State directory
State-by-state certification programs.
Every state administers its own MBE, WBE, DBE, and small-business certifications for state and local government contracts. Most are free to apply for. The directory below organizes states by region with the count of active programs we've verified in each.
States and territories
52
Active programs
140
Application fee
Usually free
filing fees vary by program
Northeast
Northeast states
Southeast
Southeast states
Midwest
Midwest states
National and federal options
For corporate and federal buyers.
State certifications cover state and local government work. They don't open Fortune 500 corporate procurement or federal agency contracting. For those, you need a national private certification (NMSDC, WBENC) or an SBA federal certification. Established diverse-owned firms typically hold one state plus one national plus, where eligible, an SBA program.
8(a)
SBA 8(a) Program
Sole-source federal contracts up to $5.5M ($8.5M for manufacturing) for socially and economically disadvantaged owners. Nine-year graduation period.
MBE
NMSDC Certification
The corporate standard for minority-owned firms. Required by most Fortune 500 supplier diversity portals.
WBE
WBENC Certification
The corporate standard for women-owned firms. Accepted by more than 1,000 corporations and federal agencies.
HUBZone
SBA HUBZone Program
A 10% federal price-evaluation preference for businesses headquartered in a designated HUBZone. Eligibility is location-based.
Start here
Confirm which state and national certifications fit your business.
The quiz checks ownership, location, and revenue against the eligibility rules for every state, federal, and national certification we track and orders the matches by which buyers accept each one. Most owners qualify for two or three.