Heads up
Verify DBE status carefully right now: under the USDOT Interim Final Rule issued October 3, 2025, existing DBE and ACDBE certifications are being re-evaluated and may not be counted toward contract goals until a firm is recertified. Confirm a firm's current status before relying on it.
New York state directories
Start with the official state directory. It lists firms New York has certified, and it is the source public buyers and prime contractors use to confirm a firm counts toward state and federally funded contract goals.
Empire State MWBE Hub Directory of Certified Firms
Empire State Development's MWBE platform, launched July 23, 2026, hosts the searchable directory of New York State certified MWBE firms by name, location, industry, and certification type. It replaces the certification directory on the old NYS Contract System, which still handles compliance reporting.
Open the directory ↗NYSUCP DBE Directory
New York's Unified Certification Program directory of DBE and ACDBE certified vendors for USDOT-assisted contracts, administered by the NYSDOT Office of Civil Rights with the MTA, NFTA, and the Port Authority of NY & NJ.
Open the directory ↗New York & New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council
The regional National Minority Supplier Development Council affiliate serving New York. Corporate buyers source certified Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) through its network.
New York & New Jersey Minority … ↗Federal set-aside firms in New York
For federal contracts and subcontracting plans, search SAM.gov and filter by location and socioeconomic status: 8(a), Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVOSB), and HUBZone. These are separate from the state and council certifications above, and buyers count them differently.
Verify before you rely on a certification
A certificate on its own is not proof. Before you count a New York supplier toward a diverse spend goal or a subcontracting plan:
- Confirm the record is active, not expired, in the issuing directory above.
- Check the certification type matches what your program counts. MBE, DBE, WOSB, and CBE are not interchangeable.
- Keep a dated screenshot or export of the directory record for your compliance file.
More New York resources
- New York certification and contracting programs on SupplierDiversity.com.
- The national directories (NMSDC, WBENC, NGLCC, Disability:IN, NaVOBA) for suppliers certified outside New York.
- Every certifying body, what it certifies, and how to verify.