Who qualifies for DOBE?
Disability:IN publishes three baseline requirements, and its National Certification Committee verifies each one against your documents.
The published standard
- At least 51% owned, operated, managed, and controlled by a person (or persons) with a disability
- For-profit business
- Headquartered in the country in which it applies for certification; U.S. applicants document U.S. citizenship or permanent residency for the qualifying owner
Ownership: the 51% rule
- The owner(s) with a disability must hold at least 51% of the equity, documented through stock certificates, a stock transfer ledger, or the operating agreement
- Ownership must be genuine equity, not a nominal arrangement built to qualify; voting agreements, stock options, warrants, and buy/sell agreements are reviewed for provisions that undercut the 51%
- Multi-owner businesses qualify as long as the disability-identified owner(s) hold 51%+ combined
Control: management and operations
- The disability-identified owner must actually run the business: day-to-day operations and long-term strategic decisions
- Governing documents (bylaws, operating agreement, board minutes) must show that management authority sits with the disability-identified owner, not with non-disabled co-owners or outside managers through side agreements
Documenting disability status Disability:IN requires one form of disability documentation per qualifying owner. Any one of the following satisfies it:
- Records from a licensed, registered, or certified vocational rehabilitation specialist (state or private)
- An Individualized Education Program (IEP), for an owner with a learning disability
- Documentation from a federal, state, D.C., or U.S. territory agency that issues disability benefits
- The Disability:IN Physician's Form completed by a licensed medical professional
Service-disabled veteran owners applying as SDV-DOBE submit a DD-214 plus their VA Disability Ratings Letter instead. Visible and non-visible disabilities both qualify; the IEP route shows the standard reaches learning disabilities that many owners assume don't count.
How to apply for DOBE
Step 1: Pick the right designation Disability:IN issues three: DOBE (owner with a disability), V-DOBE (veteran owner with a disability), and SDV-DOBE (owner whose disability is service-connected). The designation determines which documents you submit, so settle this before opening the application.
Step 2: Check whether you qualify for a fast track Firms holding a current WBENC or NGLCC certification apply through the Disability:IN Certification Hub with a reduced document set; Disability:IN says those determinations typically take 30 days. Businesses verified through SBA VetCert apply for SDV-DOBE with their DD-214, VA Disability Ratings Letter, and SBA VetCert letter plus standard business documentation. NaVOBA-certified firms can opt in to the program as an SDV-DOBE, with renewals handled through NaVOBA.
Step 3: Download the certification checklist and gather documents Disability:IN publishes a certification checklist at disabilityin.org listing every required document by business structure. First-time applicants need formation and governance documents, proof of ownership, three years of signed federal tax returns, current financial statements, payroll records, and one form of disability documentation per qualifying owner (vocational rehabilitation records, an IEP, disability-benefits agency documentation, or the Disability:IN Physician's Form).
Step 4: Apply through the Certification Hub and pay the $300 fee Applications run through Disability:IN's Certification Hub at supplierhub.disabilityin.org. The $300 non-refundable processing fee is due by credit or debit card at submission. Be consistent; reviewers compare application answers against governing documents.
Step 5: National Certification Committee review The committee reviews the file and reserves the right to request additional documents if disability ownership, management, and control are not adequately established. Respond within any stated deadline to keep your file moving.
Step 6: Certification decision Once approved, certification is valid for three years. You can use the DOBE mark in your marketing and bid submissions, and corporate procurement teams can find you through Disability:IN's directory of certified suppliers.
What you'll need to apply
Owner Documents (all applicants):
- Proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status (passport, birth certificate, or green card)
- Government-issued photo ID
- Disability status documentation: vocational rehabilitation records, an IEP, disability-benefits agency documentation, or the Disability:IN Physician's Form (SDV-DOBE applicants submit a DD-214 plus VA Disability Ratings Letter)
Business Documents (vary by legal structure):
- Brief history of the business (startups submit a short business plan)
- Resume of each owner, including the owner(s) with a disability
- Formation documents: articles of incorporation or organization, certificate of incorporation or organization
- Governance documents: bylaws or operating agreement, board and shareholder meeting minutes
- Proof of ownership: stock certificates, stock transfer ledger, or equity agreements
- The federal tax schedule matching your structure (Form 1120 Schedule G, Form 1065 K-1s, or Form 1040 Schedule C)
Financial and Operational Documents (as applicable):
- Three years of signed federal tax returns (startups substitute personal returns for unfiled years)
- Prior-year profit and loss statement and balance sheet (startups provide an opening balance sheet)
- Most recent itemized payroll records
- Contract or work history for the past three years
- Third-party agreements: management, lease, service, and equipment agreements
- Business licenses and permits
The $300 non-refundable processing fee is paid by credit or debit card when the application is submitted.
What DOBE unlocks
Access to corporate supplier diversity spend Disability:IN's corporate partner roster spans financial services, healthcare, technology, and retail, and its certified suppliers account for $4.7B in total economic impact by the organization's count. A current DOBE counts toward the diverse spend those companies track and report, and procurement teams source disability-owned vendors through Disability:IN's directory of certified firms, a pool of 1,000+ businesses against tens of thousands of certified MBEs and WBEs.
Disability:IN Annual Conference and DOBE Marketplace The annual conference includes a DOBE Marketplace and matchmaking with procurement executives from partner corporations. Because the certified DOBE pool is small, the event concentrates most of the certified supply and the corporate buyers in one place.
$300 for three years of certification The flat $300 application fee covers a three-year term, or $100 a year. Compare NMSDC's $270-$1,700 annual schedule or WBENC's $350-$1,250: DOBE is one of the cheapest paid supplier diversity credentials to hold.
