The  NCTRCA, through Board established and approved procedures, verifies that firms meet the requirements for certification. A firm applying for certification with the NCTRCA must meet the following criteria to be considered a "Disadvantaged, Minority and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise."

Businesses with one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individual(s) as defined by the Small Business Administration, pursuant to Section 8(a) of  the Small Business Act must show:

Minimum 51% percent ownership, control and expertise, and

Controls the management and daily business operations.

 The NCTRCA recognizes members of the following groups for certification purposes:

Women

Black Americans - persons with origins from any Black racial group of Africa;

Hispanic Americans - persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central/South  Americans, Spanish or Portuguese culture or origins, regardless of race.

Native Americans - persons who are American Indians, Eskimos, Aluets, or Native  Hawaiians.

Asian Pacific Americans - persons with origins from Burma, Thailand, Malaysia,  Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Japan, China, Taiwan, Laos, Cambodia, (Kampuchea), Vietnam,  Korea, the Phillippines, Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands,  Federated States of Micronesia, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Marinas Islands, Macao, Naura:                                                                            

 Asian Indian Americans - persons whose origins are from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri lanka, Bhutan, the Maldives Islands or Nepal.

Only citizens of the United States or lawfully admitted permanent residents are eligible for certification.