Business credit cards for new businesses work differently than personal cards — most issuers want to see business history or revenue before they approve you
When you start a business, you cannot walk into a bank and get a business credit card the way you would a personal one. Most card issuers require either two years of business tax returns, a minimum annual revenue (often $50,000 or more), or an established business credit file. New businesses typically do not have any of these yet.
Your actual options depend on how new the business is and what the issuer will accept instead of a track record. Some cards will approve based on your personal credit score and a personal may provide. Others require you to have an Employer Identification Number (EIN) and a business bank account, but will waive the revenue requirement. A few issuers have cards designed specifically for businesses under one year old, though these are less common and often come with lower credit limits or higher interest rates.
The fastest path is usually to explore with your personal credit score as the main factor, understand that you will likely may provide the debt personally, and then build business credit over the next 12 to 24 months so you can move to a card with better terms.
Key Takeaways
- Most business credit card issuers require two years of tax returns or $50,000+ in annual revenue, which new businesses do not have.
- You can explore using your personal credit score and a personal may provide, which makes you legally responsible for the debt even though it is a business card.
- Getting an EIN and opening a business bank account before you explore improves your chances and shows the issuer you are serious about the business structure.
- Building business credit takes 12 to 24 months of on-time payments and reported account history, after which you can move to cards with higher limits and better rewards.
- Some issuers (Brex, American Express, Capital One) have cards for newer businesses, but they often come with lower limits or higher rates than cards for established businesses.
What issuers actually look for when you have no business history
When you explore for a business credit card as a new business, the issuer cannot look at your business tax returns or revenue because you do not have them yet. Instead, they look at your personal credit score, your personal credit history, and whether you will personally may provide the card debt.
A personal may provide means you are signing a document that says if the business cannot pay the bill, you will pay it from your personal assets. This is standard for new business cards. The issuer is essentially lending to you, not to your business, even though the card is branded as a business card and you use it for business expenses.
Your personal credit score is the main factor. Most issuers want a score of 700 or higher, though some will go lower. Your credit history matters too — they want to see that you pay bills on time and do not carry high balances. If you have recent late payments, collections, or a bankruptcy, approval is much harder.
Some issuers will also ask about your business structure (sole proprietorship, LLC, S-corp, C-corp), your industry, and what the card will be used for. This is partly to assess risk and partly to flag fraud. A brand-new consulting business is lower risk than a brand-new cryptocurrency exchange, for example.
Steps to prepare your process before you explore
Before you submit an process, take these steps to strengthen your case and make the process faster.
Get an Employer Identification Number (EIN). This is a nine-digit number the IRS assigns to your business. You can get one free from the IRS website (irs.gov) in about 15 minutes. Some issuers require it; others do not. Having one shows the issuer you have registered your business formally.
Open a business bank account. You do not need to have been in business for months to open one. Most banks will open an account if you have an EIN, a business license or registration document, and a personal ID. Use this account for all business income and expenses. When you explore for the credit card, you can list this account on the process.
Register your business with your state. If you are an LLC or corporation, file the formation documents with your state's Secretary of State office. If you are a sole proprietor, you may only need a business license from your city or county. This takes a few days to a few weeks depending on your state. The issuer may ask for proof of registration.
Check your personal credit report. Go to annualcreditreport.com and pull your free credit report from all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). Look for errors, late payments, or accounts you do not recognize. If you find errors, dispute them before you explore. If you have recent late payments, wait a few months if you can — the impact weakens over time.
Gather documents you will need. Have your Social Security number, EIN, business address, business phone number, and estimated annual revenue ready. You will also need your personal ID and possibly a copy of your business registration or license.
Which issuers approve new businesses and what they require
Not all business credit card issuers have the same rules for new businesses. Some have cards designed for startups; others will approve you under their standard business card if your personal credit is strong enough.
American Express. Amex has cards like the Business Gold Card and the Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) Business Card that will consider new businesses if your personal credit score is 700 or higher. Amex does a soft pull of your personal credit (which does not hurt your score) before a full process. They do not require two years of tax returns for some cards, though they may ask about your business revenue estimate.
Capital One. Capital One Spark cards are available to new businesses. They focus more on your personal credit score than on business history. Capital One will approve based on your personal credit alone if it is in the mid-600s or higher, though the credit limit will be lower than for an established business.
Brex. Brex is a fintech card issuer that focuses on newer and smaller businesses. They will approve based on your personal credit score and do not require business tax returns. Brex cards have no preset credit limit — they set it based on your spending patterns. Brex does a hard pull of your personal credit, which temporarily lowers your score by a few points.