Certification mark Certified DOBEs can use the DOBE mark in proposals, marketing materials, and corporate supplier portals as the verified credential for disability-owned business status.
Dual certification with SDVOSB Veterans with service-connected disabilities can hold both SDV-DOBE (corporate) and SDVOSB via SBA VetCert (federal). The markets don't overlap: SDVOSB unlocks federal set-asides and VA contracts, SDV-DOBE opens corporate procurement programs, and your SBA VetCert verification doubles as part of the Disability:IN document package.
Where applicants get tripped up
1. Don't self-exclude based on the severity of your disability. Disability:IN doesn't publish a list of qualifying conditions; it asks for documentation. If a vocational rehabilitation specialist, a disability-benefits agency, or a licensed medical professional (via the Disability:IN Physician's Form) will document your disability, you can apply. The IEP route for learning disabilities shows how far the standard reaches. Visible and non-visible disabilities both qualify.
2. Line up your disability documentation before you open the application. One document per qualifying owner: vocational rehabilitation records, an IEP, disability-benefits agency documentation, or the Physician's Form. If you have none of these on hand, the Physician's Form only needs a licensed medical professional to complete it, so start there.
3. Control documentation is as important as disability documentation. The National Certification Committee examines both disability ownership and genuine operational control, and it reserves the right to request additional documents when either is not adequately established. Governing documents (operating agreement or bylaws) must clearly show the disability-identified owner's management authority. Veto rights or override provisions that favor non-disabled co-owners will be scrutinized.
4. Use the fast track if you hold another certification. A current WBENC or NGLCC certificate cuts the document set and puts you on a determination track Disability:IN says typically takes 30 days. SBA VetCert verification does the same for SDV-DOBE (submit your DD-214, VA Disability Ratings Letter, and VetCert letter), and NaVOBA-certified firms can opt in as SDV-DOBEs with renewals handled through NaVOBA.
5. DOBE and SDVOSB serve different markets. If you have a service-connected disability, you can and should pursue both. SDVOSB through SBA VetCert gives you federal set-aside and sole-source access (including enhanced VA authority). SDV-DOBE gives you access to corporate supplier diversity programs. The applications are separate, the credentials are separate, and the markets don't overlap.
6. Complete your supplier profile after certification. Fill out your listing with NAICS codes, capability descriptions, revenue range, geographic reach, and any other diversity certifications you hold. Corporate buyers search with specific filters, and a complete profile improves your visibility in those searches.
7. Attend the Disability:IN conference. The annual conference's DOBE Marketplace and matchmaking sessions are the highest-density access point to Disability:IN's corporate network. Because the certified pool is only 1,000+ firms worldwide, showing up puts you in front of a meaningful share of the buyers sourcing this category.
8. Calendar the three-year renewal. Certification is valid for three years. Keep your financial and governance documents current so recertification doesn't become a scramble, and don't let the credential lapse in the middle of a corporate bid cycle.
Keeping your DOBE certification active
Certification is valid for three years. Recertify through the Disability:IN Certification Hub; NaVOBA-certified SDV-DOBEs renew through NaVOBA.
Companies that accept DOBE
65 corporate programs accept DOBE. First 12 below.
- Amazon f100
- Apple Inc. f100
- AT&T Inc. f100
- Boeing f500
- General Motors f100
- Google (Alphabet Inc.) f100
- Johnson & Johnson f100
- JPMorgan Chase f100
- Lockheed Martin f500
- McKesson f500
- Microsoft Corporation f100
- Target Corporation f100
Questions applicants ask about DOBE
What disabilities qualify for DOBE certification?
Disability:IN doesn't publish a list of qualifying conditions. What it requires is one form of documentation per qualifying owner: records from a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist, an IEP for a learning disability, documentation from a federal or state agency that issues disability benefits, or the Disability:IN Physician's Form completed by a licensed medical professional. Visible and non-visible disabilities both qualify, and service-connected and non-service-connected disabilities both qualify.
Do I need to submit medical records?
You need one form of disability documentation, but a full medical file is not one of the options. The accepted documents are vocational rehabilitation records, an IEP, disability-benefits agency documentation, or the Disability:IN Physician's Form. Service-disabled veterans applying as SDV-DOBE submit a DD-214 and VA Disability Ratings Letter instead.
How much does DOBE certification cost?
$300, paid by credit or debit card when you submit the application. The fee is non-refundable, and the certification is valid for three years. At $100 a year, it is one of the cheapest paid supplier diversity credentials to hold; NMSDC and WBENC both charge more than that annually.
I have a service-connected disability. Should I get DOBE or SDVOSB?
Both, if you pursue corporate and federal contracts. SDVOSB through SBA VetCert unlocks federal set-asides and VA sole-source authority; that's the federal market. SDV-DOBE connects you to Disability:IN's corporate partner network; that's the private-sector market. The applications are separate, the credentials serve different buyers, and your SBA VetCert letter doubles as part of the Disability:IN document package.
Is DOBE recognized by the federal government?
No, not as a set-aside credential. There is no federal contracting preference specifically for disability-owned businesses under the DOBE framework. For federal work as a disability-owned business, SDVOSB is the applicable certification if you are a veteran with a service-connected disability.
How long does DOBE certification take?
The one timeline Disability:IN publishes is for the fast track: determinations for applicants holding a current WBENC or NGLCC certification typically take 30 days. It does not publish a standard timeline for first-time applicants, so plan for longer and apply well before you need the credential for a specific bid or supplier portal registration.