A concern must be at least 51% unconditionally and directly owned by one or more service-disabled veterans. More specifically:
- (a) Ownership must be direct. Ownership by one or more service disabled veterans must be direct ownership. A concern owned principally by another business entity that is in turn owned and controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans does not meet this requirement. Ownership by a trust, such as a living trust, may be treated as the functional equivalent of ownership by service-disabled veterans where the trust is revocable, and service-disabled veterans are the grantors, trustees, and the current beneficiaries of the trust.
- (b) Ownership of a partnership. In the case of a concern which is a partnership, at least 51% of every class of partnership interest must be unconditionally owned by one or more service-disabled veterans. The ownership must be reflected in the concern's partnership agreement.
- (c) Ownership of a limited liability company. In the case of a concern which is a limited liability company, at least 51% of each class of member interest must be unconditionally owned by one or more service-disabled veterans.
- (d) Ownership of a corporation. In the case of a concern which is a corporation, at least 51% of the aggregate of all stock outstanding and at least 51% of each class of voting stock outstanding must be unconditionally owned by one or more service-disabled veterans.
- (e) Stock options' effect on ownership. In determining unconditional ownership, SBA will disregard any unexercised stock options or similar agreements held by service-disabled veterans. However, any unexercised stock options or similar agreements (including rights to convert non-voting stock or debentures into voting stock) held by non-service-disabled veterans sill be treated as exercised, except for any ownership interests which are held by investment companies licensed under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958.
- (f) Change of ownership. A concern may change its ownership or business structure so long as one or more service-disabled veterans own and control it after the change.
[69 FR 25267, May 5, 2004. Redesignated at 81 FR 48585, July 25, 2016]