Business Line of Credit for a New Business: What Startups Can Qualify For (2026)

Last updated: November 2026

A new business can get a line of credit, but most unsecured lines want about 12 months of history: Bluevine, OnDeck and American Express all publish a one-year minimum. Under a year, look at a business credit card, a cash-secured bank line, Fundbox (reported 3-month minimum) or an SBA Express line from a lender willing to back a young company.

Below: published time-in-business minimums side by side, what opens up at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months, what lenders look at when you have little history, and a first-year checklist so you qualify sooner. Every figure was checked in November 2026.

Can a new business get a line of credit?

Yes, but the type of line depends on how long you have been operating. Lenders size a line on the cash your business has already shown it can produce, so with no bank-statement history an unsecured line is hard to get. What a startup can get instead is credit backed by something else: your personal credit (a business credit card), cash on deposit (a secured line), or a government guarantee (SBA). Our business line of credit guide explains how lines work in general; this page is only about the first years.

Business lines of credit for new businesses: published minimums

Option	Minimum time in business	Minimum revenue	Credit score	Line size
Business credit card	Often none; issuers rely on the owner's personal credit	Varies by issuer	Varies; good personal credit helps	Usually smaller than a loan-style line
Cash-secured line or card (bank or credit union)	Often none	Not the main test	Less important; your deposit secures it	Tied to the cash you pledge
Fundbox	3 months (per NerdWallet)	$30,000 a year (per NerdWallet)	About 600 (per NerdWallet)	Up to $250,000 (per NerdWallet); now offered largely through partner platforms
SBA Express line of credit	No SBA time-in-business floor; the lender decides	Lender decides	Lender decides	Up to $500,000; revolving lines up to 10 years
Bluevine Line of Credit	12 months	$10,000 a month	625+ FICO	Up to $250,000; corporations and LLCs only
American Express Business Line of Credit	Business started at least 1 year ago	$3,000 average monthly revenue	660+ FICO	$2,000 to $250,000 at approval
OnDeck Line of Credit	1 year	$100,000 a year	625+ FICO	$6,000 to $200,000
Bank line of credit	Often 2+ years, with tax returns	Varies	Strong credit expected	Varies; often the lowest cost

Provider figures are from each provider's own pages unless a reviewer is named. Fundbox no longer publishes its minimums on its own site, so the figures above come from NerdWallet's April 2026 review.

What opens up as your business ages

Time in business is the single biggest gate for a new company. Using the published minimums above, here is what becomes realistic at each stage, assuming steady deposits and fair-to-good personal credit:

Months in business	Lines and credit that become realistic	What to do in this stage
0 to 3	Business credit card, cash-secured line, SBA microloan (a loan, not a line)	Open a business checking account and run every sale and expense through it
3 to 6	Fundbox, if an offer reaches you; small partner-platform offers	Keep deposits steady and avoid overdrafts and negative balances
6 to 12	Some deposit-based lenders; an SBA Express line if a lender will back you	Produce monthly profit-and-loss statements; build trade credit with suppliers
12+	Bluevine, American Express and OnDeck lines (if revenue and credit fit); FSE's lending partners	Compare several offers on total cost, not just speed
24+	Bank lines of credit and larger SBA CAPLines	Have two years of business tax returns and a debt schedule ready

Line of credit for a new LLC

Forming an LLC or corporation does not by itself make you eligible, because lenders count time operating and deposits, not the date on your formation papers. Entity type still matters in two ways:

• Some lenders exclude sole proprietors. Bluevine says a sole proprietorship cannot qualify for its line of credit; it requires a corporation or LLC.
• An EIN and a business bank account are the basics. Expect every lender to ask for both, plus your own Social Security number, because the owner's credit and guarantee carry most of the weight for a young company.

If your LLC is new but you bought an existing business, tell the lender: the operating history of the business you acquired can count, which is very different from a true startup.

What lenders look at when you have little history

• Personal credit. With thin business history, your personal FICO score stands in for the business. Published line minimums run from about 600 (Fundbox, per NerdWallet) to 660 (American Express).
• Bank deposits. Online lenders read your business bank statements to see monthly revenue, how often you go negative and your average balance.
• A personal guarantee. Nearly every line for a young business requires one. See our guide to business credit without a personal guarantee for the rare exceptions.
• Industry. Lenders publish restricted industries; Bluevine, for example, lists cannabis, lenders and auto dealerships among others.
• Collateral or cash. A secured line replaces history with a deposit you pledge, which is why banks will open one for a startup.

