SBSS Score Tips & How to Understand Business Credit

The Small Business Scoring Service (SBSS) is a crucial part of how lenders evaluate your business for SBA loans, especially the 7(a) program. Most lenders use the SBSS to get a quick read on your business creditworthiness. If your score isn’t strong, your application might not even get looked at.

Understanding the SBSS Score
The SBSS score is a FICO-derived number ranging from 0 to 300. A score above 140 is usually required for SBA pre-screening. It pulls data from:

• Your personal credit (usually the owner's FICO score)
• Your business credit (from Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, and Equifax)
• Public records (liens, judgments, bankruptcies)
• Financials (if submitted)
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Lenders are looking for stability, low risk, and responsibility. Your SBSS score is a quick litmus test—pass it, and they’ll dig into the rest.

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TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR CREDIT SCORE
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Separate your business and personal credit.
Get a business credit card and pay it off on time.

Get listed with the business credit bureaus.
Ensure you’re reporting to D&B, Experian, and Equifax Business.

Pay vendors early.
Many vendors report payment behavior, and early payments can bump your Paydex score.

Avoid UCC clutter.
Too many UCC filings suggest you're over-leveraged.

Correct inaccuracies.
Dispute any incorrect listings with the credit agencies.

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