SDVOSB stands for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. For most of the program's history, there were two separate certification tracks: one administered by the VA (for VA contracts) and one administered by SBA (for all other federal contracts). As of January 1, 2023, SBA consolidated authority for SDVOSB certification. The VA no longer runs its own certification program.
What this means practically: you now have one certification, held with SBA, that works across all federal agencies including VA. If you were certified by the VA before January 2023 under the old CVE (Center for Verification and Eligibility) process, you needed to apply for SBA certification. That transition period has closed.
This guide covers what you do after certification is granted. Specifically: what annual requirements look like, what triggers a status review, and how to handle ownership changes.
The annual attestation in SAM.gov
SDVOSB is not renewed through a separate application. The mechanism is your SAM.gov registration.
Every registered entity in SAM.gov must recertify annually. During that annual recertification, you're required to attest to your small business status and any applicable socioeconomic certifications, including SDVOSB. The attestation is the statement in SAM.gov that you are currently a service-disabled veteran-owned small business meeting the requirements of 13 CFR Part 128.
This matters for contract bids, not just the directory. When you certify on a bid that you are an SDVOSB, you are attesting under penalty of criminal false statement laws that you meet the requirements. If your SAM.gov registration is expired or your status has changed, bidding as SDVOSB creates legal exposure.
Set a calendar reminder for 60 days before your SAM.gov expiration. Log in, confirm all your information is current, and complete the annual recertification. SAM.gov will send email reminders, but they sometimes end up in spam.
What SBA certification actually requires ongoing
SBA's SDVOSB regulations are at 13 CFR Part 128. The core eligibility requirements must be met at all times, not just at the time of application.
The requirements:
Service-disabled veteran ownership at 51% or more. The qualifying owner must be a service-disabled veteran with a service-connected disability rated by the VA or DoD. The rating can be 0% or higher; any service-connected disability qualifies.
Unconditional ownership. The veteran must hold the interest free of any conditions that limit control. Provisions in operating agreements that restrict the veteran's ability to sell, vote, or make decisions can constitute conditional ownership.
Day-to-day management and long-term decision making by the veteran. The service-disabled veteran must manage the daily operations of the business and make or have the final authority on long-term decisions. A non-veteran can serve as a manager or executive, but the veteran must be the highest officer with final authority.
Small business size standard. You must qualify as small under the primary NAICS code for any contract you pursue.
If any of these conditions changes, you're required to notify SBA. The notification requirement is in 13 CFR 128.300.
What triggers an SBA review after initial certification
SBA can review your SDVOSB status at several points after certification:
Annual recertification. SBA conducts periodic recertifications of certified SDVOSBs. The current cycle is 3 years for most firms. SBA notifies you through the certify.sba.gov portal.
Bid protest. A competitor can file a protest challenging your SDVOSB status on a specific contract. SBA's Office of Hearings and Appeals adjudicates these. If you receive a protest, you have 5 business days to respond. Protests can move quickly.
Contract-specific recertification. Contracting officers can request recertification at any time during contract performance, particularly when a contract is due for a major option exercise or when ownership changes have been reported.
SBA-initiated examination. SBA can select firms for compliance reviews at any time. These are more thorough than the standard recertification and may include requests for financial records, operating agreements, and documentation of the veteran's management role.
Ownership changes: the most consequential trigger
Ownership changes are where SDVOSB certifications most often get revoked. The regulations treat changes in ownership as material events requiring prompt reporting and, in some cases, SBA prior approval.
The key rules under 13 CFR 128.300:
You must notify SBA within 30 days of any change in ownership or control. This includes any transfer of the service-disabled veteran's interest to another party, any change in the operating agreement that affects voting rights or management authority, and any death or incapacitation of the qualifying veteran.
What "change in control" means. Control is broader than ownership percentage. If a non-veteran gains the ability to prevent a quorum, block major decisions, or override the veteran's authority through any mechanism in the governing documents, SBA may find that control has shifted.
Death of the qualifying veteran. This is one of the harder scenarios. If the veteran who is the qualifying owner dies, the firm can continue to hold SDVOSB certification for up to 10 years if certain conditions are met, under 13 CFR 128.202. The surviving ownership interest must transfer to an immediate family member. This exception has specific requirements; don't assume it applies automatically. Consult SBA or counsel promptly.
Divorce and marital property transfers. If the qualifying veteran's interest is subject to division in a divorce, the transfer of any portion to a non-veteran spouse can reduce the veteran's ownership below 51%. This is reportable and can affect certification.
VA contracts: the legacy issue
The VA's old CVE certification system had separate requirements around VA contracts, particularly the Veterans First Contracting Program under 38 U.S.C. 8127-8128. Those contracts gave priority to SDVOSB and VOSB (Veteran-Owned Small Business) firms.
With the consolidation, SBA certification now satisfies the requirement for VA contracts as well. If you are SBA-certified as an SDVOSB, you are eligible for VA set-aside contracts under the Veterans First Contracting Program.
The key distinction that remains: VOSB (veteran-owned, but without a service-connected disability) is a separate certification. For VA set-asides that are specifically restricted to SDVOSBs, you need the service-connected disability. For VA set-asides open to all veteran-owned businesses (both SDVOSB and VOSB), either certification works.
Check the specific solicitation's set-aside designation before bidding. The NAICS code and set-aside type are in the solicitation.
What lapses if you don't maintain your certification
If your SBA certification lapses or is terminated:
- You can no longer bid on SDVOSB set-aside contracts at any federal agency, including VA.
- You lose the ability to receive SDVOSB sole-source awards.
- Any SDVOSB representations you made on in-progress bids may create compliance issues.
Existing contracts that were awarded under SDVOSB authority while you were certified are not automatically affected. The certification status matters at the time of award, not throughout performance. Option years on existing contracts can generally still be exercised.
However: if you bid on a new task order against an existing SDVOSB IDIQ while your certification has lapsed, that bid is non-compliant. The requirement applies at the time of each new competition, not just at the IDIQ award date.
Practical maintenance checklist
Running SDVOSB compliance as a routine business function rather than a crisis-response one:
- Confirm SAM.gov registration expiration date. Renew 60 days early.
- Review your operating agreement annually. Ensure no provisions have been added that could be read as limiting the veteran's control.
- If ownership has changed at all — even a small transfer — report it to SBA within 30 days.
- Keep the qualifying veteran's VA disability rating documentation current in your certify.sba.gov file.
- If your primary NAICS code changes or you're pursuing contracts in new NAICS codes, verify you still qualify as small under those standards.
- If the qualifying veteran's involvement in daily management has materially changed (new CEO hired, veteran moved to advisory role), consult counsel before your next bid.
Next steps
To confirm your current SDVOSB status:
- Log into certify.sba.gov. Your certification status and expiration date are on the dashboard.
- Log into SAM.gov. Confirm your registration is current and your SDVOSB attestation is active.
- Review 13 CFR 128.300 for the notification and reporting requirements that apply to ongoing certification.
If you're not currently SBA-certified but were certified under the old VA CVE system, that program has ended. You needed to apply through SBA's process. If you've been bidding on SDVOSB set-asides since January 2023 without SBA certification, consult legal counsel about your prior representations.
