Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Certification Program

Gather the documents you will need to complete these steps. Download the checklist as a PDF.

• Resumes for everyone who has ownership stake in the business
• Bank letters with account numbers, a list of those allowed to sign on the account and any limits to a signer’s power
• Your business’s federal, state and city approved tax returns for the most recent tax year, including all schedules
• Proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent resident alien status for each owner
• Licenses and permits that your business holds
• Lease agreements or proof of ownership for all business locations, which must be valid for at least six months after the date of application
• Business contracts and invoices completed and signed for services performed by your business in New York City within the past year, along with proof of payment
• Proof of minority group status of each owner claiming minority status
• Business start details showing how your business was first funded
• Businesses registered outside New York State must provide a Certificate of Authority from the NYS Secretary of State; learn more about out-of-state businesses here

The following documents may also be required based on your business structure:

• Sole proprietors must provide a “business certificate” filed with the County Clerk if operating under a doing-business-as (DBA) name.

• Partnerships must provide a partnership agreement and a business certificate filed with the County Clerk.

• Limited partnerships (LPs) and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) must provide a partnership agreement and a state filing receipt, including any amended receipts.

• Limited liability companies (LLCs) must provide an LLC Organizational Agreement and LLC Articles of Organization, a state filing receipt, including any amended receipts, and any membership certificates (front and back), as well as the next unissued certificate.

• Corporations must provide Articles of Incorporation, corporate bylaws, a state filing receipt, including any amended receipts, and stock certificates (front and back), as well as the next unissued certificate.

• Businesses operating under a trade name or DBA name must provide a Certificate of Assumed Name, as filed with the County Clerk. Learn more about the Certificate of Assumed Name.

Your business may qualify for the quicker Fast Track application if it has specific certifications from one of New York City’s Fast Track partners. Qualifying certifications include M/WBE, Locally Based Business Enterprise and NYS Disadvantaged Business Enterprise. The City’s Fast Track partners include:

• New York City School Construction Authority

• Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

• Women President’s Educational Organization

• New York and New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council Inc.

• New York State Department of Economic Development

Note: Your business must have at least six months remaining on the partner organization’s certification.

If eligible, you can apply for certification with our partners by submitting an addendum with your application. More information is provided in PDF format:

• New York State Department of Economic Development
• Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Your business must have a Federal Tax ID. This could be an Employer Identification Number (EIN) or a Social Security number (SSN) for sole proprietors. Learn more about employer identification numbers.

Your business must be a registered vendor with the City of New York. To register, you must create an account on the Payee Information Portal (PIP). A PIP account provides you with an NYC Vendor Number.

You are required to register with PASSPort. To register, you must create an account on the PASSPort portal. A PASSPort account puts your business on the Citywide Bidder List.

Be aware that the person who prepares and submits your application must be authorized as a representative of your business and will be the main point of contact throughout the process.

Free certification workshops are available if you need any help with this process. Check the Business Courses page for details.

Use SBS Connect to track the progress of your application. Sign in to your account and view your application from the My Records page.

NYC SBS will tell you its final decision.

If your business’s application is rejected, you have the right to challenge the decision. The steps for the challenge process will be included in the NYC SBS rejection notice.

Your M/WBE certification is good for five years from the date on the confirmation letter.

To keep your M/WBE status during the certification period, you need to send a confirmation form each year to show that there has been no big change in ownership, running or management of the business. Yearly confirmations can be sent via SBS Connect. A reminder will be sent via email 45 days before the anniversary of certification.

Requests to change your approved contact (authorized representative) should be emailed to the SBS Certification Unit at mwbe@sbs.nyc.gov. Please provide your business contact details and use the subject line “Change to authorized representative.”

Gather electronic copies of your supporting documents.

To submit a standard or Fast Track application, click Apply Online.

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SBS Connect

If you do not have electronic copies of your supporting documents, you may mail them to SBS within 30 days of submitting your online application.

Use SBS Connect to renew your certification online. You will need to submit a shorter version of the certification application.

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SBS Connect

If you have any questions about renewal, please email the SBS Certification Unit at mwbe@sbs.nyc.gov. Please include your full name, contact details and certification status with your question.