What is the ownership and control by women who are u.s. citizens for WOSB?

at least 51%, per SBA — Women-Owned Small Business federal contract program This figure was read from that source on 2026-08-04; thresholds are revised, so check the citation before relying on it in a bid.

Small-business programs

What is a WOSB (women-owned small business)?

Women-Owned Small Business federal contract program

The WOSB federal contract program reserves certain contracts for small businesses at least 51% owned and controlled by women who are U.S. citizens, with an EDWOSB tier for firms whose owners also meet SBA's economic-disadvantage limits.

Also written as: women owned small business, EDWOSB, WOSB certification, economically disadvantaged women-owned small business.

SBA states the WOSB requirements as: at least 51% owned and controlled by women who are U.S. citizens, with women managing day-to-day operations and making long-term decisions, and the business qualifying as small under SBA size standards.

EDWOSB adds the owner's personal finances, using the same three figures as the 8(a) program: personal net worth less than $850,000, adjusted gross income of $400,000 or less averaged over the previous three years, and $6.5 million or less in personal assets. SBA has deliberately aligned the two programs' economic-disadvantage tests.

Certification is required. SBA states that firms must apply through SBA Certifications, or obtain certification from one of SBA's approved third-party certifiers and upload the documentation to SBA Certifications before bidding. Self-certification is no longer a route to a WOSB set-aside, which again makes older online guidance unreliable.

What this means when you bid

WOSB set-asides are code-specific: the program applies to NAICS codes SBA has designated as underrepresented. Check whether your code is one before building a strategy on it.

WOSB: the published figures

Each figure below was read from the regulation cited beside it on 2026-08-04. Thresholds are adjusted for inflation and changed by statute — follow the citation and confirm the figure in effect on your solicitation's date before you rely on it.

Ownership and control by women who are U.S. citizens: at least 51%
EDWOSB — personal net worth: less than $850,000
EDWOSB — adjusted gross income, three-year average: $400,000 or less
EDWOSB — personal assets: $6.5 million or less

WOSB compared with the terms it gets confused with

WOSB vs 8(a)

EDWOSB and 8(a) use identical economic-disadvantage figures, but 8(a) additionally requires social disadvantage and imposes a nine-year term.

What 8(a)means →

Where this definition comes from

Federal contracting is one of the few fields where the authoritative answer is free, public and one click away. These are the sources this page is built from — go and read them.

SBA — Women-Owned Small Business federal contract program→
13 CFR 127→
The Women-Owned Small Business federal contract program.
FAR subpart 19.15→
Women-owned small business program.

This page explains a term in plain English and cites the authority it comes from. It is not legal advice, and the regulation governs where this page and the regulation differ.

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WOSB— common questions

What is a WOSB (women-owned small business)?: The WOSB federal contract program reserves certain contracts for small businesses at least 51% owned and controlled by women who are U.S. citizens, with an EDWOSB tier for firms whose owners also meet SBA's economic-disadvantage limits.
What is the difference between WOSB and 8(a)?: EDWOSB and 8(a) use identical economic-disadvantage figures, but 8(a) additionally requires social disadvantage and imposes a nine-year term.
What is the ownership and control by women who are u.s. citizens for WOSB?: at least 51%, per SBA — Women-Owned Small Business federal contract program This figure was read from that source on 2026-08-04; thresholds are revised, so check the citation before relying on it in a bid.
Why does WOSB status matter when you are bidding?: WOSB set-asides are code-specific: the program applies to NAICS codes SBA has designated as underrepresented. Check whether your code is one before building a strategy on it.

Related terms

Set-aside
8(a) — 8(a) Business Development program
HUBZone — Historically Underutilized Business Zone program
SDVOSB — Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business
NAICS code — North American Industry Classification System code