VOSB And SDVOSB Certification Basics

Service Is Not The Same As Certification

Being a veteran does not automatically certify the company. Certification is a review of the business. SBA publishes the program. This website does not accept applications and cannot tell you that you will be approved.

Where The Program Sits Now

SBA’s veterans pages describe the Veteran Small Business Certification program and state that the certification function moved from the Department of Veterans Affairs to SBA as of January 1, 2023. If you still see instructions that send you only to the old VA center, stop and use the current SBA page instead.

SBA has also described an end to self-certification for certain subcontracting and goaling purposes. Deadlines in older articles go stale. Read the SBA veterans page for the rule that applies when you apply.

VOSB And SDVOSB Are Not Identical

SBA’s program pages distinguish veteran-owned small businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, including where each status can be used for set-asides. Do not paraphrase that into “every veteran firm can bid every set-aside.” Use SBA’s wording for the opportunity you care about.

Read The Checklist Before You Apply

SBA’s VetCert materials describe eligibility concepts such as ownership and control, small-business size, and a SAM.gov registration. Those are reasons to open the official checklist, not a substitute for it. Third-party sites that charge to “guarantee certification” are not SBA.

Ownership changes, a new partner, or a different NAICS code can change the file. Recertification rules belong on the SBA page, not in a blog summary.