How to Prepare

Step 1: Prepare now

To qualify for loan forgiveness, the funds must be used during the covered period. You can choose a covered period of any length between 8-weeks (56 days) and 24-weeks (168 days), beginning on the date you received the loan proceeds.

You’ll want to use the funds for eligible expenses, ensuring that you:

• Spend at least 60% of the funds on payroll costs. 
• Use the remainder of the funds on eligible business expenses (examples include mortgage interest, rent, lease payments, utilities, covered operations expenditures, property damage costs, supplier costs and worker protection expenditures). 
• Consider discussing forgiveness with your financial and/or tax advisor before applying. 
• Collect any recommended supporting documents you’ll need to complete the PPP loan forgiveness application.

Step 2: Apply online

You have time to apply⁠

You have until the maturity date of the loan to apply for loan forgiveness. However, there are things you may want to consider before deciding when to apply:

• To get full forgiveness, make sure you have used all your PPP funds for eligible costs. You have up to 24 weeks to do so.
• When you submit a loan forgiveness application and the SBA notifies Wells Fargo of the loan forgiveness amount, or that the loan is not eligible for forgiveness, your payment deferral period will end. At that point, loan payments on any amount not forgiven, including any interest, will become due and you will need to start making monthly payments, if applicable. 
• If you have repaid your loan in full before submitting a loan forgiveness application, you will not be eligible for forgiveness.

Choose the form that applies to you

You must apply for forgiveness through your PPP lender.

• You’ll either use:
  • Form 3508S. Consider using this form if your loan is $150,000 or less. This simple form requires you to provide less information and the processing time may also be shorter than other forms.
  • Form 3508EZ. Consider using this form if you are not eligible for Form 3508S, and you meet one of the two eligibility conditions.
  • Form 3508. Consider using this form if you do not meet the eligibility conditions for either of the other forms.
• We will only accept online applications for forgiveness. Once the application becomes available, you’ll see a link in Wells Fargo Business Online^® or the Commercial Electronic Office^® (CEO^®). We will also notify you by email. 
• Please do not attempt to submit a loan forgiveness application downloaded from the SBA site.

Prepare for the application process

We have created a Loan Forgiveness Preparation Checklist to help you prepare. When you are ready to apply, follow the steps in the online PPP loan forgiveness application. 

• If you are required to submit documentation to support your forgiveness application, make sure you have all of your recommended supporting documents ready to upload online. Even if you are not required to submit any documents, you must retain all documents for the required periods and provide them upon request. 
• Save your online application frequently, so you don’t lose the information you have entered.
• Review your loan forgiveness application, verify documents have been uploaded (if applicable), and confirm the amount you’re requesting before you submit your application.

Note: You must apply for PPP loan forgiveness through your PPP lender. If you received a PPP loan through Wells Fargo, your loan numbers will be automatically pre-filled for you in the loan forgiveness application. You will not need to have them ahead of time to be able to apply for forgiveness.

Step 3: Receive confirmation

You will receive an email confirmation once you submit your loan forgiveness application. A dedicated associate or relationship manager will review your application and work with you to ensure everything is complete and processed as quickly as possible.

• Once your application is complete Wells Fargo has 60 days to review your application, including documents, and submit your loan forgiveness application to the SBA.
• After Wells Fargo submits your loan forgiveness application to the SBA, you will receive an email confirmation. The SBA has up to 90 days to review the application and may request additional information, including a Loan Necessity Questionnaire if you or your affiliates received PPP loans totaling $2 million or more, or at their discretion.
  
• Wells Fargo will notify you within five business days of receiving any loan forgiveness amount from the SBA, or if the SBA determines that the loan is not eligible for forgiveness.
• You may appeal the SBA’s decision within 30 days.
• If your loan is not completely forgiven, you’ll receive a statement from Wells Fargo with the amount and date of your first payment for the unforgiven portion. Your PPP loan will operate just like a traditional term loan with monthly payments to Wells Fargo.