How to build business credit
What business credit scores measure, what lenders check, and the steady habits that build a record over time.
Updated First published Published by BizLoan.now
Business credit is a record of how your business pays its bills, kept separately from your personal credit. Lenders check it alongside your personal credit, bank statements and revenue. Building it takes steady, on-time payments over time; there's no reliable shortcut.
The scores lenders see
| Score | From | Range | What it mostly reflects |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAYDEX | Dun & Bradstreet | 1 to 100 | How promptly you pay suppliers and vendors that report |
| Intelliscore Plus | Experian | 1 to 100 | Payment history, credit use, public records and company details |
| FICO SBSS | FICO | 0 to 300 | A blend of business credit, personal credit and business financials |
Each bureau only knows about the accounts that report to it, so your scores can differ. Higher is better on all three.
SBA used FICO SBSS scores to screen 7(a) Small loans until February 28, 2026. Since March 1, 2026, lenders use their own credit analysis instead and must show debt service coverage of at least 1.1 to 1. Many lenders still look at business scores for other products.
Set up the business so credit can attach to it
- Register the business with your state and keep it in good standing.
- Get an employer identification number (EIN) from the IRS. It's free.
- Open a business bank account and run business money through it only.
- Use the same business name, address and phone number everywhere, so bureaus can match records to you.
Build a payment history
- Open trade accounts that report. Some suppliers report payments to business bureaus. Ask before you open an account whether they report and to which bureau.
- Pay on time or early. PAYDEX in particular rewards paying before the due date.
- Use a business credit card that reports, keep the balance well below the limit and pay it in full.
Check your reports
You can request your business credit files from each bureau. Look for accounts that aren't yours, late payments you made on time, and wrong company details, and dispute errors with the bureau.
What hurts business credit
- Late payments, especially more than 30 days late
- Collections, liens and judgments
- Using most of your available credit
- Mixing personal and business spending, which makes your financials harder for a lender to read
How long it takes
It depends on how many accounts report and how long they've been open. Expect months of on-time payments before a score settles, not weeks. In the meantime, lenders weigh revenue and bank deposits heavily, especially for business lines of credit.