Checking your business credit score is straightforward once you know where to look. Visit Experian, Dun & Bradstreet, or Equifax directly — or use an aggregator platform — search for your business by name or EIN, and access your report. Some basic score summaries are free; full reports typically require a fee.
Quick Answer: How to Check Your Business Credit Score in 6 Steps
Most business owners assume checking a business credit score works like checking a personal one. It doesn't. There's no single centralised system. Each bureau operates independently, holds different data, and produces its own score. Here's how to work through it.
Step 1 — Confirm Your Business Has an EIN and D-U-N-S Number
Before anything else, make sure your business has an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS — this is the identifier bureaus use to locate your file. For Dun & Bradstreet specifically, you'll also need a D-U-N-S number, which is D&B's proprietary nine-digit business identifier.
You can request one for free directly through D&B's website. Without these, your business may not appear in any database at all.
Step 2 — Identify Which Bureaus Hold Your File
Not every bureau will have data on your business, especially if it's new. The three primary business credit bureaus are Experian, Dun & Bradstreet, and Equifax. FICO also produces a blended score — the SBSS — used by SBA lenders. It's worth checking all three independently because the data they hold can differ significantly.
Step 3 — Visit Each Bureau Directly or Use an Aggregator
You have two routes:
- Direct: Go to Experian Business, D&B, or Equifax Business directly and purchase your report.
- Aggregator: Platforms like Nav allow you to view summaries from all three bureaus in one place, which saves time — though full score access usually requires a paid plan.
Step 4 — Search by Business Name, EIN, or Address
On whichever platform you choose, search for your business using its legal name, EIN, or registered address. If your business doesn't appear, that's a signal your file may not yet exist — not a system error.
Step 5 — Access Your Report and Score (Free or Paid)
Free access typically gives you a score summary or grade range. A full report — with trade line detail, public records, payment history, and risk factors — generally requires a one-time purchase or subscription. Experian's basic report starts around $59.95; D&B and aggregator platforms have their own pricing structures.
Step 6 — Review Score, Risk Factors, and Payment History
Once you have your report, look beyond the number. The risk factors listed alongside your score tell you why it sits where it does. Payment history, outstanding balances, and any public records (liens, judgments) are the sections that most directly affect your score — and your ability to address them.
What Is a Business Credit Score?
A business credit score measures how reliably a business pays its financial obligations. Vendors, lenders, insurers, and even government agencies use it to decide whether to extend credit, offer financing, or enter into contracts — and on what terms.
How It Differs from a Personal Credit Score
The mechanics look similar on the surface, but there are meaningful differences. Personal credit scores operate on a standardised 300–850 scale. Business credit scores vary by bureau — different scales, different methodologies, no cross-bureau comparability.
What's often overlooked: business credit reports are not protected the same way personal credit reports are.
As documented in Wikipedia's entry on commercial credit reporting, credit reports on businesses can now be compiled without a business owner's knowledge, and unlike personal credit, few strict laws govern who may access commercial credit information. That alone is a reason to check your own file regularly.
Who Can Access Your Business Credit Score
Lenders, suppliers, insurance underwriters, potential business partners, and competitors can all access your business credit report. The federal government also uses business credit data when evaluating contractors.
In practice, most small business owners are surprised to learn how openly accessible this information is — and that there's no equivalent of the Fair Credit Reporting Act restricting that access.
The Four Major Business Credit Scoring Models Explained
Experian — Intelliscore Plus (Scale: 1–100)
Experian's business credit score ranges from 1 to 100. A higher score means lower risk. The score draws on over 800 variables, including trade line history, collections, public filings, new account activity, and key financial ratios. A score above 76 is generally considered low risk by most lenders and suppliers.
Dun & Bradstreet — PAYDEX Score (Scale: 1–100)
The PAYDEX score is built almost entirely on payment history reported by vendors and suppliers. One important detail many business owners miss: paying on time only earns you a score of 80. To reach a perfect 100, you need to pay early. You also need at least three open trade lines reporting to D&B before a score is generated at all.
Equifax — Business Credit Risk Score (Scale: 101–992)
Equifax produces several business scores, with the Business Credit Risk Score being the most commonly referenced. It predicts the likelihood of a business becoming severely delinquent.
Equifax tends to be the least discussed of the three major bureaus, but lenders — particularly for equipment financing and commercial credit — do use it. A higher score indicates lower risk.
FICO — Small Business Scoring Service / SBSS (Scale: 0–300)
The FICO SBSS is a blended score that combines business and personal credit data. It has been used by SBA lenders to pre-screen loan applications, with the SBA raising the minimum qualifying score to 165 in June 2025.
If you're planning to apply for an SBA loan, this score matters — and it's worth knowing your personal credit health feeds directly into it alongside your business credit profile.
Business Credit Score Comparison Table
|
Bureau |
Score Name |
Scale |
Primary Users |
Good Score Benchmark |
|
Experian |
Intelliscore Plus |
1–100 |
Suppliers, lenders, trade creditors |
76–100 (Low Risk) |
|
Dun & Bradstreet |
PAYDEX |
1–100 |
Vendors, suppliers, trade creditors |
80+ (on time); 100 (early pay) |
|
Equifax |
Business Credit Risk Score |
101–992 |
Lenders, equipment financiers |
Higher = lower risk |
|
FICO |
SBSS |
0–300 |
SBA lenders, financial institutions |
165+ (current SBA minimum) |
Note: Score ranges and benchmarks reflect general industry understanding. Individual lender thresholds vary and are subject to change.
Free vs. Paid Ways to Check Your Business Credit Score
What You Can Check for Free
Free options exist, but they're limited. Most platforms offering free access provide a score summary, letter grade, or score range — not a full report. Nav offers free business credit summaries from all three major bureaus.
