Generally, to be approved into the 8(a) Business Development program and become certified the business must meet these eligibility requirements:

• The business must be majority-owned (51 percent or more) by an individual(s).
• The individual(s) must be an American citizen, by birth or naturalization.
• The business must be majority-owned (51 percent or more) and controlled/managed by socially and economically disadvantaged individual(s).
• The individual(s) controlling and managing the firm on a full-time basis must meet the SBA requirement for disadvantage, by proving both social disadvantage and economic disadvantage.
• The business must be a small business.
• The business must demonstrate potential for success.
• The principals must show good character.
• Separate eligibility requirements exist for a business that is owned by American Indians, Native Alaskans, Native Hawaiians or Certified Development Companies