Arranged through our SBA lending partners
SBA loans for motor carriers, up to $5,000,000.
The cheapest money a trucking company can get, and the slowest. Thirty to ninety days, real documentation, and a government guarantee that lets a bank price it well below anything in the short-term market.
SBA loans must be originated by an SBA-approved lender. Linehaul Capital arranges SBA 7(a) and 504 financing through our SBA lending partners — we package the file, we manage the process, and we stay your point of contact. We do not fund SBA loans in-house and we are not going to pretend otherwise.
Published criteria · Last updated October 2026
Eligibility criteria
Both tracks in full, then SBA criteria and current terms. SBA is the one product where a credit score is a hard gate, and it is the lender’s gate, not ours.
| Power units | 3 or more tractors or straight trucks in active service. 2 accepted for reefer, flatbed, tanker, hazmat, and other specialized authority. |
|---|---|
| Operating authority | MC/DOT active and in “authorized for-hire” status for 24 or more continuous months. No revocation in the last 24 months. We verify this in FMCSA SAFER before we call you. |
| Monthly revenue | $60,000 or more in average monthly business bank deposits across the last 6 months. |
| Amount | $75,000 minimum. $750,000 maximum in-house. Up to $5,000,000 through our bank and SBA lending partners. |
| Credit | No minimum FICO. We do not decline on personal credit score alone. We read bank statements, not credit reports. |
| Safety | No “Unsatisfactory” FMCSA safety rating. New-entrant safety audit completed and closed. |
| Documents | 6 months of business bank statements. No tax returns required under $250,000. No business plan. No collateral on working capital. |
| Decision | Same business day. Funds in 24 hours. |
| Early payoff | Up to a 30% discount on the remaining balance. |
| Contract | Two pages. |
| Power units | 1 or more. Owner-operators accepted. |
|---|---|
| Operating authority | Active MC/DOT. No minimum age. Day-one authority accepted. |
| Monthly revenue | No minimum. No monthly volume commitment. |
| Credit | No minimum FICO. No personal credit check. We underwrite the broker or shipper who owes the invoice, not you. |
| Advance | 90% to 97% of the invoice, paid same day on loads delivered and documented by 1:00 PM ET. |
| Rate | 1.5% to 3.5%, set by monthly volume and recourse terms. |
| Fuel advance | Up to 50% of the linehaul at pickup, once the load is covered. |
| Contract | Month to month. No long-term contract, no termination fee, no monthly minimum. |
| Power units | 3 or more. |
|---|---|
| Operating authority | 24 or more continuous months. |
| Monthly revenue | $60,000 or more in average monthly deposits. |
| Credit | 650+ typically required by SBA lenders. This is the one product where credit score is a hard gate — set by the lender and the SBA, not by us. |
| Amount | Up to $5,000,000 on a 7(a). 504 CDC portion up to $5,000,000 ($5.5M for small manufacturers), with the bank portion on top. Combined 7(a) + 504 cap raised to $10,000,000 effective July 4, 2026. |
| Down payment | 10% typical on 7(a). 10% standard on 504; 15%–20% for startups or special-purpose property. |
| Timeline | 30 to 90 days. |
| Documents | 2 years of business tax returns, 2 years personal returns, YTD P&L and balance sheet, personal financial statement, debt schedule, 6 months of bank statements. |
| Originated by | Our SBA lending partners. |
Not eligible for any product
- Freight brokers and 3PLs with no owned or leased power units
- Carriers under an active FMCSA out-of-service order
- Carriers whose only receivables are from a related-party shipper
- Carriers with an open involuntary bankruptcy
Why the 24-month rule exists
Motor carriers with fewer than two years under their own authority have an average three-year failure rate of 85% (FreightWaves, August 2026, citing Mitsubishi HC Capital America).
Under 49 CFR Part 385, a new carrier is also inside an 18-month FMCSA new-entrant monitoring window and must pass a safety audit in its first 12 months — authority can be revoked by a regulator for reasons that have nothing to do with the bank account.
We will not write an unsecured advance against that. We will factor your invoices from day one, because factoring is secured by the broker’s credit, not yours.
Current terms
7(a) ceilings, 504 rates, and maximum terms by use.
Published so you can check a quote against the cap before you sign it.
| Loan size | Maximum spread | Ceiling |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 or less | Prime + 6.5% | 13.50% |
| $50,001–$250,000 | Prime + 6.0% | 13.00% |
| $250,001–$350,000 | Prime + 4.5% | 11.50% |
| Over $350,000 | Prime + 3.0% | 10.00% |
Prime 7.00%, October 2026. These are ceilings, not quotes — qualified borrowers commonly price around 10%–13% APR and lenders may quote below the cap. Last verified 21 October 2026.
| Component | Rate | Note |
|---|---|---|
| CDC portion (40%) | 6.61% / 10-yr, 6.54% / 20-yr, 6.55% / 25-yr | Fixed for the life of the loan |
| Bank portion (50%) | typically 7%–9% | Set by the participating bank |
| Blended effective | roughly 7.0%–8.0% | Borrower equity makes up the balance |
504 debenture sale of 10 September 2026. Last verified 21 October 2026.
| Use of proceeds | Maximum term |
|---|---|
| Working capital | 10 years |
| Equipment | 10 years, up to useful life |
| Commercial real estate | 25 years |
| Business acquisition | 10 years |
Fit
What SBA is good for in trucking — and what it is bad for.
- Buying a terminal, yard, or shop. Twenty-five years at single digits is not available anywhere else.
- A large equipment package. Ten years on equipment versus seventy-two months conventional changes the monthly materially. Compare equipment financing.
- Buying another carrier. Ten years on an acquisition note.
- Refinancing expensive debt — including advances — into one long amortisation.
What SBA is bad for
Anything you need in under thirty days. A truck you found on Monday that sells on Friday. A file with credit under 650. A carrier with unfiled tax returns. For all of those, equipment financing or working capital is the answer, and you can refinance into SBA later from a cleaner position.
Questions carriers actually ask
SBA loans for trucking, answered.
Can a trucking company get an SBA loan?
Yes. Motor carriers are eligible for 7(a) and 504. Typical requirements are two years in business, 650+ credit, and full financial documentation.
How much can I borrow?
Up to $5,000,000 on a 7(a). Combined 7(a) + 504 exposure was raised to $10,000,000 effective July 4, 2026.
What are current SBA rates?
7(a) variable ceilings run 10.00%–13.50% over the Prime base depending on loan size; qualified borrowers commonly price around 10%–13% APR. 504 CDC portions priced 6.54%–6.61% at the September 2026 debenture sale.
How long does it take?
30 to 90 days.
Who actually makes the loan?
An SBA-approved lender. We arrange SBA financing through our SBA lending partners, package your file, and manage the process. See Disclosure.
Keep reading
- Term Loans Five to ten days instead of thirty to ninety, through our bank lending partners.
- Equipment Financing Same-day decision on a titled unit when SBA is too slow.
- Compliance Who originates what, and the state disclosure regimes we operate under.
Start the file now, close in thirty to ninety days.
We package it, our SBA lending partners originate it, and we stay your point of contact.
Start an SBA file → 3+ power units · 24+ months authority · 650+ credit, set by the lender and the SBA