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SBA loan type · from the federal record

CAPLines: who lends it, and what to expect

CAPLines is the SBA’s line-of-credit program for businesses with cyclical or contract-based cash needs. In the last five years it was 0.3% of all SBA 7(a) loans, at a typical size of $850k. Below: the rules, who actually writes it, and how its loans have performed.

Share of 7(a)
0.3%
789 recent loans
Typical loan
$850k
median, last 5 years
Typical term
5 yr
median
2.6%
7-yr charge-off · all 7(a) 5.7%

The rules, in plain English

Up to $5 million.
Four kinds: Working Capital, Contract, Seasonal and Builders.
A revolving line, not a lump-sum term loan.
For payroll and inventory gaps, contract costs, or construction draws.
A specialist product — relatively few lenders offer it.

Best for: lines of credit. Rules current to SOP 50 10 8 (effective June 1, 2025); amounts and guarantees can change.

Who actually lends CAPLines

most CAPLines loans, last 5 years
LenderCAPLines loansShare of its lending
1st Financial Bank USA668.4%
The First Bank and Trust Company445.6%
KeyBank National Association405.1%
BancFirst263.3%
Banner Bank202.5%
Bank of Bridger National Association192.4%
Banco Popular de Puerto Rico182.3%
First Commonwealth Bank182.3%
Regions Bank172.2%
ChoiceOne Bank151.9%

These are the lenders writing the most CAPLines loans in the federal record — the right doors to knock on for this product. Match your specific deal to lenders →

What borrowers use it for

Of recent CAPLines loans, 24 financed a business acquisition and 21 opened a startup. Its busiest states are TX, MN, IL.

How we know

so you can check it

Source. SBA’s 7(a) FOIA release of 2026-06-30. The program is read from the loan-level processing method field. Size and share cover 789 funded loans over the last five fiscal years; the default rate covers 3,269 loans approved through 2018 and old enough to judge. The federal file records approved loans only, so it cannot tell you the odds of approval — only what got funded, and by whom.

Data SBA 7(a) FOIA, 2026-06-30Recent loans 789Seasoned 3,269Published 2026-07-30

The other SBA loan types

Standard 7(a) → SBA Express → Community Advantage → Export Working Capital (EWCP) → International Trade → Export Express →