SBA Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) — VOSB / SDVOSB
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Contract access (no cash award)
Set-aside access for veteran firms
VetCert is the federal certification that lets veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses compete for contracts reserved for them. SBA took over this certification from the VA on January 1, 2023, and as of the close of the self-certification grace period (December 22, 2024), firms must be SBA-certified to win SDVOSB set-aside and sole-source contracts. Certified service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs) can compete for government-wide SDVOSB set-asides, and certified veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs) also gain priority for the VA's Vets First sole-source and set-aside contracts. The government-wide goal for SDVOSB contracting is 5% of federal contracting dollars annually. Certification is free through MySBA Certifications; SBA cleared its backlog in late 2025 and reduced processing to roughly 12 days on average.
- Funding type
- Program
- Level
- Federal
- Amount range
- Contract access (no cash award)
- Realistic amount
- No grant. Realized value depends on contracts won — from sub-$250,000 simplified acquisition…
- Deadline
- Rolling — apply anytime
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- in-kind
Who qualifies
- Must be a small business under SBA size standards for its primary NAICS code
- At least 51% owned and controlled by one or more veterans (VOSB) — owner must be identified by the VA as a Veteran
- For SDVOSB: at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more veterans rated as service-disabled by the VA
- Veteran owner(s) must control day-to-day management and long-term decisions
- Exception: a permanently and totally disabled veteran unable to manage operations may qualify if a spouse or permanent caregiver manages the firm
- Must be registered and active in SAM.gov with a Unique Entity Identifier
Hard requirements
- Reserved for veteran owned businesses
- Must be veteran-owned
How to apply
-
1
Confirm veteran/service-disabled status and SAM.gov registration
Ensure the VA recognizes the owner as a Veteran (and, for SDVOSB, as service-disabled). Complete an active SAM.gov registration with a UEI and confirm the firm is small under its primary NAICS code.
~6 hrs
-
2
Assemble ownership and control documentation
Gather formation documents, ownership/stock records showing 51%+ veteran ownership, operating agreements, resumes, and VA documentation of veteran/service-disabled status.
~6 hrs
-
3
Apply through MySBA Certifications (VetCert)
Create an account at veterans.certify.sba.gov, complete the VOSB or SDVOSB application, and upload supporting documents. Use SBA's pre-application checklists and eligibility tools to avoid common omissions.
~5 hrs
-
4
Respond to SBA review and maintain certification
Respond to any SBA requests. Average decisions run about 12 days as of late 2025. Once certified, maintain SAM.gov, pursue set-asides, and recertify on SBA's schedule.
~3 hrs
If your firm sells anything the VA buys, prioritize VOSB certification — the VA's Vets First authority gives certified veteran firms a procurement preference stronger than the government-wide goal, and the VA is one of the largest set-aside buyers. Process times collapsed to ~12 days in late 2025, so the old advice to 'apply months early' is outdated; certify before you bid, not before you incorporate.
Deadline & timing
Applications accepted year-round through MySBA Certifications (veterans.certify.sba.gov). As of late 2025 SBA reduced average processing to roughly 12 days after clearing its backlog. Certification must be maintained per SBA rules; recertification applies.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.