Ownership should be clear and consistent
The qualifying woman owner should be shown consistently across the Articles, Operating Agreement, amendments, and other ownership records. Names and percentages should not conflict across documents.
WOSB ownership and control
WOSB ownership and control: what your LLC documents should show
A WOSB application is not only about being at least 51% woman-owned. The governing documents should also support meaningful control of the business, including management authority and decision-making power.
Control should match the ownership story
Review who manages the company, who can bind the business, who controls day-to-day and long-term decisions, and whether another member can block or override major actions.
Voting rights matter
A 51% ownership percentage does not automatically mean 51% voting control. Check voting thresholds, supermajority requirements, unanimous-consent clauses, and special approval rights.
Watch for restrictive provisions
Certain consent, veto, deadlock, or removal provisions can deserve closer review if they limit the qualifying woman owner's authority.
Official SBA sources
The guidance on this page is grounded in current SBA WOSB materials. Always follow the latest official instructions for your application.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is 51% ownership enough for WOSB?
No. WOSB requirements address both ownership and control. The ownership structure and the governing documents should support both.
What documents show WOSB control?
For an LLC, the Operating Agreement and amendments are especially important because they can describe management authority, voting rights, approval requirements, and control provisions.
Can another member have veto rights?
Veto or approval rights can be important to review because they may affect who actually controls major business decisions.
Check your WOSB LLC documents before you submit
Run a free preflight for missing items, inconsistencies, signatures, dates, ownership, and control issues.
Run Free Document Preflight