SBA Hot Topic Tuesday – Revised Procedures for Fingerprint Background Checks for SBA Business Loans
July 30, 2019
By Caity Witucki
Contributing Editor, SBA Hot Topic Tuesday
SBA Hot Topic Tuesday – Revised Procedures for Fingerprint Background Checks for SBA Business Loans
As of July 25, 2019, SBA will now require all FBI fingerprint background checks, in connection with SBA 7(a) and 504 business loans, to be submitted electronically. To allow for a reasonable transition, SBA will continue accepting submissions already in progress under the existing procedure in SOP 50 10 5(K) until August 24, 2019.
SBA 7(a) and 504 loan applicants are required to obtain an FBI fingerprint background check if:
- The applicant borrower is currently facing criminal charges.
- The applicant borrower has been arrested in the past six months. Or,
- If the applicant has ever been convicted, plead guilty, plead nolo contendere, been placed on pretrial diversion, or has been placed on any form of parole or probation.
SBA’s contracted channeler, Biometrics4ALL, will submit fingerprints electronically to the FBI and will provide the results of the background check to the SBA via a secure portal. The FBI takes approximately 48 hours to process a background check and the SBA generally makes their final decision within ten business days. However, more complex background checks may take longer.
To submit electronic fingerprints, the applicant borrower will need to visit https://www.applicantservices.com/sba and click on “Get Fingerprinted” in the top menu bar. They will then be prompted to register as a new user. Once the applicant completes the registration process, they can then select “Live Scan Locations” to find an FBI-approved electronic fingerprint provider.
Applicants will need to bring a printout of the “Request for Live Scan” form (which will be provided on the Biometrics4ALL website after registration), and proof of identification (a list of acceptable forms of identification can be found under “Frequently Asked Questions” on Biometrics4ALL’s home page).
While the borrower completes the fingerprinting process, the lender must upload the SBA Form 912 package into E-Tran or SBA One. The lender must then notify the SBA by sending an email to oca912@sba.gov with the borrower’s last name and the application identification number in the subject line. The email must state that the applicant borrower has been referred to the channeler’s website to complete the fingerprint submission process and the lender has saved the complete SBA Form 912 Package in E-Tran or SBA One.