Bank of America business clients can access two D&B scores at no cost through their Business Advantage 360 portal. These are useful for a general read on where you stand, but they won't show you the full picture lenders see.
What Requires a Paid Report
Full reports — with detailed trade line data, inquiry history, UCC filings, and public records — require payment. Experian's single reports start at $59.95. Subscription-based monitoring plans offer ongoing access and alerts, which makes more sense for businesses actively managing vendor relationships or preparing for financing.
Going Directly to Bureaus vs. Using an Aggregator Platform
Going direct gives you the most complete picture from each bureau, but it means managing three separate accounts and reports. Aggregators consolidate the view, which saves time — though the depth of data varies by plan.
In practice, businesses preparing for a loan or significant vendor relationship tend to pull full reports directly; those doing routine monitoring often find aggregators more practical for day-to-day use.
What If Your Business Has No Credit Score Yet?
This is more common than most guides acknowledge. A new business, or one that has only used cash or personal credit, may simply not exist in any bureau's database.
Why Some Businesses Don't Appear in Bureau Databases
Bureaus rely on data being reported to them. If your vendors and suppliers don't report payment data, your business won't accumulate a credit history — even if you've been paying reliably for years. There's no automatic enrollment and no universal reporting requirement.
How to Get Your Business Listed and Start Building a File
Start by registering your business with D&B to get a D-U-N-S number. Open a business bank account and apply for a business credit card or a net-30 account with a vendor that reports to bureaus. Some office supply companies and wholesale distributors report payment data and are commonly used as starter trade lines by businesses building credit from scratch.
How Tradeline Reporting Works — and Why Not All Vendors Report
Vendors are not required to report to credit bureaus. Many smaller suppliers don't bother. When selecting vendors, it's worth confirming whether they report to Experian, D&B, or Equifax.
A vendor relationship that doesn't report contributes nothing to your credit profile, regardless of how promptly you pay. This is one of the more frustrating realities of building business credit — and it's rarely explained clearly.
What Factors Affect Your Business Credit Score?
As reported by CNBC Select's guide to business credit scores, business credit scoring models differ meaningfully from consumer models — each bureau uses its own criteria, and scores are not standardised across providers. That means a strong score at one bureau doesn't automatically translate to a strong score at another.
Payment History — The Most Weighted Factor
Across all bureaus, how consistently and promptly a business pays its bills carries the most weight. Late payments, collections, and charge-offs have a disproportionate negative effect. For D&B's PAYDEX specifically, the timing of payments relative to due dates is effectively the only factor in the calculation.
Age and Depth of Credit History
Older accounts and a broader mix of credit relationships signal stability. A business with five years of trade history and multiple active accounts is viewed as lower risk than one with a single account opened six months ago — even if both have perfect payment records.
Debt Usage and Outstanding Balances
Carrying high balances relative to credit limits suggests financial stress. Keeping utilisation low — broadly understood to mean below 30% on revolving credit — is consistently associated with stronger scores across bureaus.
Public Records — Liens, Judgments, Bankruptcies, and UCC Filings
Tax liens, court judgments, and bankruptcies are serious negatives that appear on business credit reports and can significantly lower scores. UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) filings indicate that a lender has a secured interest in your business assets — they're not inherently negative, but they signal existing debt obligations to anyone reviewing your report.
Industry Risk and Company Size — Factors Partially Outside Your Control
Some bureaus factor in the risk profile of your industry when calculating scores. A business operating in a sector with historically high failure rates may carry a lower score ceiling than an otherwise identical business in a lower-risk industry.
This is largely fixed — there's no way to change your industry classification — but it's useful context when interpreting a score that seems lower than your payment history alone would suggest.
How Often Should You Check Your Business Credit Score?
How Frequently Bureaus Update Their Data
Bureaus don't update scores in real time. Experian and Equifax typically refresh data monthly as trade information is reported. D&B updates can vary depending on how frequently your vendors submit data. Public records — liens, judgments — are updated as they are filed with the relevant courts.
Recommended Monitoring Cadence for Business Owners
For most small businesses, checking quarterly is reasonable. If you're actively applying for financing, planning a significant vendor relationship, or have recently resolved a public record issue, monthly checks make more sense.
Monitoring services with automatic alerts are worth considering if your business credit profile is actively changing or under scrutiny.
Conclusion
Checking your business credit score means visiting Experian, D&B, and Equifax separately — scores aren't standardised across bureaus. Free summaries exist; full reports cost more. If your business has no file yet, building one starts with a D-U-N-S number and vendor accounts that actually report.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I check my business credit score for free?
Yes, partially. Free access typically shows a score summary or grade — not a full report. Nav offers free summaries from all three major bureaus. Full trade line detail and public records require a paid report or subscription from each individual bureau.
Does checking my own business credit score affect it?
No. Checking your own business credit report is a soft inquiry and does not impact your score. This applies whether you check directly through a bureau or via an aggregator platform.
What if my business has no credit score yet?
It means no bureau has enough data to generate one. Register for a D-U-N-S number, open trade accounts with vendors that report to bureaus, and ensure your business is registered with an EIN. Scores typically take several months of reported activity to appear.
How long does it take to build a business credit score?
With consistent vendor reporting, a basic score can appear within three to six months. A well-established score lenders treat as meaningful generally takes one to two years of active, reported trade history.
Can my personal credit score affect my business credit score?
Not directly for most bureau scores. However, the FICO SBSS blends personal and business credit data. Lenders evaluating small businesses also commonly review personal credit alongside business credit when making decisions, even when the two scores remain technically separate.
