The short answer
Most lenders check three thresholds: time in business, usually six months to two years, annual revenue of roughly $100,000 or more, and a credit score above the floor for the product, from about 500 for advances to about 650 for SBA loans. Bank statements, a driver's license, and a voided check complete most applications.
The Three Thresholds Every Lender Checks
Business loan requirements are the minimum standards of time in business, annual revenue, and credit score that a lender applies before underwriting a file. Everything else, from documents to collateral, exists to verify those three numbers. Knowing the thresholds before applying prevents the two most common outcomes of blind applications: wasted hard credit inquiries and weeks lost to the wrong lender.
The thresholds vary by lender class. NerdWallet puts term loan requirements at six months to two years in business, $50,000 to $250,000 in annual revenue, and credit scores of 550 to 700, with online lenders at the looser end. SBA lenders typically want two years of operations, $100,000 or more in revenue, and a 650 plus score. SBA lenders sit near bank standards with more paperwork and longer timelines.
Time in Business and Revenue: The Real Numbers
Six months of operating history is the practical floor for most funding; below that, options narrow to advances against existing card volume. Twelve months opens standard short term loans and lines, and twenty four months opens bank and SBA products. In our experience, options widen noticeably at each of those marks.
On revenue, the working benchmark is $100,000 a year, about $8,300 a month in deposits. Lenders care about consistency as much as volume: twelve steady months of $9,000 reads better than a spiky year averaging $12,000, because the daily or monthly payment must clear in the weakest month, not the average one.
Credit Floors by Product
Approximate floors from lender listings NerdWallet and Nav review: merchant cash advances from 500 or no minimum, easier online loans from about 570, online lines of credit from about 600 to 625, and SBA loans from about 650. Personal credit drives most small business decisions because owners sign personal guarantees.
A score below a product's floor is not always fatal. Strong deposits, low existing debt, and longer time in business routinely pull marginal files through, especially at direct lenders that underwrite in house rather than scoring against a rigid matrix. The reverse is also true: a 720 score cannot carry a file with three months of history and thin deposits.
Documents That Speed Approval
For most non bank products the checklist is short: three to six months of business bank statements, a government issued ID, a voided business check, and basic entity information. Larger loans add a year or two of tax returns, a profit and loss statement, and a balance sheet. Files that arrive complete routinely fund days faster than files built piecemeal.
Sending one complete file to lenders whose requirements fit beats scattering it across the market. Batch Capital, Batch Group's funding division, funds working capital advances with its own capital, including advances repaid through the card terminal, and places term loans, lines of credit and equipment financing with third-party funders, which set the terms on the files they fund and may pay Batch Capital.
Commonly Asked Questions
How long do you need to be in business to get a loan?
Six months is the practical minimum for most online and direct lenders. Banks and SBA lenders typically require two years of operating history.
How much revenue do you need for a business loan?
Roughly $100,000 a year is a common benchmark; NerdWallet notes term loan minimums below $100,000 are fairly uncommon, and SBA lenders typically want $100,000 or more. Consistency of monthly deposits matters as much as the annual total.
What documents do lenders require for a business loan?
At minimum, three to six months of business bank statements, a government ID, and a voided check. Bank and SBA loans add tax returns and financial statements.
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