On September 18, the SBA announced that it would waive most upfront fees for small manufacturers in fiscal year 2026. For 7(a) manufacturing loans of up to $950,000, the SBA will charge no upfront fee. For loans pertinent to 504 manufacturing loans, the SBA eliminated both the upfront fee and the annual service fee.

These fee waivers apply to manufacturers classified under Sectors 31-33 of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and will be in effect from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. The SBA stated that reducing loan fees would “eliminate barriers to capital” and help small manufacturers invest in hiring, growth and production. The agency encouraged small manufacturers to use the SBA Lender Match portal to connect with participating lenders.