The U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) and Investment Division welcome your interest in obtaining a Small Business Investment Company ("SBIC") License. Since 1958, the program has provided financial assistance to small businesses in need of growth capital. We encourage you to review the information provided in this section to better understand the program and application process.

The key elements of the process for obtaining an SBIC license are outlined in the three sections below. This information applies to all parties that intend to seek a license to operate an SBIC, as well as to all existing SBICs that may wish to change ownership or control. If you currently manage an existing SBIC and are seeking another license or wish to convert from one organizational structure to another, please contact your SBA operations analyst for further instructions.

If you are currently contemplating applying for an SBIC license, your very first activity should be to review the contents of our website, include the three sections below. The process of becoming a licensed SBIC includes a comprehensive and time-consuming review of a team’s qualifications, business plan and fund structure. It is important to come into the program with a strong understanding of how it works.