What Are the Requirements for a Business Line of Credit?

The short answer

Most lenders want 6 months to two years in business, a personal FICO score of 625 to 700, and steady revenue. Online lenders such as OnDeck and Bluevine publish a 625 score floor and about $100,000 or more a year in revenue. Banks ask more: Chase wants a 660 score and $100,000 in revenue, Bank of America typically 700 and two years.

What Do Lenders Publish as Their Minimums?

From each lender's own line of credit page, as of October 2026:

Lender	Time in business	Revenue	Credit score	Line size
Bluevine	12+ months	$10,000 a month	625+ FICO	Up to $250,000
OnDeck	1 year	$100,000 a year	625 FICO	$6,000 to $200,000
American Express	At least 1 year	$3,000 a month average	660+ FICO	$2,000 to $250,000
Chase	No ownership change in 2 years	$100,000 a year	660+ FICO	$10,000 to $500,000, existing customers
Bank of America	2 years under current ownership	$100,000 prior year	Above 700 typically	$10,000 to $250,000
Wells Fargo	6 months	Not published	680 for guarantors	$10,000 to $150,000

How Do Online Lenders and Banks Differ?

Online lenders accept newer businesses and lower scores, and charge for it. OnDeck publishes that its average line of credit costs 59.8% APR. Bluevine also requires a corporation or LLC and no bankruptcies on file.

Banks cost less and ask more. Wells Fargo's BusinessLine is priced from Prime + 1.75%, Chase offers its line only to existing Chase business customers and says it "only offers secured lines of credit," and Bank of America wants two years under the same ownership.

Will You Have to Personally Guarantee the Line?

Almost always. Chase says "anyone with 20% or more ownership of the business must personally guarantee the debt in the case of default." Wells Fargo defines a personal guarantee as a condition "that requires business owners to be personally responsible for paying back the loan if the business fails to repay." Read that clause before you sign.

Is There an SBA Line of Credit?

Yes, inside the 7(a) program. The SBA's 7(a) Working Capital Pilot "offers monitored lines of credit within the 7(a) loan program," for businesses that can benefit from a line of credit up to $5 million. Its CAPLines program "helps small businesses meet their short-term and cyclical working-capital needs."

SBA rules apply, including the 2026 requirement that every owner be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national. See can green card holders get an SBA loan.

What If You Don't Qualify Yet?

Use the gap to build the file, and fund the need another way. A business short on time in business or credit score can often still get a working capital advance, which is sized on deposits rather than a credit score. Batch Capital funds advances with its own capital, from $5,000 to $2 million, on three months of bank statements, and the 5 to 10 minute application shows what the business qualifies for across products, with no hard credit pull.

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Commonly Asked Questions

What credit score do you need for a business line of credit?

Published minimums run from 625 FICO at online lenders such as OnDeck and Bluevine to 660 at Chase and American Express, and typically above 700 at Bank of America.

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

From 6 months at Wells Fargo and 12 months at Bluevine and OnDeck to two years under the same ownership at Bank of America.

How much revenue do you need for a business line of credit?

OnDeck, Chase and Bank of America publish $100,000 a year; Bluevine asks for $10,000 a month and American Express $3,000 a month on average.

Do business lines of credit require a personal guarantee?

Usually. Chase requires a personal guarantee from anyone owning 20% or more of the business.

Sources

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