City National Bank
SBA Preferred Lender in Los Angeles: 7(a) up to $5M, Express up to $500K, 504. Median 7(a) rate 7.36%, mostly fixed, 10 to 25 yrs. Best for established CA firms.
Rates & Cost
What the financing costs, normalized so lenders can be compared.
Repayment Terms
How and how fast you pay it back, and how flexible it is.
Eligibility & Access
Who qualifies and what you have to put on the line.
Speed & Service
How fast you get funded and how the lender treats you.
Company Verification
Who actually stands behind the lender: legal entity, registration, and how long the business and its website have existed. Checked against public registries.
Best for: Established California businesses, often restaurants or medical and dental practices, wanting a fixed-rate SBA loan up to $5M (median $875,000).
Not for: Borrowers needing cash within days or posted pricing. City National Bank of Florida and of West Virginia are separate banks.
Lender List verdict: City National Bank approved 102 SBA 7(a) loans in the year to June 2026 at a median 7.36%, under the 10.0% SBA cap above $350K, yet posts no rates or fees.
City National Bank at a glance
City National Bank is an RBC-owned SBA Preferred Lender.
| City National Bank | |
|---|---|
| Lender type | FDIC-insured national bank; SBA Preferred Lender |
| Founded / HQ | 1953 / Los Angeles, California |
| Parent | Royal Bank of Canada (since 2015) |
| SBA products | 7(a) up to $5M, Express up to $500K, 504 |
| Cost (headline) | Median 7.36% on 7(a) loans, last 12 months |
| Status | Active; last SBA approval June 17, 2026 |
What is City National Bank?
City National Bank is a Los Angeles national bank, chartered in 1953, with about $99.1 billion in assets and 71 offices as of June 30, 2026.
City National Bank's SBA programs
City National Bank offers SBA 7(a) loans up to $5M, Express loans and lines up to $500K, and 504 loans funding up to 90% of fixed-asset projects. It has approved 454 7(a) loans worth $555.2M since FY2020.
The median 7(a) loan is $875,000 over 120 months; only 20% are variable-rate. California accounts for 338 of the 454 loans; none has been charged off. SBA 7(a) FOIA data, FY2020–present, as of June 30, 2026 (data.sba.gov).
City National Bank rates and fees
City National Bank's recent 7(a) loans had a 7.36% median rate; SBA caps variable rates at 10.0% above $350K and 11.5% at $250,001 to $350K (Prime 7.00%).
- SBA guaranty fee: 3% of the guaranteed portion from $150,001 to $700K
- Lender fees: possible due diligence fee, amount not published
Worked example: $350,000 over 10 years at 7.36% costs $4,129.03 a month and $145,483.90 in interest. Add the $7,875 guaranty fee ($350,000 × 75% × 3%) and total cost is $153,358.90, roughly 7.9% APR with the fee paid at closing.
City National Bank requirements
City National Bank applies SBA rules plus its own credit and collateral review.
| Requirement | City National Bank minimum |
|---|---|
| SBA size standard | Small for your industry |
| Equity injection | 10% for startups and full business purchases |
| Personal guarantee | Every owner of 20% or more |
| Credit score / revenue | Lender does not publish |
| Time to close | Not published; 7(a) often 60 to 90 days |
Compare Lendistry, which posts starting rates, or all SBA 7(a) loans.
Frequently asked questions about City National Bank
Is City National Bank Legit? Yes. City National Bank is an FDIC-insured national bank operating since 1953, owned by Royal Bank of Canada and an SBA Preferred Lender. In January 2023 it agreed to pay $31M to settle Justice Department redlining allegations covering 2017 to 2020.
Is City National Bank Owned by RBC? Yes. Royal Bank of Canada agreed in January 2015 to buy City National for about $5.4 billion, and the bank has been a wholly owned RBC subsidiary since, keeping its name and Los Angeles headquarters. RBC U.S. Mortgage now operates as a division of City National Bank.
How Long Does City National Bank Take to Close an SBA Loan? City National Bank does not publish a timeline. Standard 7(a) loans commonly take 60 to 90 days and Express loans about 30. Preferred Lender authority skips the 5 to 10 business days of SBA review that a non-delegated bank needs.
