Women-Owned Small Business Certification: How to Get Certified in 2025

What Are the Advantages of Women-Owned Small Business Certification?

Ready to unlock bigger opportunities? Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) certification gives you access to federal contracts, funding, and training designed to help women entrepreneurs grow faster and stand out in competitive industries

The U.S. government aims to award at least 5% of all federal contracting dollars to women-owned small businesses each year. But it wasn’t until 2015—more than two decades after the goal was set—that the Small Business Administration (SBA) actually met it. That means there’s still quite a lot of work to be done to create truly equal opportunities for women entrepreneurs.

As a certified WOSB, you get access to exclusive federal contracts called “set-asides,” designed for women-owned businesses in industries where women are underrepresented. On top of that, you can tap into business training, development programs and government-backed loan opportunities. 

Want to see if your industry qualifies? Check out the SBA’s latest guidelines.

Eligibility Requirements for Women-Owned Small Business Certification

To qualify as a WOSB, your business needs to meet the following criteria: 

• Small business status: Your business needs to meet the SBA’s definition of a small business. Size standards vary by industry, so check your NAICS code and compare it to the SBA’s size classification chart. You can find out more about small business classification here. 
• Ownership: At least 51% of the business must be owned by one or more women who are U.S. citizens.
• Control and management: Women must oversee daily operations, make long-term business decisions and work full-time within regular business hours.

If your business also qualifies as economically disadvantaged, you might be eligible for an economically disadvantaged women-owned small business (EDWOSB) certification. Here are the criteria: 

• Your personal net worth is less than $750,000 (excluding retirement accounts).
• Your three-year average adjusted gross income is $350,000 or less (with some exceptions).
• The fair market value of all assets is $6 million or less.

How to Get Certified as a Women-Owned Small Business

Before you can start competing for federal contracts or accessing special funding, you’ll need to get officially certified. You have two options: self-certification or third-party certification.

Option 1: Self-Certification (Free)

The SBA offers a free self-certification process through its website. To apply, make sure you have an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration and prepare the following documents:

• Birth certificates, naturalization papers, or unexpired passports for each woman business owner.
• Articles of organization/incorporation, partnership or joint venture agreements, voting agreements, and any amendments to these documents. 
• Issued stock certificates and stock ledger. 
• Assumed/fictitious name certificate. 
• The three most recent personal tax returns, including W-2s and all schedules for each woman business owner and her spouse (for EDWOSB). 
• IRS Form 4506-T, Request for Tax Transcript for each woman business owner and her spouse (for EDWOSB). 

Already certified as an 8(a) disadvantaged business? You can upload your 8(a) certification and annual review letter instead of financial statements. If your business is certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Verification and Evaluations (CVE), you may also qualify.

Option 2: Third-Party Certification (Paid)

If you’re short on time or prefer to let a professional handle the process, you can apply through an authorized third-party certifier (TPC). Fees and requirements vary by organization, but approved TPCs include:

• El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (EPHCC) 
• National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC)
• U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce (USWCC) 
• Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) 

Once certified, just upload your certificate (and joint venture agreement, if applicable) to the SBA website.

Should You Pursue Women-Owned Small Business Certification?

The short answer? Yes! If you qualify, getting certified is a no-brainer. The self-certification process is completely free and the benefits—like access to federal contracts, business training and funding—can be game-changing.

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