Example: a startup's path to its first unsecured line

This is a hypothetical example to show how the published minimums play out, not an offer or a prediction.

A landscaping LLC opens its business checking account in March 2026 and deposits about $8,000 a month in its first season, rising to $14,000 a month by the fall. The owner has a 670 FICO score.

• March to May: no unsecured line is realistic. The owner uses a business credit card for fuel and supplies and pays it in full each month.
• June to February: a Fundbox offer may be possible on reported minimums (3 months, $30,000 a year), at a higher cost and with weekly payments. The owner keeps deposits in one account and avoids overdrafts.
• March 2027 (12 months): the American Express line (1 year, $3,000 a month, 660 FICO) and the Bluevine line (12 months, $10,000 a month, 625 FICO, LLC) both come within reach on paper, and OnDeck once annual revenue passes $100,000. The owner applies to two and compares the cost of each.

The lesson: in year one, protect the file you will be judged on in month 12. Clean deposits and good personal credit are worth more than an expensive early approval.

First-year checklist to qualify for a line sooner

• Get an EIN and open a business checking account; run all revenue through it.
• Keep the account positive. Overdrafts and negative days are a common reason for declines.
• Keep personal credit utilization low and pay every bill on time.
• Ask suppliers for net-30 terms, and pay early or on time; see how trade credit works.
• Close your books monthly so you can hand over a profit-and-loss statement on request.
• Use a business credit card for small recurring costs and pay it in full.
• Before you apply, estimate the payment a full draw would create with our business credit line calculator.

Need speed more than history? Our guide to the fastest and easiest business lines of credit compares decision and funding times. For loans and other money for very young companies, see business financing for startups.

How FSE compares options from multiple lenders

Every lender above has its own credit box, and applying to them one at a time takes days and repeats the same paperwork. FSE (Funding Solutions Experts) is an independent commercial finance brokerage that works with 50+ lending partners across working capital, lines of credit, term loans, equipment financing, real estate-backed funding and merchant cash advances. You complete one application, and FSE compares what your business may qualify for across those partners, so you can weigh lines of credit side by side on total cost, payment schedule and term.

• No fee to you. FSE never charges the business any fee; FSE is paid by commission from its funding partners.
• Minimums. At least 1 year in business and $10,000 or more in monthly revenue.
• No credit check to apply. FSE's application does not ask for your Social Security number and does not pull your credit. An individual lender may check credit later in its own process.
• No promises we cannot keep. Approval, amounts and terms are set by each lender, and no approval is guaranteed.

If your business meets those minimums, you can apply once with FSE and compare offers from multiple lenders.

If your business is not yet a year old, FSE is not the right fit today; the options in the first tables above are where to start.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I need to be in business to get a business line of credit?

For most online unsecured lines, about 12 months: Bluevine, American Express and OnDeck all publish a one-year minimum. Fundbox has been reported at 3 months. Banks often want two years. Secured lines and business credit cards may have no time-in-business minimum.

Can I get a business line of credit with no revenue?

An unsecured line, almost never, because lenders size lines on deposits. A cash-secured line or a business credit card based on your personal credit is the realistic route until revenue starts.

Can a new LLC get a line of credit with just an EIN?

Rarely. Lenders still check the owner's personal credit and usually require a personal guarantee from a young business, so expect to provide your Social Security number with the application.

What credit score do I need for a startup line of credit?

Published minimums for online lines run from about 600 (Fundbox, per NerdWallet) to 625 (Bluevine, OnDeck) and 660 (American Express). Banks and SBA lenders set their own, usually higher, bars.

Is an SBA line of credit available to startups?

The SBA does not set a time-in-business minimum for SBA Express, which allows revolving lines up to $500,000 with terms up to 10 years, but the lender makes the credit decision. Few lenders approve a pre-revenue company; a business plan, collateral and industry experience help.

Sources

• Bluevine Line of Credit (minimums, entity rule, line size, rates)
• American Express Business Line of Credit (line sizes, requirements)
• OnDeck Line of Credit (credit limit, minimums, terms)
• Fundbox amounts and minimums: NerdWallet review (updated April 2026)
• U.S. Small Business Administration, Types of 7(a) loans (SBA Express maximum and revolving term, CAPLines)
• U.S. Small Business Administration, Microloans

Provider details were checked in November 2026 and change often; confirm current terms with each provider before you apply. Inclusion is not an endorsement and does not mean a provider is part of FSE's network. Brand names belong to their owners; FSE is not affiliated with them.