HUBZone certification in North Carolina

To get HUBZone certified in North Carolina, register in SAM.gov, confirm you meet SBA's rules for small businesses with their principal office in a Historically Underutilized Business Zone and at least 35% of employees living in one, 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.^[10]

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 HUBZone eligibility

   The business must be small under SBA size standards and at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens, a Community Development Corporation, an agricultural cooperative, an Alaska Native corporation, a Native Hawaiian organization or an Indian tribe. Check your North Carolina office and employee addresses on the HUBZone map.^[3][4]

3. 03

   Get free help in North Carolina

   NC SBTDC Government Contracting Assistance (APEX Accelerator): free counseling on SAM.gov, certification and bidding.^[9]

4. 04

   Apply on MySBA Certifications

   Apply at certifications.sba.gov with your office address and an employee roster showing where each employee lives.^[2]

5. 05

   Register with North Carolina too

   HUBZone 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.^[10]

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. HUBZone 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.^[10]

322 open bids in North Carolina right now; 0 name HUBZone in the title.

No open bids right now. Browse all open bids

• Certified firms compete for HUBZone set-asides and sole-source awards, and get a 10% price evaluation preference in full and open competitions.^[3]
• The government-wide goal is 3% of prime contract dollars for HUBZone firms.^[3]
• There is no time limit on participation; firms recertify every three years, in the 90 days before the anniversary of certification.^[5]

1. sam.gov/entity-registration
2. certifications.sba.gov/
3. sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/hubzone-program
4. maps.certify.sba.gov/hubzone/map
5. ecfr.gov/current/title-13/part-126/section-126.500
6. acquisition.gov/far/2.101
7. uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section644&num=0&edition=prelim
8. sba.gov/district/north-carolina
9. sbtdc.org/services/government-contracting
10. doa.nc.gov/divisions/small-business-enterprise-program