Who Is Eligible for a Business Credit Card?

Business credit cards sometimes offer better rewards or perks than personal credit cards. But who can get one? 

When it comes to finding the best credit card, most people are looking for generous rewards; cardholder perks such as free travel; good signup bonuses for new customers; and affordable or non-existent annual fees. 

As you start to research card options, you may find that some of the best cards out there aren't personal cards but instead are cards marketed toward businesses. And it can be frustrating when you find a card you'd love to take advantage of and it's classified as a business card. 

If you find yourself in this situation, you may wonder who exactly is eligible for a business credit card and whether you need to be a CEO to sign up for one. The good news is that the requirements to get a business card may not be as stringent as you think. 

Who is actually eligible for a business credit card?

Most credit card issuers are pretty flexible about who can qualify for a business card. You can qualify as a sole proprietor, for example, which means you do not need to have formed a partnership, a limited liability company (LLC), or a corporation in order to get a card.

You also don't need to have employees, run a large business, or even show that your business has a ton of revenue to get a business card. If you have any type of side hustle, such as walking dogs, selling crafts, or working for a rideshare company, you could technically consider this to be your business and use it to apply for a business card. 

In fact, you could possibly even apply for a business card successfully if you simply sell items on eBay or Craigslist, or at garage sales occasionally, because any income that does not come from an employer could be considered a business. 

Be sure to provide accurate information in your application

Although card issuers aren't very strict about what they consider a business, it is important that you're honest when you apply for a business card. Don't lie and say you run a company if you don't, and don't claim your business has a ton of revenue if it doesn't. 

The card issuer is likely to verify these things or ask for substantiating information, especially if you make outlandish-sounding claims such as that your eBay sales business is making tons of income when it isn’t. Since many card companies are willing to give you a business card even if you don't have a huge company that’s raising lots of revenue, there is no reason to take the risk and be dishonest. 

Consider calling the card's reconsideration line if you're not approved

If you apply for a business card and you’re denied, one option available to you is to call the card issuer's reconsideration line. 

You'll likely be asked a few simple questions about your business and why you want the card. If you can provide satisfactory answers as to why the card is important to you, it's often possible to turn a denial into an approval. 

Finding the right business card for you

If you think you can qualify for a business card and you want to take advantage of the rewards and perks these cards offer, it's important that you shop around. Compare annual fees, rewards, and other cardholder benefits because there are lots of great cards out there and you want to find one that will offer you the best bang for your buck.