Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores acquisitions in California: SBA loan data
Since FY2018, SBA lenders have approved 246 7(a) loans to buy an existing business classified as Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores in California, totaling $565M. The median loan was $2,037,650. That is 4.7% of the 5,184 acquisition loans in California.
- Loans, FY2018-FY2026
- 246
- Median loan
- $2,037,650 (middle half $1,131,625 to $3,276,250)
- Top lender
- Celtic Bank Corporation (21%, 51 loans)
- Charge-off, FY2018-FY2021 loans
- 1.0% (all-acquisition: 3.5%)
- FY2026 loans (latest complete year)
- 27 (-16% vs FY2025)
SBA lenders approved 246 7(a) loans to buy a business classified as Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores in California from FY2018-FY2026, with a median of $2,037,650 and a middle half of $1,131,625 to $3,276,250. Celtic Bank Corporation made 21% of them. FY2026 had 27 loans, down 16% from FY2025.
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How Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores in California compares
| Measure | Gasoline Stations with... | California, all industries | Gasoline Stations with..., nationwide | All acquisitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median loan | $2,037,650 | $600,000 | $1,436,000 | $645,250 |
| Middle half of loans | $1,131,625 to $3,276,250 | $296,225 to $1,395,000 | $800,000 to $2,415,600 | $283,000 to $1,465,000 |
| Average initial rate | 7.36% | 7.87% | 7.36% | 7.76% |
| Median term | 25 years | 10 years | 25 years | 10 years |
| Charge-off rate (seasoned loans) | 1.0% | 4.1% | 0.9% | 3.5% |
| Loans in sample | 246 | 5,184 | 1,347 | 48,902 |
The median for loans to buy gas stations in California is $2,037,650, well above the $600,000 median for all California acquisitions, well above the $1,436,000 median for Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores acquisitions nationwide and well above the $645,250 median for all SBA-financed acquisitions nationally.
The middle half runs $1,131,625 to $3,276,250, against $283,000 to $1,465,000 nationally; the median term is 25 years, longer than the national median of 10 years; the average initial rate is 7.36%, below the 7.76% national average.
Seasoned loans were charged off at 1.0%, well below the 4.1% rate for all California acquisitions, above the 0.9% rate for Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores acquisitions nationwide and well below the 3.5% rate for all acquisition loans.
Loan size distribution
| Loan size | Gasoline Stations with... | All acquisitions |
|---|---|---|
| Under $350K | 1% | 30% |
| $350K to under $1M | 20% | 33% |
| $1M to under $2M | 28% | 19% |
| $2M and over | 51% | 17% |
Most loans to buy gas stations in California (79%) were $1M or more, and the largest single band is $2M and over at 51%, against 17% of all acquisition loans.
Bands are fixed dollar ranges chosen for comparison. They are not SBA program limits.
Lender concentration
Celtic Bank Corporation made 21% of loans to buy gas stations in California, and the top three lenders together made 50%. 16 of the 39 lenders involved made three or more. A few banks carry most of the volume. That is a rough guide to how many banks have seen this kind of deal before.
Recent activity
In FY2025 and FY2026 combined, 59 loans to buy gas stations in California were approved. That is 5% more than the 56 approved in FY2023 and FY2024. The median was $2,220,000, slightly above the $2,037,650 median across all years.
Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores acquisition loans in California by year
| Fiscal year | Loans | Total approved | Median loan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 15 | $37.3M | $2,272,000 | |
| FY2019 | 21 | $42M | $1,541,000 | |
| FY2020 | 37 | $84.5M | $1,776,500 | |
| FY2021 | 29 | $61.7M | $1,880,000 | |
| FY2022 | 29 | $64.9M | $2,142,000 | |
| FY2023 | 27 | $77.2M | $3,000,000 | |
| FY2024 | 29 | $46.6M | $1,600,000 | |
| FY2025 | 32 | $80M | $2,040,000 | |
| FY2026 | 27 | $70.3M | $2,600,000 |
How often do these acquisition loans fail?
