On 7(a) loans which finance construction, the Borrower must supply a 100 percent payment and performance bond and builder's risk insurance, unless waived by SBA.

A Borrower may not use 7(a) loan proceeds to pay any creditor in a position to sustain a loss causing a shift to SBA of all or part of a potential loss from an existing debt.

A Borrower may use 7(a) loan proceeds to purchase a portion of or the entirety of an owner's interest in a business, or a portion of or the entirety of a business itself.

SBA's guarantee percentage must not exceed the applicable percentage established in section 7(a) of the Act. The maximum allowable guarantee percentage on a loan will be determined by the loan amount. Loans of $150,000 or less may receive a maximum guaranty of 85 percent. Loans more than $150,000 may receive a maximum guaranty of 75 percent, except as otherwise authorized by law.

(a) The statutory limit for direct loans made under the authority of section 7(a)(1)-(19) of the Small Business Act is $350,000. SBA has established an administrative limit of $150,000 for direct loans. The D/FA may authorize acceptance of an application up to the statutory limit.

(b) The statutory limit for direct loans made under the authority of section 7(a)(20) is $750,000. SBA has established an administrative limit of $150,000. The Associate Administrator for Business Development may authorize the acceptance of an application that exceeds the administrative limit.

(c) The statutory limit on SBA's portion of an immediate participation loan is $350,000. The administrative limit is the lesser of 75 percent of the loan or $150,000. The D/FA may authorize exceptions to the administrative limit up to $350,000.

The term of a loan shall be:

(a) The shortest appropriate term, depending upon the Borrower's ability to repay;

(b) Ten years or less, unless it finances or refinances real estate or equipment with a useful life exceeding ten years. The term for a loan to finance equipment and/or leasehold improvements may include an additional reasonable period, not to exceed 12 months, when necessary to complete the installation of the equipment and/or complete the leasehold improvements.

(c) A maximum of 25 years, including extensions. (A portion of a loan used to acquire or improve real property may have a term of 25 years plus an additional period needed to complete the construction or improvements.)

(a) Fixed Rates for Guaranteed Loans. A loan may have a reasonable fixed interest rate. SBA periodically publishes the maximum allowable rate in the Federal Register.

(b) Direct loans. A statutory formula based on the cost of money to the Federal government determines the interest rate on direct loans. SBA publishes the rate periodically in the Federal Register.

A Lender may use a variable rate of interest for guaranteed loans under the following conditions:

(a) Frequency. The first change may occur on the first calendar day of the month following initial disbursement, using the base rate (see paragraph (c) of this section) in effect on the first business day of the month. After that, changes may occur no more often than monthly.

(b) Range of fluctuation. The amount of fluctuation shall be equal to the movement in the base rate. The difference between the initial rate and the ceiling rate may be no greater than the difference between the initial rate and the floor rate.

(c) Base rate. The base rate will be one of the following: the prime rate or the Optional Peg Rate. The prime rate will be that which is in effect on the first business day of the month, as printed in a national financial newspaper published each business day. SBA may from time to time permit the use of alternative base rate options that are widely adopted for small business commercial lending and will publish notice of such alternative options in the Federal Register. SBA publishes the Optional Peg Rate quarterly in the Federal Register.

(d) Maximum Allowable Variable Interest Rates. The maximum allowable variable interest rates are set forth below, with the initial maximum allowable rate for the loan determined as of the date SBA receives the loan application:

(1) For all 7(a) loans of $50,000 and less, the interest rate shall not exceed six and a half (6.5) percentage points over the base rate;

(2) For all 7(a) loans of more than $50,000 and up to and including $250,000, the maximum interest rate shall not exceed six (6.0) percentage points over the base rate;

(3) For all 7(a) loans of more than $250,000 and up to and including $350,000, the maximum interest rate shall not exceed four and a half (4.5) percentage points over the base rate; and

(4) For all 7(a) loans of more than $350,000, the maximum interest rate shall not exceed three (3.0) percentage points over the base rate.

(e) Amortization. Initial amortization of principal and interest may be recomputed and reassessed as interest rates fluctuate, as directed by SBA. With prior approval of SBA, the Lender may use certain other amortization methods, except that SBA does not allow balloon payments.

A Lender must pay a guaranty fee to SBA for each loan it makes. If the guarantee fee is not paid, SBA may terminate the guarantee. Acceptance of the guaranty fee by SBA does not waive any right of SBA arising from a Lender's negligence, misconduct or violation of any provision of these regulations or the guaranty agreement or other loan documents.

(a) Amount of guaranty fee—(1) In general. Except to the extent paragraph (a)(2) of this section applies, for a loan with a maturity of twelve (12) months or less, the guarantee fee which the Lender must pay to SBA is one-quarter ( 1/4) of one percent of the guaranteed portion of the loan. For a loan with a maturity of more than twelve (12) months, the guarantee fee is payable as follows:

(i) Not more than 2 percent of the guaranteed portion of a loan if the total amount of the loan is not more than $150,000;

(ii) Not more than 3 percent of the guaranteed portion of a loan if the total amount of the loan is more than $150,000 but not more than $700,000;

(iii) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(1)(iv) of this section, not more than 3.5 percent of the guaranteed portion of a loan if the total amount of the loan is more than $700,000; and

(iv) An additional 0.25 percent of the guaranteed portion of a loan if the total amount of the loan is more than $1,000,000.

