Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert)
VetCert
Also known as: SBA VetCert, veteran certification (formerly VA CVE VIP)
Visit VetCert →Operated by SBA (Office of Government Contracting)
At a Glance
- Official site
- veterans.certify.sba.gov
- Run by
- SBA, Office of Government Contracting (since Jan 1, 2023)
- When you use it
- To get certified before pursuing SDVOSB/VOSB set-asides, and to recertify
- Cost
- Free — SBA charges no fee to apply
- Certification term
- Three years, subject to continued eligibility
What It Is
VetCert is the online certification system SBA uses to verify that a firm is a legitimate service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) or veteran-owned small business (VOSB). On January 1, 2023, responsibility for veteran certification transferred from the Department of Veterans Affairs' Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE) to SBA, consolidating certification for both VA and non-VA set-asides in one place under 13 CFR Part 128. Since then, self-certification is no longer enough for SDVOSB set-asides government-wide: to be awarded an SDVOSB or VOSB set-aside or sole-source contract at any agency, a firm generally must be certified in VetCert. The application asks the firm to document that one or more veterans (or service-disabled veterans) unconditionally own at least 51% of the business and control its management and daily operations, and SBA reviews ownership, control, and small-business size before granting certification. A VetCert certification lasts three years, subject to the firm remaining eligible.
When You Touch It
- Before pursuing SDVOSB/VOSB set-asides — certification in VetCert is generally required to be awarded one.
- At application — you upload ownership, control, and eligibility documentation for SBA's review.
- Every three years — to recertify and keep your status active.
- On a material change — a change in ownership or control can require notifying SBA and re-establishing eligibility.
Key Features
| Feature | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Certification, not self-certification | Since 2023, SDVOSB set-asides government-wide generally require SBA certification in VetCert — self-certifying your status is no longer enough to win the award. |
| One system for VA and non-VA | SBA's VetCert consolidated veteran certification for both VA Veterans First set-asides and government-wide SDVOSB set-asides in one place. |
| Free, three-year term | There is no application fee, and a granted certification lasts three years as long as the firm stays eligible. |
| Ownership and control review | SBA examines whether one or more veterans unconditionally own at least 51% and control the firm's management and daily operations. |
What It Means for an SDVOSB
VetCert is the switch that turns your veteran-owned business into an awardable SDVOSB. Because self-certification no longer wins SDVOSB set-asides, an uncertified firm is effectively locked out of the set-asides that are the whole point of being an SDVOSB — so the certification is not paperwork, it is market access. Two things pay off most. First, get the ownership-and-control record airtight before you apply, because that is exactly what SBA reviews and what a competitor will attack in a status protest later: 51% unconditional veteran ownership and real veteran control of daily operations. Second, treat the three-year term and any change in ownership or control as calendar items — a lapsed certification or an unreported material change can cost you eligibility at the worst possible moment. Your VetCert status should always line up with what your SAM.gov record and your governing documents say.
Watch Out For
- Relying on self-certification — since Jan 1, 2023, SDVOSB set-asides government-wide generally require SBA certification, not a self-representation.
- Letting the three-year certification lapse — an expired certification means you are no longer an awardable SDVOSB until recertified.
- Weak control documentation — a veteran must control management and daily operations, not just hold 51% on paper.
- Not reporting material changes — a change in ownership or control can require notifying SBA and re-establishing eligibility.
Run the Numbers
Frequently Asked
What is VetCert?
VetCert is SBA's Veteran Small Business Certification system, the online program that verifies a firm is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) or veteran-owned small business (VOSB). Since January 1, 2023, SBA — not the VA — runs veteran certification for both VA and government-wide set-asides under 13 CFR Part 128. A firm generally must be certified in VetCert to be awarded an SDVOSB or VOSB set-aside or sole-source contract. It is free to apply, and certification lasts three years.
Do I still need to self-certify as an SDVOSB?
No — self-certification is generally no longer sufficient to win an SDVOSB set-aside. Since the certification requirement took effect, a firm must be certified by SBA in VetCert to be awarded an SDVOSB or VOSB set-aside or sole-source contract at any agency. Self-certification of small-business size for other purposes still exists, but SDVOSB status for set-aside awards now requires the SBA certification.
How long does VetCert certification last?
A VetCert certification is valid for three years, provided the firm remains eligible throughout the term. The firm must recertify before the term ends to keep its status active, and it must notify SBA of material changes — such as a change in ownership or control — that could affect eligibility during the three-year period.
Primary Sources
- 13 CFR Part 128 — Veteran Small Business Certification
- SBA VetCert — Official site
- SBA — Veteran-owned small business certification
Plain-English reference, not legal advice. Government systems are periodically consolidated, renamed, or migrated to new addresses, and the FAR/DFARS sections that govern them are amended from time to time — always confirm the current system, its URL, and its requirements against the official site and the actual solicitation before relying on it, and consult qualified counsel for your specific situation.
Change log (1)
- LaunchedPublished the federal contracting systems & databases reference covering the online systems an SDVOSB registers in, is found in, and is evaluated through — SAM.gov (FAR Subpart 4.11), the Unique Entity ID (FAR 52.204-6), VetCert (13 CFR Part 128), SAM.gov Contract Opportunities (FAR 5.201), the Dynamic Small Business Search (FAR 19.202-2), SBA SubNet (FAR Subpart 19.7), the Federal Procurement Data System (FAR Subpart 4.6), USAspending.gov (FFATA/DATA Act), CPARS (FAR Subpart 42.15), FAPIIS (FAR 9.104-6), the Supplier Performance Risk System (DFARS 252.204-7019/7020), the electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (FAR 52.219-9), and the FFATA Subaward Reporting System (FAR 52.204-10) — each with an at-a-glance quick-facts card showing the official site and operating agency, a when-you-touch-it list, a key-features table, an SDVOSB-specific angle, watch-outs, FAQPage, Article, Dataset, and BreadcrumbList structured data, primary-source citations, and cross-links into the glossary, how-to guides, forms, clauses, FAQ, and the set-aside eligibility, size-standard, win-probability, price-to-win, and subcontracting calculators.