How hard is it to get a small business loan?
It can be hard to get a business loan if you don't have good credit and strong finances. To qualify for the most competitive business loans, you'll likely need multiple years in business, a minimum credit score in the mid-600s and an annual revenue of $100,000 or higher.
Traditional term loans
To get favorable terms, you typically need to be in business for at least a year or two, or sometimes more, have a good personal credit score, a strong business credit history, and a track record of strong revenues.
- According to the Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index, small business loans had a 13.5 percent approval rate from big banks as of April 2023. ...
- For lenders, working with companies in consistent and profitable industries is more appealing than loaning money to businesses in riskier industries.
New data shows how much tougher it's getting for small businesses to borrow money, as interest rates remain high and banks tighten their lending standards.
Only about 37% of small businesses apply for financing, and of those who do apply, banks reject around 80%.
The typical business loan from a bank or credit union can take weeks or months to process. Fast business loans, on the other hand, may be funded within a week of submitting an application. Some lenders are able to assess and underwrite loans in a matter of hours and fund them within a day.
On average, most SBA loans take 30 to 90 days from applying to funding. 7(a) loan subtypes are backed directly by the SBA. The SBA's turnaround time is 2 to 10 business days, but approval from your chosen lender can take 30 to 60 days. Microloans are loans for smaller amounts of $50,000 or less.
The most common reasons SBA loans are denied are poor credit, too much existing debt, or insufficient collateral. Other reasons include: Prior bankruptcy. Negative taxable income.
You may get denied an SBA loan if your business could obtain financing elsewhere or has a wealth of assets above the loan amount requested. You also probably won't get approved if you've had a past default on a government loan. Finally, the SBA disqualifies specific industries, including: Financial institutions.
The Small Business Association (SBA) does not specify a minimum credit score required to secure an SBA loan. However, SBA loans are provided by lenders who may have minimum score requirements. Typically, this minimum is about 620. 15 However, the higher your score, the more likely you are to receive approval.
Why would you get denied a business loan?
Common reasons for loan rejection are not having a long track record in business, deteriorating business conditions in the industry where you operate and poor cash flow. If the lender is concerned about something you can control, correcting the situation and then reapplying may be the best course of action.
Failing to meet a lender's eligibility requirements for a business loan can result in denial. All lenders have specific criteria related to credit scores, annual revenue, time in business and other factors. It's important to review the eligibility requirements of potential lenders before applying.
If you have good credit and can meet the lender's eligibility guidelines, getting a business loan with an LLC can often be easy. But new businesses and businesses with limited revenue may have difficulty getting approved, especially with traditional banks and credit unions.
If you've been denied an SBA loan, you are not alone. Less than 50,000 businesses were approved for 7(a) loans in 2022 — and only around 9,000 were approved for 504 loans.
SBA-qualified lenders usually set their own criteria when assessing your eligibility. Most lenders will require a minimum FICO score of 620 or higher for their SBA Loans.
Despite the high failure rate, many small businesses thrive and grow over time. According to the SBA, approximately 80% of small businesses survive their first year. The survival rate increases to 50% after five years and 30% after ten years.
Questions lenders will ask
The three main criteria lenders use to decide whether to approve you for a loan are: Your personal credit score. Your time in business. Your annual revenue.
Banks generally require that you have good to excellent credit (score of 690 or higher), strong finances and at least two years in business to qualify for a loan. They'll likely require collateral and a personal guarantee as well.
If you want to retain complete control of your business, but don't have enough funds to start, consider a small business loan. To increase your chances of securing a loan, you should have a business plan, expense sheet, and financial projections for the next five years.
Hard to qualify
Although the government guarantee reduces the risk that lenders face when issuing loans to small businesses, you'll still need to meet strict eligibility criteria to get an SBA loan. Typically, you'll need several years in business, strong business finances and a good credit history to qualify.
How fast can a new business get a loan?
It is not unheard of for business loans to take weeks or months to be approved and funded. For example, some SBA loans can take up to 90 days to receive funding after an application is accepted. But fast business loans could offer funding in as little as 24 hours.
How will I know if my SBA loan is approved? The lender will be in touch with you to let you know if your SBA loan has been approved. This will include a formal commitment letter with your final terms and conditions, including: Loan amount.
Lenders are more likely to approve a loan application when you can show consistent, positive cash flow, ideally over several years. Every small business owner must start somewhere, but being unable to show the bank any revenue history makes it hard to qualify for an SBA loan.
On August 1, 2023, SBA implemented policies to expand access to capital for small businesses by modernizing SBA's signature 7(a) working capital* and 504 fixed asset loan programs.
- Be an operating business.
- Operate for profit.
- Be located in the U.S.
- Be small under SBA size requirements.
- Not be a type of ineligible business.
- Not be able to obtain the desired credit on reasonable terms from non-federal, non-state, and non-local government sources.
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