HUBZone Checker

Common questions

My address used to be in a HUBZone but the map changed — am I still eligible?

When the SBA redraws the HUBZone map with new Census and economic data, some areas lose their designation. To cushion that, when a Qualified Census Tract or Qualified Non-Metropolitan County drops off the map, the SBA keeps it qualified as a "Redesignated Area" for three years from the date it lost its status (13 CFR 126.103). The SBA's own HUBZone map states that areas newly designated as Redesignated Areas will expire on July 1, 2026 — so if your principal office sits in one of those areas, after that date you generally can't win new HUBZone set-aside awards or receive the 10% price-evaluation preference in full-and-open competitions. One important exception: if your firm was a certified HUBZone business meeting the requirements as of the date of its initial offer, it's generally treated as a HUBZone concern for the life of that contract even if your area drops off later (13 CFR 126.601). The only way to know your current status is to re-check your exact address on the official SBA HUBZone map (maps.certify.sba.gov/hubzone/map) — an address that qualified last year may not today, and the map shows an expiration date for any redesignated location. If it no longer qualifies, your options are to move your principal office into a currently-qualified HUBZone, or to check whether another designation — a Qualified Census Tract, a Qualified Non-Metropolitan County, or a Governor-Designated Covered Area — still covers your location. Note that HUBZone certification is free through the SBA; this is a general explainer, not an official SBA determination, and the map is the only authoritative source.

Do 1099 contractors and part-time workers count toward the 35% HUBZone employee rule?

Part-time workers can count, but most 1099 contractors don't. For HUBZone purposes, SBA counts anyone who generally works at least 10 hours per week during the four-week period right before the date of review — so genuine part-time employees on your payroll do count toward the 35% residency requirement. Independent contractors paid on an IRS Form 1099 generally do NOT count as employees, unless they'd already be treated as employees under SBA's Size Policy Statement No. 1 (in other words, if they walk and quack like an employee, the label on the paperwork won't save you). Because a single person can swing a small firm above or below the 35% line, map out exactly who counts before you certify. The controlling definition of "employee" is in 13 CFR 126.103, and the 35% residency rule is in 13 CFR 126.200 — when in doubt, read the regulation or ask SBA directly rather than paying a firm to "figure it out" for you. HUBZone certification is free through SBA. We're an independent service and not affiliated with SBA.

How long does an employee have to live in a HUBZone before they count?

Under SBA's current rule, an individual must live at the location full-time for at least 90 calendar days immediately prior to the relevant date of review to count as a HUBZone resident employee (13 CFR 126.103). This was shortened from 180 days in SBA's HUBZone final rule effective January 16, 2025, so older guides you find online may still say 180 — 90 days is current. Two separate things get checked, and it helps not to conflate them: first, SBA figures out where the person actually lives — it looks primarily to the address on their driver's license or other government-issued ID, and turns to documents like deeds, leases, or utility bills only if that address is unavailable or inconsistent; second, SBA (or you, using the SBA HUBZone map) checks whether that home address falls inside a designated HUBZone. The map tells you whether an address is in a HUBZone — it does not establish where someone resides. Practically, an employee who just moved into a HUBZone this week hasn't hit the 90-day mark yet, so they can't be counted until they've lived there full-time for at least 90 days. (Note: this is general information from an independent service, not SBA — we're not affiliated with the SBA or any government agency.)