The MBE certified logo is the trademarked certification mark that the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) issues to businesses whose minority ownership it has verified. As of early 2025, NMSDC replaced its downloadable logo files with Credly digital badges, so the mark most new and renewing certified firms now display is a verifiable digital credential rather than a static image.1National Minority Supplier Development Council. NMSDC Introduces Credly Badges for Certified-MBEs Either form signals to corporate procurement teams that an independent body has confirmed the business is at least 51% minority-owned and minority-controlled.
From Static Logo Files to Credly Badges
For years, certified firms logged into the NMSDC portal, downloaded logo files, and placed them manually on websites, business cards, and proposals. Every renewal cycle meant replacing those assets. In February 2025, NMSDC announced that Credly digital badges would take the place of the traditional certification logos.1National Minority Supplier Development Council. NMSDC Introduces Credly Badges for Certified-MBEs
The badge is more than a redesign. When a procurement officer or corporate buyer clicks it, Credly displays verified metadata confirming the firm’s certification status in real time. That closes the gap that used to let expired logos sit on websites long after a certification lapsed. Certified MBEs can also share the badge directly to LinkedIn, X, and Facebook with one click, and NMSDC uses Credly’s analytics to track engagement across its network.
If you were recently certified or just renewed, your Credly badge is available through your NMSDC portal account. Firms still displaying legacy logo files should plan the transition, since NMSDC has stated the digital badges are the replacement.
Who Qualifies for the Mark
Only businesses that pass NMSDC certification can display the logo or badge. NMSDC defines a Minority Business Enterprise as a for-profit business at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by one or more U.S. citizens belonging to a recognized minority group: Asian-Indian, Asian-Pacific, Black, Hispanic, or Native American.2National Minority Supplier Development Council. Definition of an MBE The ownership has to be real and continuous. The minority owner must hold actual authority over strategic and day-to-day decisions, not just a majority on paper.
For corporations, minority individuals must hold at least 51% of each class of voting stock and 51% of aggregate outstanding stock. Partnerships require 51% of equity interests, LLCs require 51% of membership interests.2National Minority Supplier Development Council. Definition of an MBE Publicly traded companies can qualify in theory, but the control requirement disqualifies most in practice.
Applications go through NMSDC’s regional affiliate councils. NMSDC’s target is to complete reviews within 45 business days of submission, and fees range from roughly $270 for firms under $1 million in revenue to about $1,700 for firms over $50 million.3National Minority Supplier Development Council. Certification Process Your regional affiliate publishes the exact fee schedule.
How to Access the Logo or Badge
Both the legacy logo files and the Credly badge are available only through an active NMSDC certification. You log in through the NMSDC Central portal or your regional affiliate’s site using your member credentials.4Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council. MBE Logo Those portals are the only authorized source. Logo files circulating on stock image sites or general download platforms are not legitimate.
For firms still using legacy files, the pack typically includes multiple formats. EPS files are vector-based and scale to any size without losing quality, so they work for printed brochures, banners, and trade show materials. PNG and JPG files are better for websites, email signatures, and social media. A low-resolution JPG stretched onto a large printed banner pixelates visibly and undercuts the professional impression the certification is meant to create.
Where You Can Display the Mark
Once certified, you can display the mark or Credly badge on company marketing materials, both print and digital.4Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council. MBE Logo The placements that actually move the needle are the ones procurement officers see during vendor evaluation.
On the digital side, email signatures and website footers are where corporate buyers typically first encounter your certification status. They require almost no design work and signal credentials immediately during initial outreach. Social media profiles work well too, and the Credly badge is especially useful there because it links to your verified credential page rather than displaying a static image.
For physical materials, business cards and letterheads remain the standard for in-person networking at trade shows and industry events. Some contractors put the mark on vehicles and job-site equipment to signal status to general contractors who need diverse subcontractors for their own supplier diversity goals. The placement that often matters most is on proposals and bid packages, where the mark can move a submission from the general pile to the shortlist at companies with supplier diversity targets.
Branding Rules You Have to Follow
The NMSDC logo is a trademark, and using it incorrectly reflects on both your business and the certifying body. NMSDC publishes branding guidelines that specify colors, spacing, and acceptable backgrounds.
Color Specifications
The NMSDC logo uses three brand colors with precise values:
- Green: Pantone 382C / CMYK 33-0-98-0 / RGB 183, 212, 54 / Hex #b7d436
- Blue: Pantone 3015C / CMYK 85-48-0-0 / RGB 23, 119, 189 / Hex #1877bd
- Orange: Pantone 1585C / CMYK 0-61-87-0 / RGB 245, 129, 56 / Hex #f58138
Use CMYK values for print and RGB or Hex codes for anything on a screen.5National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). NMSDC Branding Guidelines Hand your designer the exact values rather than letting them approximate. Off-brand colors are one of the fastest ways to make a legitimate certification look counterfeit.
Spacing and Sizing
Clear space around the logo is measured relative to the logo itself. NMSDC’s guidelines call for roughly the width of a capital “N” in the NMSDC text as a buffer, keeping surrounding text and graphics from crowding the mark.5National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). NMSDC Branding Guidelines On small applications like business cards, the text inside the logo must remain legible. If it’s too small to read, it’s too small to use.
Approved backgrounds are white and 7% gray. NMSDC also supplies knockout (white) versions for darker branded backgrounds. Don’t try to recreate the logo in your own design software. Minor spacing or font differences will register as wrong to anyone who sees the real version regularly.
Prohibited Uses and Trademark Risk
The NMSDC mark is protected as a certification mark under federal trademark law. Certification marks receive the same protections as standard trademarks under 15 U.S.C. § 1054, so unauthorized use can trigger infringement claims.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code Title 15 – Section 1054
The common violations fall into a few buckets:
- Altering the mark by changing colors, rotating it, stretching it, or removing elements.
- Using the mark in a way that implies NMSDC endorses a specific product or service rather than certifying the business.
- Allowing subsidiaries, affiliates, or business units not covered by the certification to display the mark. Each entity using the logo must be certified.
- Placing the mark in a context that suggests a joint venture or formal partnership with NMSDC.
Misuse can lead to immediate revocation of certification and trademark infringement claims under the Lanham Act. NMSDC monitors usage, and corporate members often report misuse they spot because fraudulent marks undermine the system they rely on. Federal law also allows cancellation of a certification mark if the owner fails to control its use, which gives NMSDC a strong institutional reason to enforce its rules.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code Title 15 – Section 1064
Renewal and What Happens if the Certification Lapses
NMSDC certifications are valid for one year.3National Minority Supplier Development Council. Certification Process File renewal within 90 days of the expiration date to avoid a gap. The recertification date ties back to your original certification date, not the date you submit your renewal paperwork.8Mountain Plains Minority Supplier Development Council. Re-Certification Application
If the certification lapses, remove the logo and badge from everything immediately. That means your website, email signatures, social profiles, and any physical materials still in circulation. Keeping the mark up after expiration isn’t only a policy violation; it exposes you to cease-and-desist action and potential trademark infringement liability. Corporate procurement databases update to reflect expired certifications, so buyers will see the mismatch between a logo on your proposal and a missing listing in the NMSDC directory.
Once your renewal is processed, you get an updated certificate and continued access to the Credly badge. One advantage of the badge system is that it reflects current status automatically, so there are no new files to download each year.