DBE Certifications

The prerequisites to qualify as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise – DBE Certification under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Program are:

• Applicants, by a variety of evidence, must meet all requirements concerning group membership, including individual social and economic disadvantage, business size, ownership, and control as defined in the 49 CFR 26 Subpart D;
• The applicant firm must be fifty-one percent (51%) owned, record costs & expenses, controlled and operated by one or more U.S. Citizens, or a legal resident (green card), who are socially and economically disadvantaged as defined below:
• Social Disadvantage means an individual who is a member of a identified group or a woman;  Economic Disadvantage means, by general terms, excluding the primary residence and ownership in the applicant firm, a socially disadvantaged individual who does not have a personal net worth in excess of $1.32 million.
• Be a for-profit business, located in the United States;
• A firm’s three-year, average of annual gross receipts, may not exceed $28.48 million;
• The acquisition of fifty-one percent (51%) business ownership by the eligible business owner(s) must be real, significant and instep with the percentage (%) of ownership;
• The qualified business owner must hold the highest executive office, be responsible for managing the company’s day-to-day business and have experience, in the firm’s primary business activity.