18 Business Loan Requirements - Business Licenses and Permits

One of the things a lender will certainly want to see before approving a loan is your business license. Now, in some cases, you may not be required to have special licensing. However, certain states do require you to procure permits and /or licenses before you are able to operate your business. Along the same lines, the lender will also want to see proof of ownership.

Whether or not you are required to have a business license again will depend on the state, as well as on things such as the size of your company, type of business, any zoning restrictions, and so forth. Check with your local government to determine what type of permits/licenses you will need, if any, to conduct business. In some instances, operating without these permits could result in penalties and heavy fines.

Another thing you may want to have and thus supply to your lender is an employer identification number (EIN). This is essentially like a Social Security number assigned to a business by the IRS. To that end, it is largely used for tax purposes. And while you do not necessarily need one to apply for a business loan, if you do have one, be sure to provide that information. Obtaining an EIN for your company is free and fairly easy to do.

You will need to apply for an EIN if your company falls under any of the following categories:

• You have employees
• Yours is a multi-member LLC
• You wish to be taxed as a partnership or corp.

At First Union, we can certainly help with any and all details when it comes to filling out a loan application and, consequently, what you will need to complete this packet. With a streamlined process, we make it fast and easy to get the funding you need—sometimes in as little as two business days. Call today and find out what we can do for you!

You’re reading Part 7 in our 18-part series – 18 Business Loan Requirements.