(2) For loans approved October 1, 2002, through September 30, 2004. For a loan with a maturity of twelve (12) months or less, the guarantee fee which the Lender must pay to SBA is one-quarter ( 1/4) of one percent of the guaranteed portion of the loan. For a loan with a maturity of more than twelve (12) months, the guarantee fee is:

(i) 1 percent of the guaranteed portion of the loan if the total loan amount is not more than $150,000,

(ii) 2.5 percent of the guaranteed portion of a loan if the total loan amount is more than $150,000, but not more than $700,000, and

(iii) 3.5 percent of the guaranteed portion if the total loan amount is more than $700,000.

(3) For loans approved under section 7(a)(31) of the Small Business Act (SBA Express loans) to veterans and/or the spouse of a veteran. SBA will not collect a guarantee fee in connection with a loan made under section 7(a)(31) of the Small Business Act to a business owned and controlled by a veteran or the spouse of a veteran.

(b) When the guaranty fee is payable. For a loan with a maturity of twelve (12) months or less, the Lender must pay the guaranty fee to SBA electronically within 10 business days after receiving SBA loan approval. The Lender may only charge the Borrower for the fee after the Lender pays the guaranty fee. For a loan with a maturity in excess of twelve (12) months, the Lender must pay the guaranty fee to SBA electronically within 90 days after SBA gives its loan approval. The Lender may charge the Borrower the fee after the Lender has made the first disbursement of the loan. The Borrower may use the loan proceeds to pay the guaranty fee. However, the first disbursement must not be made solely or primarily to pay the guaranty fee.

(c) Refund of guaranty fee. For a loan with a maturity of more than twelve (12) months, SBA will refund the guaranty fee if the Lender has not made any disbursement and the lender requests in writing the refund and cancellation of the SBA guaranty.

(d) Lender's retention of portion of guaranty fee. With respect to a loan with a maturity of more than twelve (12) months, where the total loan amount is no more than $150,000 Lender may retain not more than 25 percent of the guaranty fee.

(e) If the guarantee fee is not paid, SBA may terminate the guarantee. The Borrower may use working capital loan proceeds to reimburse the Lender for the guarantee fee. Acceptance of the guarantee fee by SBA shall not waive any right of SBA arising from the Lender's misconduct or violation of any provision of this part, the guarantee agreement or other loan documents.

(f) Lender's annual service fee payable to SBA—(1) In general. Except to the extent paragraph (f)(2) of this section applies, the lender shall pay SBA an annual service fee in an amount not to exceed 0.55 percent of the outstanding balance of the guaranteed portion of each loan. The service fee cannot be charged to the Borrower. SBA may institute a late fee charge for delinquent payments of the annual service fee to cover administrative costs associated with collecting delinquent fees.

(2) For loans approved from October 1, 2002, through September 30, 2004. The lender shall pay SBA an annual service fee equal to 0.25 percent of the outstanding balance of the guaranteed portion of each loan. The service fee cannot be charged to the Borrower. SBA may institute a late fee charge for delinquent payments of the annual service fee to cover administrative costs associated with collecting delinquent fees.

Unless otherwise allowed by SBA Loan Program Requirements, the Lender may charge and collect from the applicant or Borrower only the following fees and expenses:

(a) Service and packaging fees. The Lender may charge an applicant reasonable fees (customary for similar Lenders in the geographic area where the loan is being made) for packaging and other services. The Lender must advise the applicant in writing that the applicant is not required to obtain or pay for unwanted services. The applicant is responsible for deciding whether fees are reasonable. SBA may review these fees at any time. Lender must refund any such fee considered unreasonable by SBA.

(b) Extraordinary servicing. Subject to prior written SBA approval, if all or part of a loan will have extraordinary servicing needs, the Lender may charge the applicant a service fee not to exceed 2 percent per year on the outstanding balance of the part requiring special servicing.

(c) Out-of-pocket expenses. The Lender may collect from the applicant necessary out-of-pocket expenses such as filing or recording fees.

(d) Late payment fee. The Lender may charge the Borrower a late payment fee not to exceed 5 percent of the regular loan payment.

(e) Legal services. Lender may charge the Borrower for legal services rendered on an hourly basis.

The Lender or its Associates may not share any premium received from the sale of an SBA guaranteed loan in the secondary market with a Service Provider, packager, or other loan-referral source.

(a) The subsidy recoupment fee is payable to SBA when:

(1) Loan has a maturity of 15 years or more.

(2) Borrower makes a voluntary prepayment (or several prepayments in the aggregate) during any one of the first three successive 12 month periods following the first disbursement of the loan. Prepayment is defined as a payment of principal in excess of the amount due according to the amortization schedule.

(3) The prepayment (or several prepayments in the aggregate) is more than 25 percent of the highest outstanding principal balance of the loan in any one of the first three successive 12 month periods following the first disbursement.

(b) When all the conditions above exist, the following subsidy recoupment fees apply:

(1) If the prepayment is made during the first 12 month period after first disbursement, the charge is 5 percent of the total amount of all prepayments made during such period;

(2) If the prepayment is made during the second 12 month period after first disbursement, the charge is 3 percent of the total amount of all prepayments made during that period; and

(3) If the prepayment is made during the third 12 month period after first disbursement, the charge is 1 percent of the total amount of all prepayments made during that period.