Reforms to 13 CFR 124.103 To Remove SBA's 8(a) Program's Rebuttable Presumption of Social Disadvantage for Individually Owned Firms Only. Reforms Do Not Impact Entity-Owned Firms
Built by the Tribune's code from the Federal Register. No AI wrote this page. Published in the Federal Register Aug. 11, 2026. Document 2026-16370. Updated Nov. 7, 2026.
- What it does
The U.S. Small Business Administration ("SBA" or "Agency") amends its regulations to align the Section 8(a) Business Development Program (8(a) BD program) with constitutional requirements and the law. The rule applies only to the 8(a) BD eligibility of small businesses owned and controlled by individuals. It does not in any way amend or affect the eligibility of entity-owned small businesses (i.e., those owned by tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, Native Hawaiian Organizations, or Community Development Corporations). Specifically, the rule amends SBA's regulations to remove the rebuttable presumption that individuals belonging to certain designated groups are socially disadvantaged and sets forth revised standards for individuals establishing social disadvantage.
The Small Business Administration's summary, as published in the Federal Register.
- What changed in the regulation
1 part of Title 13 of the Code of Federal Regulations:
Wording on eCFR: the day before it took effect and from the day it took effect (first part listed).
- Compared with
The Small Business Administration has published 7 final rules in 2026 so far, compared with 3 in all of 2025.
Counted by the Tribune from Federal Register records since Jan. 1, 2025.
- Before this
1 earlier Federal Register document under regulation identifier 3245-AI75 since Jan. 1, 2025.
- What happens next and when
This rule is effective on September 10, 2026. It applies to all pending applications of individually-owned applicants as of that date.
The agency's dates, word for word.
The record as published
| Document number | 2026-16370 |
|---|---|
| Action | Final rule. |
| Agencies | Small Business Administration |
| Published | Aug. 11, 2026 |
| Effective date | Sept. 10, 2026 |
| Regulation identifier (RIN) | 3245-AI75 |
| Docket | SBA-2026-0133 |
Source: the Federal Register (public domain). The document in the Federal Register