--- title: "Can a trucking company get an SBA loan?" description: "How SBA 7(a), 504 and microloans work for trucking companies, what each can fund, size limits for trucking codes, and why it takes longer." canonical: "https://www.breadroute.co/blog/getting-started-with-sba-loans-guide" author: "Blake Tawney" category: "Financing" tags: ["small-fleets", "otr-and-local-haul", "brokers-and-dispatchers"] published: "2026-04-17" updated: "2026-10-12" --- ## Can a trucking company get an SBA loan? Yes, it can, and some do. The point to get straight first is who lends. SBA says it does not provide 7(a) loans directly to borrowers. It provides a loan guarantee to lenders, and you work through a local participating lender. For the 504 program, loans run through SBA-certified Certified Development Companies (CDCs). Microloans come from nonprofit intermediaries that SBA funds. The lender decides whether to make the loan and sets its own standards on top of SBA's, so two lenders can answer the same request differently. BreadRoute is not a lender and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the SBA. A financing request goes to third-party providers, who make their own decisions on terms. For the product page, see [SBA loans](/financing/sba-loans). ## What can an SBA loan pay for in trucking? **7(a)** is SBA's main program. SBA lists these uses: real estate acquisition, refinancing, or improvements; short and long-term working capital; refinancing business debt; machinery and equipment; furniture, fixtures, and supplies; and full or partial ownership changes. The maximum loan amount is $5 million. For a trucking business, machinery and equipment can include trucks and trailers, and working capital can cover payroll and operating costs. Real estate can mean a terminal or shop. **504** is for major fixed assets. SBA describes it as long-term, fixed-rate financing, originated by a CDC alongside a senior lender. It can finance the purchase, construction, or renovation of buildings or land, and long-term machinery and equipment with a useful life of at least 10 years. It cannot be used for working capital or inventory. For most trucking operations, 504 is about the place you run from, such as a terminal, yard, or shop. Ask a CDC how a specific asset such as a truck would be treated. SBA's own 504 page shows two different maximum amounts, "up to $5 million" in one place and $5.5 million in the body text. Lender and blog pages disagree too, so we do not state a 504 cap. Ask a CDC what the limit is for your project. **Microloans** go up to $50,000, and SBA says the average is about $13,000. The maximum repayment term is seven years. They can fund working capital, inventory, supplies, furniture and fixtures, and machinery and equipment, and they cannot be used to pay existing debts or to purchase real estate. An SBA intermediary lender makes the credit decision and sets the terms. ## How do terms and guarantees work on a 7(a) loan? On SBA's terms page for 7(a), the guarantee is 85 percent for loans of $150,000 or less and 75 percent for larger loans, and SBA Express loans carry a 50 percent guarantee. That is protection for the lender, not for you. You still owe the full balance. For maturity, SBA's page sets real estate at up to 25 years including extensions, and says the general rule for other uses is ten years or less, unless the loan finances or refinances real estate or equipment with a useful life over ten years. We do not state interest rates. The lender sets your rate and fees, so ask each lender for the rate, the fees, and the total repayment in writing, and check them against the program terms on SBA's website. ## Is my trucking company small enough? For most operations, almost certainly. SBA measures size by industry code, and the size standards in 13 CFR 121.201 (checked October 12, 2026) include: | Industry (NAICS code) | Size standard | |---|---| | General freight trucking, local (484110) | $34.0 million annual receipts | | General freight trucking, long-distance truckload (484121) | $34.0 million annual receipts | | General freight trucking, long-distance less-than-truckload (484122) | $43.0 million annual receipts | | Specialized freight trucking, local and long-distance (484220, 484230) | $34.0 million annual receipts | | Freight transportation arrangement, which includes brokers (488510) | $20.0 million annual receipts | | Local messengers and local delivery (492210) | $34.0 million annual receipts | | Couriers and express delivery services (492110) | 1,500 employees | | Motor vehicle towing (488410) and general automotive repair (811111) | $9.0 million annual receipts | Most owner-operators and small fleets sit well under these. Size is measured with affiliates counted, so check the full rule if you own other companies. Your lender will confirm the code that fits your business. ## What do lenders look at, and what will I have to sign? SBA sets eligibility, and the lender adds its own credit standards. In general, expect questions about: - **Credit** for the business and each owner. - **Cash flow** that covers the new payment. - **Time in business.** A business with a short history gets a closer look at projections and personal credit. SBA's lender procedures set a minimum cash contribution for start-ups. Ask the lender what it is for your loan. - **Collateral** such as the equipment being financed. - **Trucking specifics,** such as your authority, your insurance, and the equipment. On guarantees, the regulation says holders of at least a 20 percent ownership interest generally must personally guarantee the loan, and SBA or the lender may require guarantees from others (13 CFR 120.160). Plan on a personal guarantee if you own a meaningful share. The paperwork is heavier than for most other products. Typical items are business tax returns, personal financial information for guarantors, a list of existing debts, projections if you are a start-up, and equipment details if you are financing a unit. Each lender has its own checklist. ## Why does an SBA loan take longer? There are two sets of rules to satisfy: the lender's credit standards and SBA's program requirements. The lender has to confirm the business is eligible, collect the required documents, and work through SBA's process. Some files go to SBA for review. We do not give timelines because they depend on the lender and the file. If you need money in days, such as for a delivered invoice that has not paid, a different product may fit better. [Factoring](/financing/factoring) turns delivered invoices into cash, and [equipment financing](/financing/equipment-financing) is built around the unit. SBA loans tend to fit planned moves: adding trucks, refinancing, purchasing a building, or consolidating debt. ## Who in trucking and logistics tends to look at SBA loans? - **Small fleets** with tax returns and steady cash flow, adding trucks, refinancing, or combining equipment and working capital in one loan. See [small fleets](/for/small-fleets). - **OTR and local haul operators** looking at tractors and trailers, or a yard or terminal. See [OTR and local haul](/for/otr-and-local-haul). - **Brokers and dispatchers,** who have few hard assets, so working capital, refinancing, or purchasing an existing brokerage are the usual uses. See [brokers and dispatchers](/for/brokers-and-dispatchers). - **New authorities** can find the bar higher. See [new authority](/for/new-authority) for other products to look at first. A microloan is a smaller starting point. ## FAQ ### Does the SBA lend me the money? Not for 7(a) or 504 loans. A participating lender makes the loan and the SBA guarantees part of it. For microloans, SBA funds nonprofit intermediaries, and they make the loan. ### Can I use an SBA loan to purchase a truck? It can be. SBA lists machinery and equipment as a use of 7(a) proceeds, and the lender decides whether to make the loan. The 504 program is aimed at major fixed assets, so ask a CDC about a specific vehicle. ### Do I have to sign a personal guarantee? Generally yes if you own 20 percent or more of the business. The lender or SBA can ask others to guarantee as well. ### Can a new authority get an SBA loan? It is possible, but the bar is higher. Lenders look closely at projections and personal credit, and SBA's procedures set a minimum cash contribution for start-ups. ### What rate will I pay on an SBA loan? The lender sets your rate and fees, and SBA publishes the program terms on its website. We do not state a rate. Ask each lender for the rate, the fees, and the total repayment in writing. ## Bottom line SBA-backed loans are available to many trucking companies, but they are made by lenders, not the SBA, and they come with more paperwork, a likely personal guarantee, and a longer wait. They fit planned growth better than urgent cash needs. Ask any lender for the rate, fees, and total repayment in writing.