Small-business credit card applications ask for details about both you and your business. But what you actually need to apply and qualify for a business credit card — and what isn’t strictly required — may surprise you.
Here’s a high-level breakdown of typical business credit card requirements:
Needed get a business card | Not needed to get a business card |
|---|---|
Good to excellent personal credit. | Business entity. |
Proof of your identity (e.g. Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number). | Business revenue. |
Employer Identification Number. | |
Business credit score. |
Yes, you’re applying for a business credit card, but your personal finances play a pivotal role in the approval process. You'll need to provide your SSN or ITIN so card issuers check your creditworthiness and verify your identity.
The scope of your business matters, too. However, it mostly helps determine factors like your credit limit — not whether you can get a business credit card at all.
» MORE: Best business credit cards
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Requirements to get a business credit card
While the bar for approval varies by card and issuer, the following requirements for a business credit card are typically the same across the board:
Personal information
Most business credit card issuers do a hard credit check when you apply, and you’ll typically need good to excellent personal credit (generally a FICO score of 690 or above) to qualify. This is especially true for startups, which can’t lean on years of business success to bolster their application.
» MORE: Best business credit cards for startups
Expect to provide the following personal details in your business credit card application:
Name.
Date of birth.
Social Security number. (You generally can’t get a business credit card without your SSN or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.)
Address, email and phone number.
Annual income (include all income, not just what you derive from your business).
As part of the application process, you’ll also most likely have to provide a personal guarantee. This is a promise that, if your business can’t pay the bill for your business credit card, you’ll be on the hook for it personally.
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Business information
You need a business to apply for a business credit card. But that doesn’t mean you need a formal business entity or history of business income — a side hustle or hobby that occasionally brings in revenue may be enough to qualify.
» MORE: Can you get a business credit card without a business?
Plan to provide the following information about your business:
Business name and contact information: Give the full legal name of your business, along with the address and phone number used to register your business. Sole proprietors can use their own name, and home-based businesses can use the home address.
Time in business: Applications will ask for the date your business was established or the number of years in business.
Number of employees: Don’t count yourself.
Business category and type: This is typically a dropdown menu. Choose what most closely aligns with your business.
Business structure: Note whether you’re a corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, limited liability corporation or nonprofit organization.
Federal tax ID: Your employer identification number, individual tax identification number or Social Security number, depending on your business.
Business revenue and expenses: List your annual business revenue (put $0 if you don’t have any yet) and provide an estimate of how much you would charge to the card each month.
Frequently asked questions
Who can get a business credit card?
You don’t need a business license to get a business credit card. But you typically do need to be engaged in some sort of business activity, whether that’s full-fledged self-employment, freelancing or a side hustle. Basically, if you have business expenses, you can get a business credit card, provided you have sufficient income and credit history to qualify.
Do I need a business credit card for my small business?
You are not required to use a business credit card for business expenses, but there are benefits to doing so. Small-business credit cards typically have higher credit limits and a wider variety of spending categories for rewards and bonuses. Using a separate credit card for business expenses also keeps things streamlined and makes it easier to find deductions come tax time.
