Business Credit Score in 2026: How Each Score Works and How to Build Yours

Your business has a credit file even if you've never looked at it, and suppliers, landlords, insurers and lenders check it before they offer terms. This guide explains the business credit scores that matter in the United States — Dun & Bradstreet's PAYDEX, Experian's Intelliscore Plus, Equifax's scores and the FICO SBSS score banks used for SBA loans — what counts as a good score on each, what SBA requires now that it has dropped its SBSS minimum, and a practical 12-month plan to build business credit from scratch. Bureau details come from each bureau's own published material and SBA rules were checked against SBA notices in October 2026.

Quick answer

A business credit score rates how likely your company is to pay its bills on time, based on what suppliers and lenders report about it. The main ones are D&B PAYDEX (1–100; 80+ means you pay within terms), Experian Intelliscore Plus (1–100, or 300–850 in its newer V3), Equifax scores, and the blended FICO SBSS. SBA no longer sets a minimum: it stopped SBSS screening for 7(a) Small loans on March 1, 2026.

• Business scores are separate from your personal FICO, but most lenders check both

• PAYDEX needs at least three payment experiences from at least two suppliers

• A D-U-N-S number is free; you don't need to pay to be listed

• The SBSS minimum was 165 from June 1, 2025 until the sunset

• Build credit with trade accounts that report, a business card, and paying early

What a business credit score is and who uses it

A business credit score summarizes your company's credit file into a number that predicts how likely it is to pay late, default or fail. Unlike consumer credit, there's no single dominant score and no free annual report required by law. Three commercial bureaus — Dun & Bradstreet, Experian and Equifax — each collect their own data from suppliers, lenders, public records and the business itself, and each publishes its own scores.

The people who check your file aren't only lenders. D&B lists landlords deciding whether to rent to you, suppliers setting credit terms, customers vetting a vendor, insurers pricing premiums, and lenders. A strong file can mean net-30 or net-60 terms from suppliers instead of cash on delivery, a smaller deposit on a commercial lease, or a higher limit on a business card.

Lenders treat business scores as one input. For most small businesses, the owners' personal credit still carries a lot of weight, because loans usually require a personal guarantee from everyone who owns 20% or more or more under SBA rules, and similar guarantees are standard at banks. A good business score helps, but it rarely replaces personal credit for a company with only a few years of history.

The main business credit scores and their ranges

D&B PAYDEX is the most widely recognized. It's a dollar-weighted average of how promptly you've paid suppliers and vendors, based on payment experiences they report to D&B, and can consider up to 875 experiences, each from a different supplier. D&B says a score of 80 means payments are generally made within terms and scores above 80 mean you pay early. You need at least three trade experiences, reported by at least two different vendors, before a PAYDEX exists.

Experian Intelliscore Plus predicts serious delinquency. The long-standing V2 version runs 1–100 with five risk bands from high (1–10) to low (76–100). Experian's newer Intelliscore Plus V3 moves to a 300–850 scale that mirrors consumer scores and projects risk over 24 months instead of 12. Both come in a commercial-only version and a "blended" version that adds the owner's or guarantor's consumer credit data. Which version a lender sees depends on what it has bought, so don't be surprised to see either.

Equifax shows several scores on its small business report. Its Payment Index works like PAYDEX: 90 or above means paid as agreed, with lower bands corresponding to how many days past due you typically pay. The Credit Risk Score and Business Failure Score are predictive scores with wider ranges.

FICO SBSS is the score most banks used for SBA loans. It's built from a combination of consumer credit bureau data on the owners, business bureau data, the borrower's financials and application data, according to SBA's rulebook. FICO doesn't publish the scale on its public pages; lenders and industry sources describe it as 0 to 300.

What counts as a good business credit score

For the payment-based scores, the targets are clear. A PAYDEX of 80 or more shows you pay within terms; D&B calls 80–100 low risk. An Equifax Payment Index of 90 or more means paid as agreed. On Experian's 1–100 scale, 76 and above is the low-risk band. On the newer 300–850 V3 scale, higher is better, but Experian leaves cut-offs to each lender.

