SBA loans in Tampa: who lends, what gets bought
Since FY2018, SBA lenders have approved 583 7(a) loans to buy an existing business in the Tampa area, totaling $642M. The median loan was $739,100, 15% higher than the $645,250 national median. The area is Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco Counties, Florida, which together make 16% of the state's acquisition loans. Volume rose 32% from FY2024 to FY2026.
- Loans, FY2018-FY2026
- 583
- Median loan
- $739,100 (middle half $342,750 to $1,380,500)
- Top lender
- The Huntington National Bank (9%, 52 loans)
- Top industry
- Full-Service Restaurants
- Charge-off, FY2018-FY2021 loans
- 4.5% (all-acquisition: 3.5%)
- FY2026 loans (latest complete year)
- 75 (-12% vs FY2025)
SBA lenders approved 583 7(a) loans to buy a business in the Tampa area from FY2018-FY2026, with a median of $739,100 and a middle half of $342,750 to $1,380,500. The Huntington National Bank made 9% of them. FY2026 had 75 loans, down 12% from FY2025.
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SBA lenders in Tampa
The lenders that made the most SBA 7(a) acquisition loans in the Tampa area, FY2018 to FY2026. Many lend in more than one state; open a lender page to see where else it lends.
| # | Lender | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Huntington National Bank | 52 | 8.9% | $42.4M | |
| 2 | Live Oak Banking Company | 35 | 6.0% | $57.4M | |
| 3 | DFCU Financial | 32 | 5.5% | $32M | |
| 4 | BayFirst National Bank | 31 | 5.3% | $27.1M | |
| 5 | First Internet Bank of Indiana | 23 | 3.9% | $34.4M | |
| 6 | Valley National Bank | 22 | 3.8% | $23.1M | |
| 7 | Byline Bank | 15 | 2.6% | $19.2M | |
| 8 | Lake Michigan CU | 15 | 2.6% | $13.3M | |
| 9 | SouthState Bank, National Association | 13 | 2.2% | $13.3M | |
| 10 | The Bancorp Bank National Association | 12 | 2.1% | $14.1M |
What gets bought in Tampa
| # | Industry | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Full-Service Restaurants | 42 | 7.2% | $30.7M | |
| 2 | Child Care Services | 30 | 5.1% | $42.8M | |
| 3 | Insurance Agencies and Brokerages | 21 | 3.6% | $32.6M | |
| 4 | Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | 17 | 2.9% | $15.9M | |
| 5 | All Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 16 | 2.7% | $22.8M | |
| 6 | Landscaping Services | 13 | 2.2% | $19.5M | |
| 7 | Home Health Care Services | 12 | 2.1% | $11M | |
| 8 | Limited-Service Restaurants | 12 | 2.1% | $5.6M | |
| 9 | Offices of Chiropractors | 11 | 1.9% | $5M | |
| 10 | Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels | 10 | 1.7% | $26.8M |
Franchise brands bought in Tampa
| # | Franchise | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smartstyle | 4 | 0.7% | $3.5M | |
| 2 | The UPS Store | 3 | 0.5% | $3M | |
| 3 | Firehouse Subs | 3 | 0.5% | $876K | |
| 4 | Kids 'R' Kids | 2 | 0.3% | $9.2M | |
| 5 | Primrose Schools | 2 | 0.3% | $6.1M | |
| 6 | La Quinta | 2 | 0.3% | $4.8M | |
| 7 | Budget Blinds | 2 | 0.3% | $3.9M | |
| 8 | Supercuts | 2 | 0.3% | $1.7M | |
| 9 | Always Best Care Services | 2 | 0.3% | $1.3M | |
| 10 | Dairy Queen | 2 | 0.3% | $1.2M | |
| 11 | Home Instead | 2 | 0.3% | $1.2M | |
| 12 | Smoothie King | 2 | 0.3% | $1M | |
| 13 | Image360 | 2 | 0.3% | $896K | |
| 14 | Quality Inn | 1 | 0.2% | $5M | |
| 15 | Rodeway Inn | 1 | 0.2% | $5M |
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Tampa acquisition loans by year
| Fiscal year | Loans | Total approved | Median loan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 58 | $51.5M | $637,500 | |
| FY2019 | 78 | $64.5M | $553,550 | |
| FY2020 | 49 | $51.2M | $943,000 | |
| FY2021 | 80 | $100M | $862,000 | |
| FY2022 | 43 | $42.2M | $725,400 | |
| FY2023 | 58 | $67M | $657,500 | |
| FY2024 | 57 | $55.2M | $736,000 | |
| FY2025 | 85 | $93.6M | $631,500 | |
| FY2026 | 75 | $116M | $1,021,000 |
How often do these acquisition loans fail?
Of the 265 the Tampa area acquisition loans approved from FY2018 to FY2021 (the seasoned cohort, every loan at least about five years old), 12 have been charged off by the SBA, a rate of 4.5% by loan count and 2.2% by dollars. 137 have already been paid in full.
