Plan to provide specifics about your business income, as well as personal details like your Social Security number.
Kelsey Sheehy is a senior writer and NerdWallet authority on small business. She started at NerdWallet in 2015 and spent six years as a personal finance writer and spokesperson before switching gears to cover the financial decisions and challenges faced by small-business owners. Kelsey’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Nasdaq and MarketWatch, among other publications. Kelsey has appeared on the "Today" show, NBC News and ABC’s "World News Tonight" and has been quoted by the Los Angeles Times, CNBC, American Banker, NPR and Vice, among other publications. Prior to joining NerdWallet, Kelsey covered college (and how to pay for it) for U.S. News & World Report. She is based in Washington, D.C.
Assigning Editor Ryan Lane
Assigning Editor | Small business, student loans
Ryan Lane is an editor on NerdWallet’s small-business team. He joined NerdWallet in 2019 as a student loans writer, serving as an authority on that topic after spending more than a decade at student loan guarantor American Student Assistance. In that role, Ryan co-authored the Student Loan Ranger blog in partnership with U.S. News & World Report, as well as wrote and edited content about education financing and financial literacy for multiple online properties, e-courses and more. Ryan also previously oversaw the production of life science journals as a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan is located in Rochester, New York.
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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.
Proof of your identity (e.g. Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number).
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.
Featured card placement may be affected by compensation agreements with our partners, but these partnerships in no way affect our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners.
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
NerdWallet RatingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account the type of card being reviewed (such as cash back, travel or balance transfer) and the card's rates, fees, rewards and other features.
Bonus Amount Read ReviewWhile the bar for approval varies by card and issuer, the following requirements for a business credit card are typically the same across the board:
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.
Expect to provide the following personal details in your business credit card application:
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.
AdvertisementInk Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
NerdWallet ratingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet ratingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet ratingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
18.49%-24.49% Variable APR
18.49%-24.49% Variable APR
18.49%-26.49% Variable APR
0% intro APR on Purchases for 12 months
0% intro APR on Purchases for 12 months
0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening
Recommended credit score
(Good - Excellent)Recommended credit score
(Good - Excellent)Recommended credit score
(Good - Excellent)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.
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.
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.
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Kelsey Sheehy is a senior writer and NerdWallet authority on small business. She has appeared on the "Today" show and NBC News, and her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Nasdaq and MarketWatch, among other publications. See full bio.
On a similar note.
on Chase's website
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card NerdWallet RatingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account the type of card being reviewed (such as cash back, travel or balance transfer) and the card's rates, fees, rewards and other features.
Rewards rate Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business Intro offerEarn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Best Business Credit CardsInk Business Cash® Credit Card
NerdWallet RatingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account the type of card being reviewed (such as cash back, travel or balance transfer) and the card's rates, fees, rewards and other features.
on Chase's website
Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year, Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year, Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening.
on Chase's website
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
NerdWallet RatingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account the type of card being reviewed (such as cash back, travel or balance transfer) and the card's rates, fees, rewards and other features.
on Chase's website
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your businessEarn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
on Chase's website
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
NerdWallet RatingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account the type of card being reviewed (such as cash back, travel or balance transfer) and the card's rates, fees, rewards and other features.
on Capital One's website
Earn unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions. Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Earn a one-time cash bonus of $2,000 once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months and an additional $2,000 cash bonus for every $500K spent during the first year.
on Capital One's website
Compare Best Business Credit cards MORE LIKE THIS Small BusinessCompare the top business credit cards for cash back, travel rewards and more. Plus, find advice from NerdWallet's business credit card experts to help choose and use your business card.
Business credit scores tell lenders and suppliers how likely you are to repay them in a timely fashion.
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