8(a) certification in North Carolina

To get 8(a) certified in North Carolina, register in SAM.gov, confirm you meet SBA's rules for small businesses at least 51% owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged U.S. citizens, and apply free on MySBA Certifications. NC SBTDC Government Contracting Assistance (APEX Accelerator) helps North Carolina businesses apply at no cost.

North Carolina's 2026 budget eliminated the HUB Office; HUB services stopped July 7, 2026 and HUB certifications are no longer recognized for new contracts. The race- and gender-neutral NC Small Business Enterprise program replaces it.^[13]

1. 01

   Register in SAM.gov

   Every certification and federal award needs an active SAM.gov registration and Unique Entity ID. Registration is free and must be renewed every 365 days.^[1]

2. 02

   Check 8(a) eligibility

   The business must be small under SBA size standards and at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens who are socially and economically disadvantaged, with good character and the potential for success.^[3]

3. 03

   Get free help in North Carolina

   NC SBTDC Government Contracting Assistance (APEX Accelerator): free counseling on SAM.gov, certification and bidding.^[12]

4. 04

   Apply on MySBA Certifications

   Apply at certifications.sba.gov. SBA aims to decide within 90 days of a complete application.^[2]

5. 05

   Register with North Carolina too

   8(a) covers federal contracts. To sell to North Carolina agencies, register on eVP vendor registration (free).

6. 06

   Add the North Carolina certification

   NC Small Business Enterprise (NCSBE) program, through Department of Administration.^[13]

APEX Accelerators, funded by the Department of Defense, help with registration, certification and bids. SBA district offices run certification outreach and answer program questions.

APEX Accelerators

• NC SBTDC Government Contracting Assistance (APEX Accelerator)

SBA district office

• SBA North Carolina District Office

North Carolina certifies its own programs separately from SBA, for North Carolina state contracts. 8(a) does not carry over automatically; apply to this one on its own terms:

• NC Small Business Enterprise (NCSBE) program, Department of Administration. Replaced the HUB program in 2026.^[13]

Highway, transit and airport contracts paid with U.S. DOT funds use Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certification, issued in North Carolina by the North Carolina Unified Certification Program (NCUCP) (NCDOT Office of Civil Rights). It is separate from 8(a). Since October 3, 2025, DBE applicants no longer qualify by race or sex presumption: each owner submits a personal narrative of disadvantage and a personal net worth statement, under a $2,047,000 cap, and existing DBEs are being reevaluated.^[14][15][16]

324 open bids in North Carolina right now; 0 name 8(a) in the title.

No open bids right now. Browse all open bids

• Participants compete for 8(a) set-asides and can receive sole-source awards up to $8.5 million for manufacturing and $5.5 million for other work.^[3]
• The program lasts at most nine years, a four-year developmental stage and a five-year transitional stage, and a firm can take part only once.^[3]
• The government-wide goal for prime contracts to small disadvantaged businesses is 5%, the statutory floor, after SBA reset a 15% target in early 2025.^[6]

1. sam.gov/entity-registration
2. certifications.sba.gov/
3. sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/8a-business-development-program
4. federalregister.gov/documents/2023/07/19/2023-15078/
5. ecfr.gov/current/title-13/part-124/section-124.107
6. sba.gov/article/2025/02/24/sba-administrator-loeffler-issues-memo-day-one-priorities
7. sba.gov/article/2026/01/28/sba-suspends-over-1000-8a-firms-program-following-december-document-request
8. federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/11/2026-16370/
9. acquisition.gov/far/2.101
10. uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section644&num=0&edition=prelim
11. sba.gov/district/north-carolina
12. sbtdc.org/services/government-contracting
13. doa.nc.gov/divisions/small-business-enterprise-program
14. connect.ncdot.gov/business/SmallBusiness/Pages/default.aspx
15. federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/03/2025-19460/
16. transportation.gov/mission/civil-rights/disadvantaged-business-enterprise/september-2026-final-rule