Small businesses that sell to the government or use SBA programs have more time to weigh in on how the agency decides who counts as small. The Small Business Administration extended the comment periods on two proposals that would rework its size standards, the SBA Office of Advocacy reports.
The new deadline is Nov. 20, 2026, according to the Federal Register notice. One proposal sets new size standards for 338 industry groups and industries, and the other is a revised methodology that explains how the limits are built, the notice says.
Key facts
- Comments must arrive by Nov. 20, 2026, the Federal Register notice says.
- SBA proposed new size standards for 338 industry groups and industries, per the notice.
- The extension added 60 days to the comment periods for two proposals first published Aug. 20, 2026, Advocacy reports.
- The proposals would generally raise size standards, so more firms would qualify as small, Advocacy says.
- Comments can be filed through Regulations.gov, the Federal Register page notes.
Background
SBA first gave the public 30 days to comment on the two proposals, the Federal Register notice says. On Sept. 24, 2026, the agency added another 60 days, Advocacy reports.
The extension covers two documents that appeared on Aug. 20, 2026: the proposed rule at 91 FR 53741 and the Revised Size Standards Methodology at 91 FR 54096, the notice says. The extension itself is Document Number 2026-19546, cited as 91 FR 60524, and it is a proposed rule under 13 CFR 121, according to the Federal Register.
The methodology white paper lays out how SBA sets, reviews and changes its size standards, and it makes major changes to the 2024 methodology, Advocacy says. The stated goal is to bring the standards in line with how industries are built today, along with current market conditions and competition, Advocacy notes.
Several changes stand out. The plan would group most standards at the 4- and 5-digit NAICS levels, which would shrink a list that now holds nearly 1,000 separate standards, Advocacy says. The proposals also reset thresholds under the revised method and move some industries from a receipts-based test to an employee-based test, Advocacy reports.
What it means for you
For most firms, the headline is that the limits would generally go up, which means more businesses could count as small, Advocacy says. The office expects the changes to widen eligibility for SBA loan programs, federal set-asides and preferences, and related benefits, according to Advocacy.
That matters most for a firm that sits just above its current limit. A higher limit could bring it back into small business status. A firm that is measured by revenue today should also check whether its industry would switch to an employee-based test, since that could change the math.
The extension notice does not say which industries would see higher or lower limits. Each business needs to look up its own industry codes in the proposed rule rather than assume its status will improve.
Firms that bid on public work often need their systems ready when rules change. Support for government contracting IT can help a team stay organized as it reviews new limits. A clear IT procurement process can also help when a firm's status affects how it buys and sells. Contract work often brings security reviews too, and cybersecurity services can help a team get ready for them. For more on supplier duties, see this guide to what a prime contractor may ask of subcontractors.
Practical steps
- Note the extension's document number, 2026-19546, so you can find the right filing, as listed in the Federal Register.
- List every industry code your business uses on contracts, loan forms and registrations.
- Find each code in the proposed rule at 91 FR 53741 and compare the proposed limit with the current one, using the Federal Register notice as a starting point.
- Check whether your industry would move from a receipts-based test to an employee-based test, which Advocacy says applies to some industries.
- Read the methodology white paper if you want to challenge how a limit was set, since it explains how SBA builds the standards.
- Write a short comment that explains how the proposed limit would affect your business, with your own numbers where you can.
- File it on Regulations.gov before Nov. 20, 2026, as the Federal Register page notes.
What happens next
The comment window closes Nov. 20, 2026, per the Federal Register. Neither the notice nor the Advocacy page says when a final rule might be issued. Firms that care about the outcome should keep an eye on the docket and on any later notice from SBA.
