Beginning the New York State MWBE Certification Process

The Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development is here to support your application for MWBE certification. As part of that support, we have created an MWBE Certification Assessment form that can help you better understand the criteria for certification.

While this form does not offer legal advice or guarantee certification, it allows you, and other prospective applicants, to answer business-specific questions about certification eligibility requirements to help better assess whether you meet those criteria.

Once you fill out the form, you will receive an answer based on your responses that will suggest next steps in your certification process.

MWBE Certification Assessment Tool

Disclaimer: This is a tool to assist your firm in its preliminary steps towards NYS MWBE certification. You may use these questions to perform a self-assessment of your firm as well to help you better understand the certification criteria. This tool is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not guarantee certification nor constitute legal advice and it may not be relied upon in support of a firm’s application for NYS MWBE certification. To be certified, a firm must demonstrate that it is a business enterprise that is at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned, operated and controlled, independently of any other business, by one or more minority or women-owners, in accordance with Article 15-A and the MWBE regulations.

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1. If applying for WBE certification, is the business owned at least 51% by women who are also US citizens or permanent resident aliens? *

2. If applying for MBE certification, is the business owned at least 51% by minority group members (as defined in Executive Law 15-A) who are also US citizens or permanent resident aliens? *

3. If applying for MWBE certification, is the business owned at least 51% by women minority group members (as defined in Executive Law 15-A) who are also US citizens or permanent resident aliens? *

4. Has the business been engaged in business activities for at least one year? *

5. Is the business publicly traded? *

6. Is the business authorized to do business in New York State? *

7. In the last year, has the business made a contribution to the New York State economy through the payment of taxes to New York, the purchase of New York State-made products or materials or having payroll in New York State? Select N/A only if the business is applying in an industry with a Small Business waiver. *

8. Over the last four quarters, has the business had an average of more than 300 employees? Select N/A only if the business is applying in an industry with a Small Business waiver. *

9. In the last year, has the business actively conducted business in New York State by either performing work or working towards obtaining work in New York State? *

10. Do the majority owners relied upon for certification have personal net worths of less than $15 million? (Select N/A only if the business is applying in an industry with a Personal Net Worth waiver). *

11. Have the majority owners relied upon for certification made capital contributions to the business that are proportionate to their equity interest in the business? *

12. Does the business currently hold a certification from one of the programs listed in the drop-down menu? *

Has the business previously submitted a certification application to New York State?

Are there still at least 90 days remaining on the first certification with the partner program?

Have there been any changes to the business since the business was certified with the partner program?

Is the business at the same address as it was when the business was certified with the partner program? (Note: If No, the business will need proof it has updated its address with the partner program).

Is the business incorporated/organized in New York State?

Is the business incorporated/organized in New York State or New Jersey?

Are the owners of the business the same as they were when the business was certified by the partner program?

Has the business had a certification application rejected by New York State within the previous 90 calendar days? *

Has the business received a waiver allowing it to reapply before 90 calendar days? *

Has the business had a certification application denied by New York State within the previous two years? *

Has the business received a waiver allowing it to reapply before 2 years? *

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