement.
We guided the client through the SBA’s Business Closure Review process, prepared a comprehensive financial submission, and negotiated directly with the SBA to release the collateral securing the loan. The borrower satisfied their collateral obligations with a payment of $2,075, resolving the SBA’s security interest.

Client’s small business obtained an SBA 7(a) loan for $750,000. She and her husband signed personal guarantees exposing all of their non-exempt income and assets. With just 18 months left on the maturity date and payment on the remaining balance, the Great Recession of 2008 hit, which ultimately caused the business to fail and default on the loan terms. The 7(a) lender accelerated and sent a demand for full payment of the remaining loan balance. The SBA lender’s note allowed for a default interest rate of about 7% per year. In response to the lender's aggressive collection action, Client's husband filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in an attempt to protect against their personal assets. However, his bankruptcy discharge did not relieve the Client's personal guarantee liability for the SBA debt. The SBA lender opted to pursue the SBA 7(a) Guaranty and subsequently assigned the loan and the right to enforce collection against the Client to the SBA. The Client then received the SBA Official 60-Day Notice. After conducting a Case Evaluation with her, she then hired the Firm to respond and negotiate on her behalf with just 34 days left before the impending referral to Treasury. The Client wanted to dispute the SBA’s alleged debt balance as stated in the 60-Day Notice by claiming the 7(a) lender failed to liquidate business collateral in a commercially reasonable manner - which if done properly - proceeds would have paid back the entire debt balance. However, due to time constraints, waivers contained in the SBA loan instruments, including the fact the Client was not able to inspect the SBA's records for investigation purposes before the remaining deadline, Client agreed to submit a Structured Workout for the alleged balance in response to the Official 60-Day Notice as she was not eligible for an Offer in Compromise (OIC) because of equity in non-exempt income and assets. After back and forth negotiations, the SBA Loan Specialist approved the Workout proposal, reducing the Client's purported liability by nearly $142,142.27 in accrued interest, and statutory collection fees. Without the Firm's intervention and subsequent approval of the Workout proposal, the Client's debt amount (with accrued interest, Treasury's statutory collection fee and Treasury's interest based on the Current Value of Funds Rate (CVFR) would have been nearly $291,030.