Fort Lauderdale is a city located in Broward County, Florida. As of 2019, the city's population is estimated to be 180,072. The city is a popular tourist destination, with over 11 million visitors annually. Fort Lauderdale is also a major yachting center, with over 42,000 resident yachts and 100 marinas and boatyards.
The economy of Fort Lauderdale is largely service-based, with tourism being the main industry. Other major industries include finance, real estate, and maritime. Small businesses are a vital part of the city's economy, with over 90,000 small businesses in operation.
Fort Lauderdale is a great place to start a small business. The city's diverse economy provides opportunities in a variety of industries, and the city's large tourist population provides a ready market for many businesses. The city also offers a variety of resources for small businesses, including the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce and the Small Business Development Center.
Comparing SBA loan types in Fort Lauderdale
Three SBA programs come up most often for Fort Lauderdale, Florida businesses, and they do different jobs.
SBA 7(a) loan: program overview
Maximum loan
$5 million (sba.gov, fetched 2026-07-24)
What it funds
Working capital, equipment, owner-occupied commercial real estate, refinancing business debt, and business acquisition.
Who lends
Participating banks and non-bank lenders. The SBA guarantees a portion of the loan; it does not lend directly to borrowers.
Rate structure
Negotiated between lender and borrower, capped at the SBA maximum. Most 7(a) loans price off the WSJ prime rate plus a spread.
Personal guaranty
Required from every owner of 20% or more of the business (13 CFR 120.160(a)).
Program facts confirmed against sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/7a-loans on Jul 24, 2026. Confirm current fees and maximum rates with your lender before relying on them.
SBA 504 loan: program overview
Maximum loan
$5.5 million per the SBA-backed debenture (sba.gov, fetched 2026-07-24). Total project size can be larger because a bank funds the first mortgage alongside it.
What it funds
Major fixed assets: owner-occupied commercial real estate and long-life machinery and equipment. Not working capital or inventory.
Structure
A conventional first-mortgage lender, a Certified Development Company holding the SBA-backed second, and a borrower down payment.
Rate
The CDC portion is fixed for the full term and set at the monthly debenture sale.
Program facts confirmed against sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/504-loans on Jul 24, 2026.
SBA Express: program overview
What it is
A delivery method inside the 7(a) program. The lender uses its own forms and procedures and gets an accelerated SBA response, in exchange for a lower SBA guarantee percentage than Standard 7(a).
What it funds
The same uses as 7(a), including revolving lines of credit, which Standard 7(a) term loans do not offer.
Trade-off
Faster turnaround and lighter paperwork, against a smaller guaranteed portion, which some lenders price for.
Current SBA Express maximum loan size and guarantee percentage are set by SBA notice and change. Confirm them on sba.gov or with your lender; this site does not publish an unverified figure.
Small business loans available in Fort Lauderdale
An SBA 7(a) loan made to a Fort Lauderdale, Florida business is made by a participating lender, not by the SBA.
The lender underwrites it, sets the rate within the SBA maximum, and services it. What varies locally is
which lenders are active, not the program rules.