Does City National Bank Lend to Startups? City National Bank does not say, and its SBA lending centers on restaurants and medical and dental practices. SBA rules permit startup loans when owners inject at least 10% of project cost and every 20% owner signs a personal guarantee.
Last verified 2026-10-27. Pricing and terms are provider-stated or third-party-reported and vary by offer; confirm with the lender before applying.
Best for: Established California businesses, often restaurants or medical and dental practices, wanting a fixed-rate SBA loan up to $5M (median $875,000).
Not for: Borrowers needing cash within days or posted pricing. City National Bank of Florida and of West Virginia are separate banks.
Lender List verdict: City National Bank approved 102 SBA 7(a) loans in the year to June 2026 at a median 7.36%, under the 10.0% SBA cap above $350K, yet posts no rates or fees.
City National Bank at a glance
City National Bank is an RBC-owned SBA Preferred Lender.
| City National Bank | |
|---|---|
| Lender type | FDIC-insured national bank; SBA Preferred Lender |
| Founded / HQ | 1953 / Los Angeles, California |
| Parent | Royal Bank of Canada (since 2015) |
| SBA products | 7(a) up to $5M, Express up to $500K, 504 |
| Cost (headline) | Median 7.36% on 7(a) loans, last 12 months |
| Status | Active; last SBA approval June 17, 2026 |
What is City National Bank?
City National Bank is a Los Angeles national bank, chartered in 1953, with about $99.1 billion in assets and 71 offices as of June 30, 2026.
City National Bank's SBA programs
City National Bank offers SBA 7(a) loans up to $5M, Express loans and lines up to $500K, and 504 loans funding up to 90% of fixed-asset projects. It has approved 454 7(a) loans worth $555.2M since FY2020.
The median 7(a) loan is $875,000 over 120 months; only 20% are variable-rate. California accounts for 338 of the 454 loans; none has been charged off. SBA 7(a) FOIA data, FY2020–present, as of June 30, 2026 (data.sba.gov).
City National Bank rates and fees
City National Bank's recent 7(a) loans had a 7.36% median rate; SBA caps variable rates at 10.0% above $350K and 11.5% at $250,001 to $350K (Prime 7.00%).
- SBA guaranty fee: 3% of the guaranteed portion from $150,001 to $700K
- Lender fees: possible due diligence fee, amount not published
Worked example: $350,000 over 10 years at 7.36% costs $4,129.03 a month and $145,483.90 in interest. Add the $7,875 guaranty fee ($350,000 × 75% × 3%) and total cost is $153,358.90, roughly 7.9% APR with the fee paid at closing.
City National Bank requirements
City National Bank applies SBA rules plus its own credit and collateral review.
| Requirement | City National Bank minimum |
|---|---|
| SBA size standard | Small for your industry |
| Equity injection | 10% for startups and full business purchases |
| Personal guarantee | Every owner of 20% or more |
| Credit score / revenue | Lender does not publish |
| Time to close | Not published; 7(a) often 60 to 90 days |
Compare Lendistry, which posts starting rates, or all SBA 7(a) loans.
Frequently asked questions about City National Bank
Is City National Bank Legit? Yes. City National Bank is an FDIC-insured national bank operating since 1953, owned by Royal Bank of Canada and an SBA Preferred Lender. In January 2023 it agreed to pay $31M to settle Justice Department redlining allegations covering 2017 to 2020.
Is City National Bank Owned by RBC? Yes. Royal Bank of Canada agreed in January 2015 to buy City National for about $5.4 billion, and the bank has been a wholly owned RBC subsidiary since, keeping its name and Los Angeles headquarters. RBC U.S. Mortgage now operates as a division of City National Bank.
How Long Does City National Bank Take to Close an SBA Loan? City National Bank does not publish a timeline. Standard 7(a) loans commonly take 60 to 90 days and Express loans about 30. Preferred Lender authority skips the 5 to 10 business days of SBA review that a non-delegated bank needs.
Does City National Bank Lend to Startups? City National Bank does not say, and its SBA lending centers on restaurants and medical and dental practices. SBA rules permit startup loans when owners inject at least 10% of project cost and every 20% owner signs a personal guarantee.
Last verified 2026-10-27. Pricing and terms are provider-stated or third-party-reported and vary by offer; confirm with the lender before applying.
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