Virginia SWaM Certification: Status and What to Do

What it is

The Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (SBSD) certifies Small, Women-owned and Minority-owned (SWaM) businesses, plus Micro and Military Family-Owned status. Service-Disabled Veteran (SDV) is a designation added to a SWaM profile after the Virginia Department of Veterans Services certifies the owner. State agencies track spending against a "42% goal for small business procurement," and many localities also use SWaM. State law lets the Governor authorize a price preference of up to 5% for certified small businesses as an enhancement measure.

Who qualifies

• Small: at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or legal resident aliens, with 250 or fewer employees or average annual gross receipts of $10 million or less over three years, counting affiliates.
• Micro: a certified small business with 25 or fewer employees and $3 million or less in average annual gross receipts.
• Women-owned or Minority-owned: at least 51% owned by women or minority individuals who also control management and daily operations.
• SDV: the veteran owner first gets eligibility certification from the Department of Veterans Services, (804) 786-0286.
• Out-of-state firms: you must hold the equivalent certification in your home state first. Your home state also must not deny like certification to Virginia firms.
• SBSD's out-of-state list (revised September 24, 2026) says firms from California, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas and Washington, DC will not be certified.
• Firms from Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia are listed as eligible, subject to home-state rules. New Jersey is eligible with similar restrictions.

What it means for your bids

• Agencies report spending with certified firms toward their 42% goal, so buyers look for SWaM firms in the SBSD directory.
• Agencies also report subcontracting spend with SWaM firms, so primes may ask for your certification.
• Federal 8(a), WOSB, EDWOSB and service-disabled veteran approvals can be added to your SWaM profile.
• The SBSD pages we read do not list set-aside dollar thresholds. Check each solicitation.

How to get certified

1. Gather the required documents: https://sbsd.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/Documents/ImportantFormsSWaM/SWaM-Documents-Required.pdf
2. If you are out of state, get your home-state certification first and read the policy: https://sbsd.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/Documents/ImportantFormsSWaM/Out-of-State-Policy-Revised-09-2026.pdf
3. Apply in the SBSD Certification Portal: https://certification-app.sbsd.virginia.gov/boLogin
4. Check status here: https://directory.sbsd.virginia.gov/#/status-search
5. Cost: SBSD says its certification is available "at no charge." SBSD may make a site visit, scheduled or unannounced. The pages we read do not state a processing time.
6. Certification lasts five years. Apply to renew before it ends, or it ends automatically.

Watch out for

• Report changes to your business in writing within 30 days.
• Denial appeals must be sent in writing to appeals@sbsd.virginia.gov within 10 days.
• SBSD posted a 2025 Commonwealth disparity study in August 2026. The page does not say whether program rules will change.
• Federal DBE is a separate program.
• Free help: SBSD at (804) 786-6585.

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Sources

• www.sbsd.virginia.gov/certification-division/
• sbsd.virginia.gov/small-business-certification/
• sbsd.virginia.gov/certification-division/swam/policy-for-processing-certification-appli
• sbsd.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/Documents/ImportantFormsSWaM/Out-of-State-Policy-R
• sbsd.virginia.gov/sourcing-and-compliance/
• sbsd.virginia.gov/small-business-disparity-study/
• law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title2.2/chapter43/section2.2-4310/
• law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title7/agency13/chapter20/section50/
• law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title7/agency13/chapter20/section150/
• law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title7/agency13/chapter20/section160/

FindMyBids isn't affiliated with any certifying agency, and this isn't legal advice. Status can change quickly with court orders and new laws, so confirm with the program office before you rely on it.