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Lines of credit

How to qualify for a business line of credit

Credible Lending Editorial · Updated · 6 min read

The short answer

To qualify for a business line of credit with Credible Lending, you generally need at least one year in business, $10,000 or more in monthly revenue and a personal credit score of 625 or higher. Lenders also review your bank statements for consistent deposits and manageable existing debt.

What do lenders look at?

Every lender weighs the same four things, even if they describe them differently: how long you've been operating, how much revenue flows through the business, how you've handled credit before and how much debt you already carry.

Credible Lending line of credit requirements
FactorMinimumWhat strengthens it
Time in business1 year2+ years of consistent operation
Monthly revenue$10,000Steady or growing deposits month over month
Personal credit625 FICO680+ and no recent delinquencies
Existing debtManageable paymentsFew or no other daily or weekly advances

How do I prepare my application?

  1. Download your last four months of business bank statements as PDFs.
  2. Have your EIN, business address and legal structure handy.
  3. Know roughly what you'd use the line for and how much you'd draw in a typical month.
  4. List any existing loans or advances with their payment amounts.

A complete application is the single biggest factor in decision speed. When statements and business details arrive together, most decisions come back within four to six hours.

Does applying affect my credit score?

No. Credible Lending uses a soft credit inquiry to review your application, which doesn't affect your score. A hard inquiry only happens if you choose to accept an offer and move to funding.

Don't meet every requirement? Apply anyway. Your advisor reviews the whole business, and can tell you what you qualify for today and what to work on.

How is my credit limit set?

Limits are based mainly on revenue and cash flow. As a rough guide, many businesses qualify for a limit between one and one-and-a-half times their average monthly revenue, adjusted for credit and existing obligations. Limits can increase over time based on payment history.

Related questions

Something else on your mind? Ask an advisor.

Can I get a business line of credit with bad credit?
Credible Lending's minimum personal credit score is 625. Below that, strong revenue and time in business can sometimes offset credit, so it's worth speaking with an advisor.
How long does approval take?
Most complete applications receive a decision within four to six hours, and same-day approvals are common.

Ready when your business is.

Apply in about three minutes with a soft credit check. You'll hear back the same day.