Of the 102 Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores in California acquisition loans approved from FY2018 to FY2021 (the seasoned cohort, every loan at least about five years old), 1 have been charged off by the SBA, a rate of 1.0% by loan count and 0.1% by dollars. 60 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 Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores in California is 72% lower 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.
Seller note standby terms and third-party consents are reviewed before closing.
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Top lenders
| # | Lender | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Celtic Bank Corporation | 51 | 20.7% | $141M | |
| 2 | Open Bank | 48 | 19.5% | $115M | |
| 3 | Commonwealth Business Bank | 25 | 10.2% | $45.4M | |
| 4 | PCB Bank | 14 | 5.7% | $31.4M | |
| 5 | United Business Bank | 13 | 5.3% | $33.9M |
Top franchise brands
| # | Franchise | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AM/PM Mini-Mart | 14 | 5.7% | $42.8M | |
| 2 | Chevron | 13 | 5.3% | $30.2M | |
| 3 | Boyett Petroleum | 12 | 4.9% | $31.2M | |
| 4 | AM/PM Mini-Mart Agreement | 8 | 3.3% | $25.3M | |
| 5 | Circle K | 8 | 3.3% | $13.5M |
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Questions buyers ask
How much do SBA loans for Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores acquisitions in California run?
The median SBA 7(a) loan was $2,037,650 across 246 loans (FY2018 to FY2026), with the middle half between $1,131,625 and $3,276,250. The loan excludes the buyer's equity and any seller note and may include working capital, so the price is usually higher than the loan.
Which banks finance Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores acquisitions in California?
Celtic Bank Corporation (51), Open Bank (48), Commonwealth Business Bank (25), PCB Bank (14), United Business Bank (13). Some lenders repeatedly finance this industry in this state; the counts above show which.
How often do Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores acquisition loans fail in California?
1.0% of 102 seasoned loans (FY2018 to FY2021) were charged off, against 3.5% for all SBA acquisition loans.
Are franchised businesses part of Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores acquisitions in California?
153 of the 246 loans (62%) involved a franchise brand, most often AM/PM Mini-Mart (14).
How much do you need down for an SBA loan to buy a gas station in California?
The SBA requires the buyer to make an equity injection, commonly 10% of total project cost, and a lender may ask for more. The SBA file does not record injections, so the figures here are the financed portion: the median for loans to buy gas stations in California was $2,037,650, and the middle half ran $1,131,625 to $3,276,250.
How long does an SBA acquisition loan take?
For a change-of-ownership 7(a) loan, 45 to 90 days from application to close is typical. It varies by lender and by how quickly third-party reports, such as the business valuation and appraisal, come back. The SBA file records approval dates, not application dates, so this site cannot measure it. Lenders approved 59 loans to buy gas stations in California in FY2025 and FY2026.
Which banks make SBA loans for a gas station in California?
By loan count, FY2018 to FY2026: Celtic Bank Corporation (51), Open Bank (48), Commonwealth Business Bank (25), PCB Bank (14), United Business Bank (13). Celtic Bank Corporation made 21% of loans to buy gas stations in California. Counts show past approvals only and do not predict whether a lender will approve a particular deal.
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Related
- All California acquisitions
- Financing one? How to get an SBA loan to buy a gas station
- Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores nationally
- Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores in Texas
- Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores in Washington
- Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores in Illinois
- Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores in Wisconsin
- Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores in Georgia
- Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores in Minnesota
- Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores in Oregon
- Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores in Oklahoma
- Full-Service Restaurants in California
- Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers in California
- Limited-Service Restaurants in California
- Hotels and Motels in California
- Convenience Retailers in California
- General Automotive Repair in California
- Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers in California
- Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly in California
Small samples move a lot: each loan in this combination is 0% of the count. Industry is the NAICS code the lender recorded. See the methodology.
Cite this data
SBA Acquisition Data, "Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores in California: SBA acquisition loan data", https://sbaacquisitiondata.com/state/ca/gasoline-stations-with-convenience-stores-457110 (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/state/ca/gasoline-stations-with-convenience-stores-457110.json.