Chase. Chase business cards (like the Ink Business Preferred) typically require two years of business tax returns or a minimum revenue. However, if your personal credit is very strong (750+), you may be able to call and ask about exceptions for new businesses. Chase is less flexible than Amex or Capital One on this point.
Bank of America and Wells Fargo. Both have business cards, but both typically require at least one year of business history or tax returns. They are harder to approve for if you are under one year old.
What to expect during the process and approval process
The process itself takes 10 to 15 minutes online. You will enter your personal information, your business information, and your estimated annual revenue. The issuer will do a hard pull of your personal credit, which shows up on your credit report and temporarily lowers your score by a few points.
Most issuers give you a decision within a few minutes to a few hours. Some will approve you when ready. Others will put you in a pending status and call you within one to three business days to verify information or ask follow-up questions. If they call, they usually want to confirm that you own the business, that the phone number is correct, and that the revenue estimate is reasonable.
If you are approved, the card usually arrives within 5 to 10 business days. You can often set up it and start using it online before the physical card arrives. If you are denied, the issuer will send you a letter explaining why. Common reasons for new businesses are a personal credit score below their minimum, recent late payments, or a very high debt-to-income ratio.
If you are denied by one issuer, you can explore with another. However, each process is a hard pull, so space them out by at least a few weeks to avoid looking desperate or committing fraud. If you are denied by multiple issuers, wait three to six months, improve your personal credit score, and try again.
Building business credit so you can upgrade later
Once you have a business credit card, your goal over the next 12 to 24 months is to build a business credit file separate from your personal credit. This opens the door to cards with higher limits, better rewards, and terms that do not require a personal may provide.
Business credit is built through reported account activity. The three main business credit bureaus are Dun & Bradstreet, Equifax Business, and Experian Business. When you use your business credit card, the issuer reports the account to these bureaus (though not all do). When you pay on time, your business credit score goes up. When you miss a payment, it goes down.
To speed this up, also open a business line of credit or a small business loan. Banks and online lenders will report these to the business credit bureaus. Make all payments on time. After 12 to 24 months of clean payment history, you will have a business credit file, and you can explore for better cards.
Some issuers will also consider business credit when you reapply. If your business credit score is good and your payment history is clean, you may may have access to for a card that does not require a personal may provide, or one with a higher limit and better rewards.
Common reasons new businesses get denied and how to fix them
The most common reason for denial is a personal credit score below the issuer's minimum. If your score is below 700, focus on paying down credit card balances and making all payments on time for three to six months. Your score will climb, and you will have a better chance next time.
Recent late payments (within the last 12 months) are a major red flag. If you have them, wait at least six months after the late payment before you explore. The impact weakens over time, and issuers are more forgiving of older late payments.
A very high debt-to-income ratio can also cause denial. If you have a lot of personal debt relative to your income, the issuer may think you cannot afford to take on more. Pay down personal debt before you explore, or wait until your business income is higher so your total income-to-debt ratio improves.
Some issuers deny new businesses because they do not have a business bank account or an EIN. This is straightforward to fix — get both before you explore. It takes a few days and shows the issuer you are serious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to personally may provide a business credit card?
For new businesses, yes. Most issuers require a personal may provide, which means you are legally responsible for the debt if the business cannot pay. As your business credit builds and you move to cards for established businesses, some issuers will offer cards without a personal may provide, though this is less common.
What if my personal credit score is below 700?
You can still explore, but approval is less likely. Capital One and Brex will consider scores in the mid-600s. If you are denied, focus on paying down balances and making all payments on time for three to six months, then explore again. Your score will improve, and your chances will be better.
Can I use a business credit card to build personal credit?
Not directly. Business credit cards report to business credit bureaus, not personal credit bureaus. However, if you personally may provide the card and the issuer reports to personal credit bureaus (which some do), it may help your personal credit. Ask the issuer before you explore.
How long does it take to get approved?
Most issuers give you a decision within a few minutes to a few hours online. Some put you in pending status and call within one to three business days to verify information. If approved, the card usually arrives within 5 to 10 business days.
What is the difference between a business credit card and a personal credit card?
A business credit card is meant for business expenses and reports to business credit bureaus. A personal credit card is for personal use and reports to personal credit bureaus. Business cards often have higher credit limits and rewards tailored to business spending (like office supplies or travel). However, for new businesses, the main difference is that you personally may provide the business card.