TL;DR
For most business loans you need 3 months of business bank statements, a 1-page application, EIN (US) or CRA Business Number + SIN (Canada). SBA, term loans over $250K, and CRE additionally require tax returns, financial statements, and a debt schedule.
Disclosure: Rates, fees, government statistics, and program terms shown reflect publicly available data from the cited sources as of April 2026. This content is for educational purposes only and is not an offer of credit or financial advice. Verify current terms with the lender or program administrator before relying on them. Live data points are pulled from U.S. government APIs (Federal Reserve / FRED, BLS, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Treasury, SBA) and may be delayed.
Standard file (revenue-based products)
- •3 months business bank statements (4 NY/CA, 6 Canada)
- •1-page application
- •EIN / CRA Business Number
- •SSN / SIN
- •Voided business check
- •Government-issued photo ID
Additional for term loans over $250K
- •2 years business tax returns
- •Personal tax returns (owners 20%+)
- •YTD P&L and balance sheet
- •Debt schedule of existing obligations
Additional for SBA / CRE
- •Business plan and 3-year projections
- •Resume / management bios
- •Lease or purchase agreement
- •Environmental review (CRE)
- •Personal financial statement (SBA Form 413)
- •Use-of-funds breakdown
Pros of front-loading documents
- •Same-day approvals on revenue products
- •Better pricing across all products
- •Avoids back-and-forth that can stall a deal mid-week
Related questions
For revenue-based products, you don't need them. For term loans over $250K and SBA, current-year tax returns are required.
Related guides
How to Qualify for a Business Loan in 1970 (Full Requirements)
The exact requirements lenders check, every document you need, common reasons for decline, and how to position your file for a same-day approval.
Business Loan Requirements Checklist (Print This Before You Apply)
Every document, number, and detail underwriters need — printable and ordered for a same-day approval file.
How Fast Can You Get a Business Loan? (1970 Funding Timeline)
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Sources & references
- SBA 7(a) and 504 Loan Program data— U.S. Small Business Administration
- Publication 946: How To Depreciate Property (Section 179)— Internal Revenue Service
- Small Business Credit Survey— Federal Reserve Banks