Become a Certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business

• One or more service-disabled veterans, with a service-connected disability rating of 10% or greater, must own at least 51% of the business enterprise. Contact the New York State Department of Veterans' Services (DVS) to set up a meeting with a DVA State Veterans Benefits Advisor to determine whether you should file a claim with the federal VA to obtain a rating decision.
• The service-disabled veteran owner(s) must have (and exercise) authority to control independently the day-to-day business decisions
• The business must qualify as a small business under the New York State program. This means:
  • The enterprise is independently owned and operated
  • The enterprise has no more than 300 employees and has a significant business presence in the state but is not dominant in its field
• The company must have a significant business presence in New York State.

Learn more about the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act, including how to certify and how to find certified businesses.

Refer to this step by step process to complete the application:

1. Obtain a copy of the application here.
   (Frequently Asked Questions about the Application Process)
2. Fill out the application.
3. Sign the application.
4. Gather required documentation to support the application including copies of military forms, business licenses, franchise and trust agreements, resumes, LLC registration etc. Make a copy of these for your records.
5. Make a copy of your application and supporting documentation for your records.
6. Mail the application and supporting documents.
7. Receipt of the application will be acknowledged by mail and email.

Ready? Have with you:

• DD214(s) and/or NG214(s) with Line of Duty Report U.S. Veterans Administration documentation of service-connected disability rating which must be dated within one year of the date DSDVBD receives your SDVOB Certification Application and must demonstrate a service-connected disability rating of at least 10%.
• Official Internal Revenue Service (IRS) documentation verifying the firm’s Federal Employee Identification Number (FEIN) or Social Security Number (SSN) listed on the application.
• The entire Federal Income Tax Returns for the applicant business for the three most recently completed tax years
• Business License
• Resume which communicates the Disabled Veteran’s experience, education, knowledge, and qualifications.
• Franchise, Trust Agreement and Amendments, as applicable
• Articles of Organization
• LLC – Statement of Information
• Operating Agreement and amendments
• Articles of Incorporation
• Corporate meeting minutes listing current elected corporate officers and directors, or the most recent Statement of Information
• Corporate bylaws and amendments
• Stock Transfer Ledger and Stock Certificates for original applicants or changes in business structure
• Partnership agreement and amendments
• Limited Liability Partnership Registration
• Proof of VETS FIRST Certification
• Additional documentation as requested

You can fill out the application online or print it and write the information in by hand. All applications must be submitted by mail so be sure to print a copy of the completed application when you are done. Receipt of the application will be acknowledged by mail and email.

Complete the Application

Once you have received your certification, one of the best ways of finding out about opportunities is registering for email notifications of contracting opportunities with the New York State Contract Reporter. Whenever submitting a bid for contracts, you should identify your business as a certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business.