On D&B's 1–5 Delinquency Predictor Score, a 1 is the best result, so lower is better there even though higher is better on PAYDEX. For predictive scores, the number matters less than the trend and the reasons. Each report lists key factors, such as high balances relative to credit limits, recent late payments or a short credit history, and fixing those moves the score. A business with few reported accounts can have an unremarkable score simply because there's little data, which is why building reported trade lines is the first step.

FICO SBSS and SBA loans: what changed in 2025 and 2026

For years, SBA used the FICO SBSS score to pre-screen 7(a) Small loans, those of $350,000 or less. The minimum moved twice before SBA dropped it.

SBA and the SBSS score

Nov 15, 2023

SOP 50 10 7.1: minimum acceptable SBSS score for 7(a) Small loans is 155

June 1, 2025

SOP 50 10 8: minimum raised to 165; applications below it must go through full Standard 7(a) underwriting

Jan 16, 2026

SBA publishes Procedural Notice 5000-875701 announcing the sunset of SBSS

March 1, 2026

SBA stops scoring and screening 7(a) Small applications with SBSS

Oct 1, 2026

SOP 50 10 8.1 builds the new lender-driven credit analysis into the rulebook

Under the current rules, lenders must use the same prudent credit analysis they use for similarly sized non-SBA commercial loans. They may use a business credit scoring model permitted by their federal regulator if they use it for those non-SBA loans, provided the model doesn't rely solely on consumer credit scores. SBA Express loans were already handled this way. SOP 50 10 8.1 also bars a lender from citing your failure to meet its conventional credit-score policy as the only reason you need an SBA guarantee.

What it means for you: there's no longer a single SBA number to hit, and pages that still quote 155 or 165 as the "SBA minimum" are out of date. In practice, many banks still use SBSS or a similar blended score internally, so a strong business file and good personal credit still matter. For the full list of SBA tests, see our SBA loan requirements guide.

How business credit scores are calculated

Each bureau keeps its models proprietary, but the inputs are broadly similar:

• Payment history with suppliers and lenders. The biggest factor in PAYDEX and the Payment Index. PAYDEX is dollar-weighted, so how you pay large invoices counts more than small ones.
• Amounts owed and utilization. Equifax's sample report lists balance-to-limit utilization as a key factor, the same idea as consumer credit.
• Public records. Liens, judgments and bankruptcies appear on business reports and weigh heavily.
• Length of history and company profile. Age of the oldest account, years in business, industry and size.
• Owner data, for blended scores. SBSS and blended Intelliscore options add the owners' consumer credit.

A key point: payments only count if they're reported. D&B says experiences that go unreported can't be considered. Many small suppliers don't report, so a business that pays every bill early can still have a thin file.

How to build business credit from scratch

Building a business credit file

1. 1

   Set the business up as a separate entity

   Form an LLC or corporation, get an EIN, and use the exact legal name and address everywhere. Bureaus match records by name and address, so inconsistency splits your file.

   How to get an EIN
2. 2

   Open a business bank account

   Run all business income and expenses through it. Lenders read your bank statements, and a separate account keeps business payments on the business's record.

3. 3

   Get a free D-U-N-S number and check your files

   Request a D-U-N-S number from Dun & Bradstreet (free; up to 30 business days) and update your company details through D-U-N-S Manager at no charge.

   Dun & Bradstreet D-U-N-S
4. 4

   Open trade accounts that report

   Ask your regular suppliers for net-30 terms and whether they report to D&B, Experian or Equifax. You need at least three reported experiences from at least two suppliers for a PAYDEX.

5. 5

   Add a business credit card or small line

   Use it lightly and pay in full. Ask the issuer whether it reports to the business bureaus and which ones.

6. 6

   Pay early, not just on time

   Because PAYDEX is dollar-weighted, paying your largest invoices a few days early lifts the score most.

7. 7

   Review your reports every quarter

   Check for wrong addresses, accounts that aren't yours or late payments you didn't make, and dispute them with the bureau.

Worked example: a new LLC's first year

A two-owner LLC opens a commercial cleaning business in March. Here's how its credit file develops when the owners follow the steps above.

In March the owners form the LLC, get an EIN, open a business checking account and request a free D-U-N-S number. In April they open net-30 accounts with a janitorial supply wholesaler (about $3,000 a month), a uniform service ($400 a month) and an equipment rental company ($600 a month), each of which confirms it reports payments to at least one bureau. In May they get a business credit card with a $5,000 limit and keep the balance under $1,000.

