2026-07113NoticeWallet

SBA Tweaks Forms to Ease Small Business Bonds

Published Date: 4/13/2026

Notice

Summary

The Small Business Administration is updating and adding forms to make it easier for small businesses to get surety bond guarantees. These changes affect small contractors and surety companies, aiming to simplify paperwork and improve clarity. You’ve got until May 13, 2026, to share your thoughts, and these updates could help small businesses save time and money in the long run.

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

New Participation Forms for Sureties

SBA created two new forms, SBA Form 900 and SBA Form 901, for surety bond companies and surety bond agencies to join the Surety Bond Guarantee program. The forms only collect the signer’s name, title, signature, and date, and are intended to streamline participation and reduce application burdens.

Form 990 Updates to Speed Quick Bond Reviews

SBA will update SBA Form 990 to add a Quick Bond question about whether a project includes hazardous materials, asbestos, or timber sales over SBA's allowed amount to help automate reviews. SBA is also moving the SBA Bonding Line Request from Form 994B into Form 990 and adding clarifying language in several parts to streamline approvals.

More Applicant Data to Verify 90% Guarantees

SBA will update SBA Form 994 to add country to address fields for citizenship checks and will add new fields collecting economic status of individual owners so SBA can verify compliance when applicants seek a ninety percent guarantee under economically disadvantaged status. The updates also add dual-obligee fields and clarify wording to improve completeness.

Clarified Surety Reporting Fields on Form 994B

SBA will revise SBA Form 994B to add the phrase "within last 5 years," change field wording from "work program" to "total backlog," remove Part III (moved to Form 990), and update certification/signature wording to "Attorney In Fact Signature." These changes are meant to clarify reporting for surety respondents.

Claim Form (994H) Clarifications and Online Access

SBA will update SBA Form 994H to add an "SBA Claim Approval Number" field (produced by SBA), clarify Part E instructions, update Part H certification language to align with the new forms, and add guidance on how to access the form online. These are intended to improve clarity for claim filers.

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Key Dates

Published Date
Comments Due
4/13/2026
5/13/2026

Department and Agencies

Department
Independent Agency
Agency
Small Business Administration
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