For comparison, the charge-off rate across all SBA 7(a) acquisition loans in the same cohort is 3.5%, so the Tampa area is 29% higher than the acquisition-loan average. Non-acquisition 7(a) loans (every other stated purpose) approved FY2018 to FY2021 charged off at 6.2%.
"Charged off" is the SBA's final loss action on a defaulted loan after collection efforts. It lags default by a year or more, which is why only older cohorts are measured. It is not the same as a delinquency rate, and loans still outstanding can still fail. See charge-off in the glossary.
How Tampa compares
| Measure | Tampa | Florida, all | All acquisitions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median loan | $739,100 | $751,700 | $645,250 |
| Middle half of loans | $342,750 to $1,380,500 | $350,000 to $1,584,250 | $283,000 to $1,465,000 |
| Average initial rate | 8.08% | 8.14% | 7.76% |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years |
| Charge-off rate (seasoned loans) | 4.5% | 5.7% | 3.5% |
| Loans in sample | 583 | 3,624 | 48,902 |
The median for Tampa-area acquisition loans is $739,100, in line with the $751,700 median for all Florida acquisitions and slightly above the $645,250 median for all SBA-financed acquisitions nationally.
The middle half runs $342,750 to $1,380,500, against $283,000 to $1,465,000 nationally; the median term is 10 years, the same as the national median; the average initial rate is 8.08%, above the 7.76% national average.
Seasoned loans were charged off at 4.5%, below the 5.7% rate for all Florida acquisitions and above the 3.5% rate for all acquisition loans.
Loan size distribution
| Loan size | Tampa | All acquisitions |
|---|---|---|
| Under $350K | 25% | 30% |
| $350K to under $1M | 38% | 33% |
| $1M to under $2M | 22% | 19% |
| $2M and over | 15% | 17% |
Most Tampa-area acquisition loans (63%) were under $1M, and the largest single band is $350K to under $1M at 38%, against 33% of all acquisition loans.
Bands are fixed dollar ranges chosen for comparison. They are not SBA program limits.
Lender concentration
The Huntington National Bank made 9% of Tampa-area acquisition loans, and the top three lenders together made 20%. 57 of the 102 lenders involved made three or more. Repeat experience is spread across many banks. That is a rough guide to how many banks have seen this kind of deal before.
Recent activity
In FY2025 and FY2026 combined, 160 Tampa-area acquisition loans were approved. That is 39% more than the 115 approved in FY2023 and FY2024. The median was $843,500, slightly above the $739,100 median across all years.
Terms signed in the LOI shape the purchase agreement that follows.
Request Engagement AssessmentFree consultation. All 50 states.
Counties in the Tampa area
Loans are assigned to the area by the project county the lender recorded, not the borrower's mailing address. The counties used, with loans in each:
| County | Loans |
|---|---|
| Hillsborough, FL | 259 |
| Pinellas, FL | 247 |
| Pasco, FL | 77 |
Questions buyers ask
How much do buyers borrow to buy a business in the Tampa area?
The median SBA 7(a) acquisition loan in the Tampa area was $739,100 across 583 loans (FY2018 to FY2026), 15% higher than the $645,250 national median. The middle half of loans ran from $342,750 to $1,380,500. A loan is not the purchase price: it is net of the buyer's equity injection and usually includes some working capital.
Which banks make the most SBA acquisition loans in Tampa?
The Huntington National Bank (52), Live Oak Banking Company (35), DFCU Financial (32), BayFirst National Bank (31), First Internet Bank of Indiana (23). The Huntington National Bank accounts for 9% of Tampa-area acquisition loans. See each lender page for industries and states served.
What kinds of businesses are bought with SBA loans in Tampa?
Full-Service Restaurants (42), Child Care Services (30), Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (21), Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (17), All Other Specialty Trade Contractors (16). Industry is the NAICS code the lender recorded.
How often do SBA acquisition loans fail in Tampa?
In the seasoned cohort (FY2018 to FY2021), among 265 Tampa-area acquisition loans: 4.5% charged off, 29% higher than the 3.5% national acquisition average.
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Related
- All Florida acquisitions
- Full-Service Restaurants nationally
- Child Care Services nationally
- Insurance Agencies and Brokerages nationally
- The Huntington National Bank
- Live Oak Banking Company
- DFCU Financial
- All metro areas
- SBA lenders by state
The metro area is a fixed list of counties chosen for this site, not an official statistical area. State is the project state recorded by the lender.
Cite this data
SBA Acquisition Data, "Tampa, FL: SBA acquisition loan data", https://sbaacquisitiondata.com/metro/tampa (data as of September 30, 2026). Source: U.S. Small Business Administration 7(a) loan file, data.sba.gov. Aggregated by SBA Acquisition Data.
The figures on this page are also published as JSON at https://sbaacquisitiondata.com/data/metro/tampa.json.