Tradelines
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4 reporting bureaus
Finance guide
Business Credit Building · File.Business
How to build business credit.
Personal credit follows you. Business credit follows your entity. Building business credit lets you access financing without personal guarantees, increases credit limits, and reduces dependence on your personal FICO score. This guide covers the steps to build business credit from scratch: DUNS number, vendor accounts, business credit cards, Net-30 trade lines, and how the major business credit bureaus calculate scores.
Cap table tools
Specialty attorneys
Not legal advice
Key facts
Start here.
Key fact
Three main bureausDun & Bradstreet (PAYDEX), Experian Business (Intelliscore), Equifax Business (Business Credit Risk Score).
Key fact
DUNS numberFree identifier from D&B. Required for many business credit applications, government contracts, and credit reporting.
Key fact
Time horizonBuilding established business credit takes 12-24 months. Patient, consistent reporting builds the file.
Key fact
Personal guaranteeMost early business credit requires personal guarantee. As business credit strengthens, PG can be reduced or eliminated.
Key fact
Vendor accountsNet-30 accounts with vendors who report to bureaus are the fastest way to build business credit history.
In depth
The full picture.
01
Form an entity
LLC or corp creates the entity that owns the credit. Sole proprietor business credit is tied to personal SSN; less useful for separation.
02
Get an EIN
Federal tax ID. Required for opening business accounts and credit applications. Free from IRS, same-day for US founders.
03
Open business bank account
Required for most credit applications. Demonstrates financial substance. Some lenders verify with bank statements.
04
Register with DUNS
Free DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet. dnb.com. Takes 1-3 days. Required for many business credit applications.
05
Open Net-30 vendor accounts
Trade lines with vendors who report to bureaus. Examples: Uline, Quill, Grainger, Crown Office Supplies. Order, pay on time, build reporting history. 3-5 vendor accounts is a strong start.
06
Get a business credit card
Even one with personal guarantee builds business credit. Capital One Spark, Amex Business, Chase Ink. Pay in full and on time.
07
Build payment history
Pay all business obligations on time or early. PAYDEX score (D&B) is based on payment timing: paying early (1-30 days before due) maximizes the score.
08
Monitor your reports
Check D&B, Experian, Equifax business reports quarterly. Dispute errors. Track score progression.
09
Avoid common mistakes
(1) Using personal credit for business expenses: keeps credit personal. (2) Missing payments: damages business credit faster than it built. (3) Closing oldest trade lines: shortens credit history. (4) Letting business address fall out of sync: bureaus require consistency.
10
Scale into PG-free credit
After 12-24 months of strong reporting, apply for credit cards and lines without personal guarantee. Bank of America Business, Amex, and others offer PG-free options once business credit is established.
FAQ
Common questions.
Is business credit really separate from personal?
Yes, in concept. In practice, most early-stage business credit requires personal guarantee, so default impacts both. Established business credit can be obtained without personal guarantee.
How long does it take to build business credit?
First credit reporting: 30-90 days after opening trade lines. Established business credit profile: 12-24 months of consistent reporting.
What is a DUNS number?
Dun & Bradstreet Universal Numbering System. Unique nine-digit identifier for each business entity. Free to obtain. Required for many credit applications and government contracts.
What is a PAYDEX score?
Dun & Bradstreet's business credit score, 0-100. Above 80 = paying on time. Above 90 = paying early. Most lenders want 80+.
Do all vendors report to credit bureaus?
No. Many do not. Look for vendors that explicitly report (Uline, Quill, Grainger, Crown). Some have programs that require enrollment.
Can I use my SSN for business credit?
Personal credit is on your SSN. Business credit is on EIN. Many initial applications still ask for SSN (for personal guarantee), but the trade line reports under EIN.
Does my LLC need to be old to get business credit?
Newer LLCs face more restrictions. Many lenders require 2+ years in business. SBA loans require 2+ years. Online lenders sometimes accept younger businesses.
What is a tradeline?
A credit account that reports to credit bureaus. Trade lines build credit history. Vendor accounts, credit cards, and loans are all tradelines.
Should I check my business credit before applying for loans?
Yes. Errors are common. Address mismatches, wrong industry codes, inaccurate revenue can all hurt scores. Dispute errors before applying.
Build the foundation.
Entity, EIN, banking, cap table, contracts, books. Everything funders, lenders, and acquirers want to see.
This guide is educational. Funding decisions require professional advice from licensed attorneys and CPAs.
How it works
How we deliver, end-to-end.
Four-step path from request to confirmation. State and IRS turnaround varies; our steps run in parallel where possible to compress the timeline.
1
Intake + scope
You tell us what you need through a short intake form (or a call for complex matters). We confirm scope, surface any gating issues (deadlines, missing documents, entity status), and quote any state fees that pass through at cost.
2
Prepare + verify
Our specialists draft the filing, verify entity details against state databases, run internal QA, and route any items needing your sign-off. You see drafts before anything gets submitted.
3
File with the authority
We submit directly to the state Secretary of State, FinCEN, IRS, USPTO, or whichever authority your filing requires. We pay state fees at cost and track the submission identifier in your account.
4
Confirmation + vault
Stamped certificate, IRS notice, or filing receipt arrives in your SOC 2 encrypted document vault the moment we receive it. Next filing deadline auto-added to your compliance calendar where applicable.
Why File.Business
Built on the same infrastructure used by 220,000+ businesses.
SOC 2 Type II audited
Independent annual security audit covering access control, change management, incident response, and data handling. Current report on request.
All 51 US jurisdictions
Every state plus DC plus Puerto Rico - direct filings, not third-party reseller. We hold registered-agent qualifications in every state we operate.
Deadline guarantee
If we miss a filing deadline on a service you pay us to manage, we pay the state penalty. Specific to each plan and the filings it includes.
4.9 from 8,200+ verified reviews
Independently verified by Trustpilot + Google + our own NPS infrastructure. Customer success team within reach by email, chat, or phone.
60-day money-back promise
Change your mind in the first 60 days and we refund our service fee in full. State filing fees pass through at cost and are non-refundable once paid to the state.
E&O insured
Errors and omissions coverage protects you from service errors. Carrier and certificate available on request for enterprise clients.
Bundle & save
Recommended add-ons
Most customers add these to keep their business compliant year-round.
Registered Agent
Most orderedRequired for every registered business entity in every state.
$99
/year
Add →
Compliance Monitoring
Best valueTrack every annual report, registered agent renewal, and license deadline.
$19
/month
Add →
Annual Report Filing
RecommendedAuto-file your state annual report. Never miss a deadline.
$99
/year
Add →
Why File.Business
Premium compliance, no service-fee markup.
Trust you can verify
SOC 2 Type II audited platform. 220,000+ businesses served. 60-day money-back on service fees. State fees passed through at cost with no hidden markup. Explicit AUP on restricted industries.
A compliance partner, not a transaction
Most providers go quiet after checkout. We auto-track every annual report, registered agent renewal, and license deadline across your entities. The Business OS dashboard keeps your compliance score visible year-round.
Premium experience competitors cannot match
Premium positioning, transparent pricing, no service-fee markup on state or federal filings. Premium positioning, transparent pricing, no service-fee markup on state filings.