Eligibility, Limits and Repayment
Business Loan Denied? What to Do Next, Step by Step
If your business loan application was denied, learn how to read the adverse action notice, fix the cause, reapply wisely and find alternative financing.
Business Loan Eligibility Self-Check
A checklist of credit, cash-flow, documentation and collateral items lenders usually review.
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Credit
Cash flow
Business basics
Documents
Collateral
This self-check lists the items most U.S. business lenders look at before they approve a term loan or line of credit. Tick each item you can honestly confirm today. There is no official score, because every lender weighs the items differently, but a checklist with many gaps is a signal to fix those gaps before you apply and trigger hard credit inquiries.
The items are grouped into credit, cash flow, business basics, documents and collateral. Credit and cash flow usually decide the rate and the amount. Business basics and documents decide whether your application is processed quickly or sent back for more information.
How to read your result: if you can check most of the credit and cash-flow items, you are likely to qualify for mainstream bank or credit union pricing. If you miss several, expect higher-cost online lenders or a smaller amount, and consider the steps in our guide on what to do after a denial. This tool is educational and does not predict an approval decision.
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Eligibility, Limits and Repayment
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