SBA VetCert Certification Term & Recertification Deadline
Certification is not permanent. Since January 1, 2023 the SBA is the single governmentwide certifier of SDVOSBs, and a VetCert certification is valid for three years. Let the term lapse and the firm loses its certified status — and with it the ability to win new SDVOSB set-asides — until it is certified again. Separately from the three-year clock, the firm has to report material changes in ownership, control, or structure as they occur, because those changes can affect eligibility before the term ever runs out.
The Deadline
Valid for three years
What Starts the Clock
The date the SBA approved your SDVOSB certification in the VetCert program.
Who Has To Track This
- Certified SDVOSBs approaching the end of a three-year term
- Firms that have just changed ownership, the controlling veteran, or business structure
- Owners planning a transfer, merger, or buy-in that could affect eligibility
Key Dates
- 3 years
Certification is valid for three years from SBA approval.
An approved VetCert certification runs for three years, provided the firm keeps meeting the eligibility requirements throughout the term (13 CFR Part 128).
- Before term end
File to recertify before the three-year term expires.
Calendar the recertification well ahead of the expiration date so certified status does not lapse. A lapse ends eligibility for new set-asides until the firm is certified again.
- When the change happens
Report material changes to SBA as they occur.
Changes in ownership, the controlling veteran, or business structure must be reported to SBA and can trigger a fresh eligibility review (13 CFR Part 128). Do not wait for the three-year mark to disclose them.
If You Miss It
- Letting the three-year term lapse ends certified status — the firm is ineligible for new SDVOSB set-asides until re-certified.
- Closing an ownership or control change without reporting it can cause the firm to fail a later SBA eligibility examination or a status protest.
- A gap in certification can also undercut the firm's standing on long-term vehicles and recompetes.
Frequently Asked
How long is an SBA VetCert SDVOSB certification valid?
Three years from the date of SBA approval, as long as the firm continues to meet the eligibility requirements and reports material changes. The firm files to recertify before the term ends to keep its certified status (13 CFR Part 128).
What happens if my SDVOSB certification expires?
The firm loses its certified status and can no longer win new SDVOSB set-asides until it re-applies and is certified again. Existing contracts and standing on long-term vehicles can also be affected, so the safe practice is to recertify well before the three-year term ends.
Do I have to tell SBA about an ownership change between terms?
Yes. Material changes in ownership, the controlling veteran, or business structure must be reported to SBA when they happen, separate from the three-year recertification clock. Some changes trigger a fresh eligibility review, and quietly closing one can cost the firm its certification on a later examination.
Primary Sources
- 13 CFR Part 128 — Veteran Small Business Certification
- SBA — Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert)
Planning aid, not legal advice. SDVOSB rules are still settling after the 2023 transfer of certification to the SBA, and several of these windows are stated in business days or run from a procurement-specific event — verify the exact deadline against the cited authority, your solicitation, and your contracting officer before relying on it.
Change log (1)
- LaunchedPublished the compliance deadline reference covering the SAM.gov annual renewal, the three-year VetCert certification term, long-term-contract recertification windows, the SDVOSB status-protest filing deadline, and the date set-aside eligibility is measured — each with an ItemList of key dates plus FAQPage, Dataset, and BreadcrumbList structured data, primary-source citations, and cross-links into the how-to guides, regulation explainers, compliance checklists, glossary, and FAQ.