SBA franchise directory

Search the directory

Type part of a brand’s name. Every listing on the SBA’s October 28, 2026 directory is included; brands with a page here link to what they cost to open.

Why the directory matters

Many franchise owners borrow part of the cost to open, and the SBA’s 7(a) and 504 programs are a common route: a bank or other lender makes the loan, and the SBA guarantees part of it, which lets the lender accept a new business it would otherwise turn down. For franchises there is one extra gate. Under the SBA’s lending rules (SOP 50 10 8.1, in effect since October 1, 2026), a brand that meets the FTC definition of a franchise must be on the SBA Franchise Directory before a lender can submit or approve the loan.

The directory exists so lenders don’t have to review every franchise agreement themselves. The SBA reviews the brand’s agreements once, and lenders can rely on the listing. That makes listed brands quicker to finance, and it makes an unlisted brand a real obstacle: no amount of personal credit gets an SBA-backed loan approved for a franchise the directory doesn’t include.

What each status means

The SBA’s directory sorts listings three ways. The search above uses the same labels.

• Franchise, eligible. The brand meets the FTC definition of a franchise and has an SBA Franchise Identifier Code (an S followed by four digits). Lenders put the code on the loan application. 2,567 listings are in this group.
• Not a franchise, eligible. Dealer, distributor and license agreements that some people mistake for franchises. The SBA lists them so lenders know they aren’t franchises and can proceed; they have no code. 1,009 listings.
• Disaster loans only. Brands, several of them salon-suite concepts, that the SBA finds eligible only for its disaster loans, not for 7(a) or 504 loans to open a location. 14 listings.

Many listings also carry notes for lenders, most often about lease riders or purchase options when the property secures the loan. Your lender will read those; the SBA’s spreadsheet has them in full.

Well-known brands that aren’t listed

Most well-known franchises are on the directory: 192 of the 211 brands on Franchise Tally are. These are the ones that weren’t as of October 28, 2026. Some, such as Chick-fil-A, don’t ask operators to fund the restaurant at all; others finance owners in other ways, so ask each franchisor how its owners usually pay for a location.

The largest franchises and their SBA codes

The 20 brands with the most franchised US locations, with their directory codes.

To see every listed brand that fits your budget, tick “Are on the SBA Franchise Directory” in the franchise finder.

If the brand you want isn’t listed

Start with the franchisor. Adding a brand is the franchisor’s job, not yours: it sends its franchise agreement and related documents to the SBA’s franchise team, which reviews them and adds the brand if nothing in the agreements makes owners ineligible.

Check the exact name, too. Some brands are listed under the parent’s name or a longer form (KFC is listed as “Kentucky Fried Chicken”), and some list each format separately, such as a sports bar and a smaller to-go version of the same restaurant. If the brand really isn’t there, your options are a conventional bank loan, equipment financing, the franchisor’s own financing if it offers any, or retirement-account rollovers, each with its own costs and risks. Each brand page here says whether the franchisor offers financing.

Loans for a listed brand still follow the SBA’s other rules. Our guide to SBA franchise loans covers loan limits, terms, the down payment and how the two programs differ.