The short answer
On our funding panel, 3 months in business opens the door to a working capital advance and 6 months is typical, as of September 28, 2026. Term loans start at 6 months with steady revenue, and lines of credit and SBA loans usually ask for more. Every month of clean bank statements widens the field and lowers the cost.
Funding options on this topic: Merchant cash advance, Term loans and Lines of credit.
Why Time in Business Matters
A funder sizes an offer on bank statements, so the first question is simply how many months of statements exist. A business with three months of deposits has a short record to read; a business with two years has seasons, slow months and recoveries on paper. The longer the record, the more a funder can trust that next month's deposits will look like last month's.
Time in business is measured from when the business started depositing revenue in its own account, not from the date the entity was formed. An LLC formed two years ago that opened its business account four months ago reads as a four month file.
What Each Milestone Unlocks
At 3 months, a working capital advance is possible on our panel, usually smaller and at a higher factor than the same business would get later. At 6 months, the typical floor, more of the panel will look at the file, and a term loan becomes possible with at least $14,000 a month in revenue.
Past a year, the offers widen: larger advances, longer terms and lines of credit that can be drawn again. SBA loans reward a longer history most, because they are underwritten on tax returns and financial statements as well as the bank account.
If the Business Is Brand New
Under 3 months, most of our panel will not fund yet, and the honest answer is to build the record. Run every sale through the business account from day one, keep the balance above zero and avoid returned payments. A new business with a signed contract or a purchase order can sometimes start sooner, so it is still worth asking.
Equipment is the exception worth knowing about. Equipment financing is secured by the equipment itself, so the asset carries part of the risk that a short history would otherwise carry.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I get business funding with 3 months in business?
Yes, a working capital advance is possible at 3 months on our panel as of September 28, 2026, usually a smaller amount at a higher cost than the same business would see at 6 or 12 months.
Does time in business start when I formed the LLC?
In practice it starts when revenue began landing in the business bank account, because that is the record a funder reads.
How long do you need to be in business for an SBA loan?
There is no single month count, but SBA loans are underwritten on tax returns and financial statements, so a business with at least one to two years of filed returns has a far easier file.
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