How to get a business credit card with an EIN only

When you apply for a business credit card, most issuers will ask for your Social Security number (SSN) as part of the application process. This means that applying for a business card will result in a hard inquiry on your personal credit report, which is something not every business owner is comfortable with. 

However, if you’re looking to apply for a business credit card without revealing too much personal information, there could be a workaround that allows you to pick up a business credit card with just your employer identification number (EIN). Yes, you can get a business credit card with just an EIN, but you’ll have a much smaller selection of cards to choose from, and business cards that let you apply with an EIN only tend to have stricter requirements for approval. 

If you’re considering this option, here are some steps you can take to increase your chances of success.

How to apply for a business credit card with an EIN

Corporate credit cards are more likely to allow you to apply with only an EIN, but they also often require your business to meet certain standards. These can include:

• Annual revenue targets, often in the millions
• Minimum spending requirements
• Minimum employee cardholder requirements, often 15 or more

The steps required to open a business credit card with an EIN are similar to those for applying with an SSN, with a few additional requirements:

1. Determine the criteria your company must meet. These requirements may not be feasible for a small business or side hustle, and a small business credit card may be a better option.
2. Fill out the application required for the card you want. Be honest and forthcoming when it comes to the history of your company, including annual income and estimated expenses. 
3. Be prepared to provide documentation for some aspects of your business, which could include submitting financial statements or other relevant information.

Types of business credit cards available for EIN-only applications

Some credit card issuers allow you to apply for a business credit card with an EIN only. Here are the types of cards you should look into if you want to use an EIN and avoid a personal guarantee:

• Corporate EIN credit cards: While corporate cards often let applicants apply for credit with just an EIN, they have stricter application rules. Only certain types of businesses are eligible in most cases, and your business may need to earn a certain profit margin each year. Many issuers extend business credit with just an EIN, but only C-corps, S-corps, LLCs or LLPs registered in the U.S. are eligible to apply. If you’re a sole proprietor, you might have to work a little harder to find the right corporate card for your business.
• Corporate store cards: Some corporate store credit cards don’t come with a personal liability requirement, making them excellent EIN credit cards. Corporate store credit cards tend to offer specific perks like discounts on purchases, cash back options, and points and rewards.
• Corporate gas cards: Another option is a corporate gas card or a fleet fuel card, which may allow your company to apply without a personal guarantee. Just remember that a corporate gas card or fleet fuel card will only work for purchases across a brand of gas stations and stores, so their usefulness is limited.

Examples of business cards that accept EIN-only applications 

Although the business credit cards that accept an EIN-only application are few and far between, there may still be some options for you on the market, including the following: 

• Brex Card* 
• The Ramp Visa® Corporate Card*
• BILL Divvy Corporate Card
• Shell Card Business* 
• Sam’s Club® Business Mastercard®*

Pros and cons of EIN-only credit cards

Consider the following benefits and drawbacks of getting a business credit card with an EIN only.

Pros

• Getting a business credit card without a personal guarantee means you are not personally liable if your business is unable to repay debts charged to the card.
• A corporate credit card will help you build your business credit score so you can access more credit in the future.
• Business credit cards that don’t require an SSN make it easier to keep your personal and business finances totally separate.

Cons

• There are few business cards that let you apply with an EIN only, so your options will be limited.
• The best business credit cards available today have robust rewards programs and incredible benefits, but they all require an SSN and a personal guarantee.
• Corporate cards may require you to have millions of dollars in revenue, 15 or more account users or a certain amount of money in a connected bank account.

Alternatives to EIN-only business credit cards

If the main driver for getting a business card with an EIN is your desire to keep your business finances separate from your personal finances, you don’t necessarily need an EIN-only card to do so. You can also consider applying for the following:

• A traditional business card, especially one that doesn’t report to the consumer credit bureaus
• A secured business card, which often doesn’t require a high credit score
• An additional personal credit card, which may be a good option if you have a side hustle or small business with few employees

Reportedly, card issuers like Bank of America, Citi, PNC, U.S. Bank, BBVA and Wells Fargo do not typically report any of your business card activity to the credit bureaus — not even late payments or accounts in default.

This means that even though you’ll have to list your SSN on your business card application, a card from one of those banks could be worth considering.

The bottom line

It’s possible to get a business credit card with just an EIN, but the eligibility requirements are stringent. It’s not a viable option for many small business owners since your business needs to be large enough to qualify for a corporate card.

If you can’t meet the corporate card requirements, you can instead apply for a small business credit card with your SSN and either choose an issuer that doesn’t report business card activity to the consumer credit bureaus or one that only reports delinquent behavior (which you should plan to avoid anyway).

*The information about the Brex Card, The Ramp Visa® Corporate Card, Shell Business Card and Sam’s Club® Business Mastercard® has been collected independently by Bankrate. Card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.