WBENC Certification

Certify Your
Women-Owned Business

WBEC-West is the WBENC-authorized regional certifying partner for Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and Southern California.

Why WBENC?

  • Accepted by 1,000+ corporations
  • Recognized by federal agencies
  • Access to $1.2T+ in contracts
  • Nationally portable certification
  • Annual renewal keeps you current

Eligibility

Certification Requirements

To qualify for WBENC certification through WBEC-West, your business must meet these core criteria:

Business is at least 51% owned by a woman or women
Owner(s) are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Women have day-to-day management control
Women make strategic business decisions
Business is headquartered in the WBEC-West region
Business is a for-profit enterprise

Documentation Required

Business licenses, articles of incorporation, operating agreements, tax returns, bank signature cards, and ownership documentation.

Processing Time

Most applications are processed within 60–90 days of receiving a complete application with all required documentation.

Certification Fees

Fees are based on annual revenue. Fee waivers may be available for qualifying businesses. Contact us for the current fee schedule.

Process

How to Apply

01

Create Account

Register on WBENCLink 2.0 at wbenc.wbenclink.org and create your business profile.

02

Complete Application

Fill out the online application form with detailed information about your business ownership and operations.

03

Upload Documents

Upload all required documentation through the secure WBENCLink portal.

04

Site Visit & Review

A WBEC-West representative will conduct a site visit and review your application for approval.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions?

Documentation

Documentation Required

All documentation must be uploaded in WBENCLink 2.0. The document list is divided into two sections: Mandatory Documents and Required Documents.

General Information

Requirements are the same for all business structures

  • Signed Sworn Affidavit (signed by majority female owner, notarized)
  • WBENCLink 2.0 User Agreement (signed by majority female owner)
  • Non-Refundable Processing Fee (credit card or mailed check)
  • History of Business (start, history, primary business description)
  • Professional and business license(s) (if applicable)
  • Resumes of all owners, board of directors, and key management team

Owner Eligibility

Requirements are the same for all business structures

  • Evidence of gender for female owner(s) — U.S. Passport, Birth Certificate, or Driver's License
  • Evidence of U.S. citizenship or Permanent Legal Resident Alien status

Financial Structure

Requirements are the same for all business structures

  • Financial statements: Profit & Loss statement and Balance Sheet
  • Three years' Federal Income Tax returns (business and personal if applicable)
  • Most recent 12 months' business bank statements
  • Evidence of financial contribution by female owner(s)

Personnel

Requirements are the same for all business structures

  • List of all full and part-time employees by name, position, and date of hire
  • Employee payroll for the month prior to submitting the application
  • W-2s and/or 1099 forms for all officers, directors, or owners receiving compensation

Management & Governance Information

Governance requirements differ by business structure

  • Management/consulting agreements currently active
  • Service agreements influencing day-to-day operations
  • Affiliate/subsidiary agreements (if applicable)
  • Franchise Agreements (if applicable)
  • Union Agreement (if applicable)
  • For Corporations: Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, Minutes, Stock Certificates, Stock Transfer Ledger
  • For LLCs: Certificate of Organization, Articles of Organization, Operating Agreement, Member List

Note: Your assigned RPO and/or WBENC reserves the right to request additional documentation. For questions, contact WBEC-West at [email protected] or (480) 962-0639.

Fees

Certification Fees

Within 24 hours of submitting the online application, you will receive an automated email notification with the name of your assigned Regional Partner Organization (RPO).

Annual Gross RevenueNon-Refundable Processing Fee
Under $1 Million$350
$1M – $5M$500
$5M – $10M$750
$10M – $50M$1,000
$50M+$1,250

All fees are non-refundable processing fees. If your company elects to mail a check, processing will not begin until payment has been received by your assigned Regional Partner Organization.