You get a business credit card by applying online with your business details and either a Social Security number or an EIN. Sole proprietors and side hustlers qualify, and most cards want a good-to-excellent credit score, which FICO puts at 670 and up.
A business card keeps business and personal spending apart, which makes tax time simpler. It also comes with sign-up bonuses, rewards in business categories and expense tools that personal cards don't have. The steps below cover who qualifies, which type of card fits, and what happens after you apply.
Who Can Qualify for a Business Credit Card?
You don't need an LLC or a formal incorporation. Sole proprietors can open and use a business credit card, so a part-time ride-share driver or a freelance designer qualifies just like a shop owner with a team.
What Are the Different Types of Business Credit Cards?
Pick the type before you pick the card. Your credit score, your spending pattern and the benefits that matter to your company decide which type fits.
Secured Business Credit Cards
If you're new to credit or rebuilding, a secured business card is the most accessible option. It usually asks for a security deposit and offers fewer perks than cards for good or excellent credit.
Use it responsibly and your score can improve. Over time you can move up to an unsecured business card with better terms.
Cash-Back Business Credit Cards
Cash-back cards pay you for routine business spending, in one of two ways:
- Flat-Rate Cash Back: One rate on every purchase. This suits a business whose spending is spread across many categories.
- Category Cash Back: Higher rates in business categories and a standard rate, typically around 1%, on everything else. This suits a business with heavy spending in a few areas. Our Chase Ink Business Cash review shows how one of these cards pays out.
Business Credit Cards for Travel
If much of your spending is travel, a business travel card earns points or miles, often at higher rates on airfare, lodging and dining. Co-branded cards such as the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business, Platinum Business and Reserve Business American Express Cards or the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card reward loyalty to one airline or hotel chain, and our Delta business card guide lists the current offers. Our piece on holding a personal and a business Marriott card explains how the two work together.
General-purpose travel cards give you flexibility instead. The Business Platinum Card from American Express is one example, and our Amex Business Platinum review covers its earn rates and fee. For the bigger picture, see points and miles for business owners.
What Credit Score Do You Need for a Business Credit Card?
Most business cards want a score in the good-to-excellent range, which is a FICO score of 670 to 850. Below that, options exist, but they focus on building credit rather than on the rewards you'd get from other cards.
Know your score before you apply. Applying for a card with stricter requirements than your profile meets can end in a denial, and the hard inquiry still counts against your score.
How to Find the Best Business Credit Card for Your Company
Once you know the type, compare cards within it on these points:
Welcome Offer
Issuers pay a sign-up bonus once you spend a set amount within a set window. Check the spending requirement against what your business spends anyway.
Annual Fee
Some business cards charge no annual fee. Others charge one and add lounge access or anniversary credits. Decide whether the benefits you'd use cover the fee.
Rewards Program
A flat rate is simple. Tiered rewards pay more but ask you to remember which category earns the most. Read the terms on expiration and redemption too, since they affect what the rewards are worth.
APR and Introductory 0% Offers
APR is the interest rate on any balance you don't pay by the due date. Pay in full each month and you avoid interest. Some business cards also offer a 0% introductory APR for a set period, often 12 months or more.
Business Card Benefits
Look at employee cards, individual spending limits and expense tools. Some cards include a limited number of free employee cards and others don't cap them.
Other Fees
Check late-payment, cash advance, foreign transaction and balance transfer fees, plus the penalty APR.
How to Apply for a Business Credit Card
Have this information ready before you start:
- Business Name and Address: A sole proprietor can use their own name instead of a "doing business as" (DBA) name. If you work from home, your home address works as the business address.
- Annual Business Revenue: The total income your business brings in each year.
- Type of Business: Sole proprietorship, limited liability company or corporation.
- Tax Identification Number: Your Social Security number or your Employer Identification Number (EIN), depending on your business type.
- Number of Employees: Count yourself, even if you're the only one.
What Happens After You Apply for a Business Credit Card?
The issuer reviews your credit report to judge whether you can repay. That review triggers a hard inquiry, reported to the three major credit bureaus, and it can lower your score for a while.
A decision can come within minutes when your information is easy to verify. If you're denied, you can take steps to address the rejection or apply for a card that fits your profile better.
Once you're approved, Chase says it ships new cards in 3 to 5 business days, and most other issuers take 7 to 10. Pay on time and keep your credit utilization low, and the card will help build your business credit profile.
Updated October 17, 2026: application timeline.
