Welcome to the State of California's Online Certification!

In most cases, your California Small Business certification or Non-Profit registration will be completed online in one business day or less when you have at hand the necessary information from your tax returns and business documents to enter into the online system.   

State law requires that those applying for Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) certification provide to the DGS a current award of entitlement letter from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense and copies of Federal tax returns.  DVBE firms are encouraged to apply online, with the review and approval process to be completed in less than 30 days after all documents are received.

What does the Online Certification offer?

Through a secure logon, the "no-fee" online application allows you to accomplish the following:

• Apply for the following certifications:
  • Small Business
  • Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE)
  • Both Small Business and DVBE
  • Nonprofit registration for prompt payment benefits
  • Nonprofit Veteran Service Agency (NVSA)
• Certified firms have round-the-clock access to their certification information and can make updates as necessary
• Certified firms (that are not yet expired) can renew their certifications (within 3 calendar months of expiration)
• This self-paced interactive system will guide you through a series of questions based on your business structure and functions.  At the end of your submittal, you will receive one of three certification statuses:  approved, denied, or submitted.

What does the online application entail?

• New applicants:  After an initial registration, eligibility pretest, and user logon setup, you will be asked to provide information about your business and answer questions regarding eligibility. 
• Only small business-only or non-profit organization applicants may receive an immediate "approved" certification status if their responses deem them eligible for certification.
• If a response to an application item deems the applicant ineligible, they will receive an immediate "denial" certification status.  The applicant may reapply for certification via the online process, but they cannot receive an immediate approval status.  They will be required to submit hardcopy support documents to the Office of Small Business and DVBE Services (OSDS) within 30 working days of submitting their application.  It can take up to 30 working days to receive a certification status; either approved, denied or additional information may be needed.
• Certain businesses will require further review by the OSDS.  In these instances, applicants will be directed to submit hardcopy information to the OSDS within 30 days of submitting the online application.  The applicant can then expect a certification status within 30 working days of the OSDS receiving the additional information.  Once the review is complete, the certification status can be approved, denied or additional information may be requested.

How much time do I have to complete the online application?

• The application timing is self-paced.  However, the application will time out after 20 minutes of inactivity and you will need to logon again. 
• You will be prompted to have on hand the following supporting documents to complete the applicable "Gross Annual Receipts" and "Workforce" sections of the application.  You will need the documents for the applicant and any of your affiliates (if any):
  • Small Business and DVBE Applicants) The Federal income tax returns covering the last three tax years (or the number of years that you've been in business, if the business is less than three years old).
  • (Small Business Applicants) The state Quarterly Wage and Withholding Report (citing the number of employees for the last four quarters).  If the applicant and/or any affiliates have out-of-state employees, you will need that state's equivalent to the Quarterly Wage and Withholding Report.

Do I have to send in additional support documentation?

• Based on the information provided, some applicants will be directed to send in specific support documentation at the end of the online application process before they can receive a final certification status.
• All applicants and certified businesses are subject to verification or re-verification of status at any time.  The OSDS will be conducting random audits to ensure certification requirements are met.
• Even though an applicant may not have been required to previously submit support documents, it may be necessary for the OSDS to request documentation to better understand the applicant's business structure and operations and/or to help further determine certification eligibility.
• The requested supporting documentation may pertain to the applicant and/or any existing or potential affiliates the applicant may have.
• The supporting documents may include, but are not limited to:
  • Federal income tax returns for proof of annual receipts
  • Quarterly Wage and Withholding Reports to verify the number of employees, including employees that are out-of-state and/or out of the country
  • Written statements about the business and its operations
  •  Licenses, permits, or other documents authorizing your business (or your affiliates) to do business in California
  • Corporate, partnership, limited liability company documents

Failure by a business to provide requested information that supports its eligibility, by the date and time specified by the OSDS, shall be grounds for denial or decertification.  Please also note that sanctions may be imposed for certification program misuse.  (See Title 2, California Code of Regulations, Sections 1896.14, 1896.16 and 1896.70.  See also Government Code, Sections 14842 and 14842.5; and Military and Veterans Code, Section 999.9; available at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/.)

What if I'm bidding on a State contract?

When bidding on a State contract, a completed certification application must be "submitted" to the OSDS by 5 p.m. of the contract or purchase bid due date.  "Submitted" means:

Small Business Only Applicants

• Applicant fulfills all of the online application requirements.
• The online certification application is accepted through the online process and the applicant receives an immediate approval status by 5 p.m. of the bid due date.

All Other Online Applicants

• The online certification application is submitted and accepted through the online process.
• All required support documentation (specified at the end of the online application process) is received by the OSDS by 5 p.m. of the bid due date. 

Paper Applicants

• A completed and signed paper application, and
• All support documentation (as required) is received by the OSDS by 5 p.m. of the bid due date.

Certification Updates and Renewals

• Information Updates:  After logging on, certified firms can select from the left navigation bar the application section(s) they wish to update.  Please note that certification eligibility is determined each time a change or update is made.
• Renewals:  After logging on, each application section must be reviewed to ensure all displayed information is current and accurate.  Please note that certification eligibility is determined each time a change or update is made.

Need Help?

Contact the OSDS by email at SBDVBECert@dgs.ca.gov, by phone at
(916) 375-4940, or by fax at (916) 375-4950.