The LLC's file after six months

3

Supplier trade lines reporting

From 3 different vendors

$4,000

Monthly trade purchases

Wholesaler $3,000, rental $600, uniforms $400

under 20%

Card utilization

Under $1,000 on a $5,000 limit

80+

PAYDEX target

Paying within terms or early

By July, three suppliers have reported several months of payments, enough for a PAYDEX to be generated. The owners pay the wholesaler, their largest bill, about 10 days before the due date, and the two smaller vendors on the due date. Because PAYDEX is dollar-weighted, the early payments on the $3,000 account carry most of the weight, so the score lands above 80, D&B's prompt-payment mark. One month the uniform invoice is paid 15 days late because of a billing mix-up; since it's a small share of the dollars, the effect is limited, and the owners set up automatic payment so it doesn't recur.

In January, the business applies for a $50,000 line of credit. The bank pulls both owners' personal credit, the business's bureau reports and nine months of bank statements. The file shows clean trade payments, low card utilization and steady deposits. The thin history still limits how much it can borrow without a guarantee, but it has moved from "no file" to a positive one in under a year. Read our guide to business lines of credit for what banks check next.

How to check your business credit and fix errors

You can't pull all three business reports free the way you can with consumer credit. Experian lists a business CreditScore report for $59.95. Dun & Bradstreet lets you view and update your company information free through D-U-N-S Manager and sells monitoring products that show your scores. Equifax offers reports and monitoring through its small business center. If you're about to apply for a large loan or lease, buying the report that lender is likely to use is worth the cost.

Prices change, so confirm on each bureau's site before you buy. If you only buy one report, buy the one from the bureau your target lender or landlord says it uses.

When you find an error, dispute it with the bureau that shows it. D&B says you can use D-U-N-S Manager to dispute late payments you believe are wrong; Experian and Equifax have their own dispute processes. Keep proof of payment, such as cancelled checks or bank records, and contact the supplier that reported the data, because a correction at the source fixes the problem everywhere it's reported.

If a lender turns you down, ask why. Under Regulation B, a business with gross revenue of $1 million or less in its last fiscal year must be told the action taken and has the right to a statement of specific reasons; larger businesses can request written reasons within 60 days of being notified. Those reasons often point straight at the part of your file that needs work.

Quarterly business credit check

0/7

• Legal name, address and phone match your state filing and bank account
• Every reported trade line is yours
• No late payments you didn't make
• Liens and judgments are released once paid
• Number of reporting suppliers is growing
• Card utilization is under about a third of the limit
• Owners' personal reports are clean too

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Section 1071: what the new lending data rule means for you

Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act requires lenders to collect and report data about small business credit applications. The CFPB issued a revised final rule on May 1, 2026, effective June 30, 2026, with a single compliance date of January 1, 2028. According to law-firm summaries of the rule, it now covers lenders that originate at least 1,000 small business loans in each of two consecutive years and defines a small business as one with gross revenue of $1 million or less; it excludes merchant cash advances, trade credit, factoring, true leases and loans of $1,000 or less. Advocacy groups have challenged the revisions in court.

For borrowers, 1071 doesn't change your credit score or how lenders decide. From 2028, larger lenders will ask some extra questions on applications, including about ownership demographics, which you can decline to answer. The data is meant to show how small business credit is distributed, not to score you.

Common mistakes that hold business credit back

Mixing personal and business finances. Paying suppliers from a personal card means the payment builds your personal credit, not the business's. Use business accounts for business bills.

Assuming every account reports. Many suppliers and some card issuers don't report to business bureaus at all. Ask before you rely on an account to build your file.

Inconsistent business details. A different address or name format on your bank account, supplier accounts and state filings can create duplicate or incomplete files.

Paying for a "listing." A D-U-N-S number is free. You don't need to buy a credit-building package to be listed with D&B.

Ignoring personal credit. Most lenders still weigh owners' personal credit heavily, and blended scores include it. Keep your own file clean while you build the business's.

Chasing an outdated SBA number. There's no longer an SBA minimum SBSS score. Focus on the cash flow, credit history and documentation that lenders now review directly.

Official links

• SBA — Procedural Notice 5000-875701 (SBSS sunset)Effective March 1, 2026
• SBA — SOP 50 10 8.1Current credit analysis rules for 7(a) and 504
• CFPB — Section 1071 small business lending ruleRule status and compliance date
• 12 CFR 1002.9 — Adverse action noticesYour right to reasons when credit is denied
• GSA — Unique Entity ID replaced DUNSFor federal contractors and grant applicants

What to do next

Get your free D-U-N-S number, list your suppliers and ask which ones report, and open the trade accounts that do. Set a reminder to review your business reports each quarter. When you're ready to borrow, check what you could qualify for with the loan eligibility calculator, and read our SBA 7(a) loan guide to see how lenders weigh credit alongside cash flow.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice — confirm on the official source or with a professional.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good business credit score?

It depends on the score. A Dun & Bradstreet PAYDEX of 80 or higher means you pay within terms and is treated as low risk. On Experian's older Intelliscore Plus scale of 1–100, 76 and above is low risk; its newer V3 score runs 300–850. Equifax's Payment Index treats 90 or above as paid as agreed. Lenders combine these with your personal credit.

What business credit score does the SBA require?

None right now. SBA stopped screening 7(a) Small loans with the FICO SBSS score on March 1, 2026. From June 1, 2025 until then, the minimum SBSS was 165, and before that 155. Lenders now use their own credit analysis and may use a business scoring model if they use it for similar non-SBA loans, as long as it doesn't rely only on consumer scores.

How do I check my business credit score?

Each bureau sells its own reports. Experian lists a business CreditScore report for $59.95. Dun & Bradstreet lets you view and update your company file through D-U-N-S Manager, and sells monitoring products with your scores. Equifax offers business credit reports through its small business center. Business scores aren't free by law the way consumer reports are.

Does my personal credit affect my business credit score?

Sometimes. Pure commercial scores like PAYDEX use only business payment data. Blended scores, such as FICO SBSS and Experian's blended Intelliscore options, mix the owner's or guarantor's consumer credit data with business data. And because most small business loans need a personal guarantee, lenders almost always check your personal credit separately.

How long does it take to build business credit?

A D&B PAYDEX appears once at least three payment experiences have been reported, from at least two different suppliers, so a few months of reported trade accounts is the minimum. A D-U-N-S number is free but can take up to 30 business days. Expect six to twelve months of on-time reported payments before your file is strong enough to help with lenders.

Do I need a D-U-N-S number for a business credit score?

For a Dun & Bradstreet score, yes, because D&B files are keyed to the D-U-N-S number, which is free. Experian and Equifax build files from the data they receive and don't require a D-U-N-S. Federal contractors no longer need one: SAM.gov switched to its own Unique Entity ID on April 4, 2022.

Sources & verification

Figures on this page were checked against the sources below when it was last reviewed on 11 October 2026. Each rate and limit is stored once with its own official source and review date, and official update channels are monitored daily so changes are picked up. How we verify

1. 1.Procedural Notice 5000-875701: Sunset of SBSS Score for 7(a) Small Loans — U.S. Small Business Administration · accessed 11 October 2026
2. 2.SOP 50 10 8 (June 1, 2025), SOP 50 10 8.1 (October 1, 2026) and SOP 50 10 7.1 (November 15, 2023) — U.S. Small Business Administration · accessed 11 October 2026
3. 3.Small business lending rulemaking (Section 1071) — Consumer Financial Protection Bureau · accessed 11 October 2026
4. 4.12 CFR 1002.9 — Notifications (Regulation B) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register) · accessed 11 October 2026
5. 5.What is a PAYDEX Score? and Business Credit Scores and Ratings — Dun & Bradstreet · accessed 11 October 2026
6. 6.What is the PAYDEX score? (infographic) — Dun & Bradstreet · accessed 11 October 2026
7. 7.Get a D-U-N-S Number — Dun & Bradstreet · accessed 11 October 2026
8. 8.Intelliscore Plus V3 product sheet — Experian · accessed 11 October 2026
9. 9.Business credit scores (CreditScore report) — Experian · accessed 11 October 2026
10. 10.Small Business Member Center sample credit report — Equifax · accessed 11 October 2026
11. 11.GSA systems switch to Unique Entity ID (SAM) on April 4, 2022 — U.S. General Services Administration · accessed 11 October 2026