There are a lot of great personal credit cards out there to help you travel for free but if you add business cards to your stash you open up even more opportunities! I love business cards because the majority don’t go towards your Chase 5/24 count (Chase’s rule where they won’t approve your application if you have opened more than 5 cards in 24 months). Only business cards from Capital One, Discover, and TD Bank will count towards your Chase 5/24.

Secondly, business credit cards sometimes offer higher signup bonuses than personal cards. Take the Chase Ink Business Preferred card for example. The standard welcome offer is 100,000 points. That is the highest signup bonus of any Ultimate Rewards earning card. The standard offer on the Chase Sapphire Preferred is 60,000 points. That is a significant difference!

Many co-branded cards (Marriott, Delta, etc) offer personal and business cards. If you just stick to personal cards you are leaving a lot of points on the table. Some people are scared off because they are unsure how to qualify for business credit cards. Luckily, it is easier than you may think!

 

Do I Qualify for a Business Credit Card?

Many of you might be wondering how to qualify for a business credit card if you are a stay-at-home mom or don’t have a business. Well, guess what, you might actually be participating in something that counts as a small business!

Do you sell items on eBay, Amazon, or the local classifieds?  Teach music or sports, or nanny? Are you part of a network marketing company? Do you make and sell crafts? Are you a photographer, blogger, freelance writer, baker, Uber driver? Are you thinking of starting a business? If you do any of these things or provide any other service then you operate a small business. 

 

How to Fill Out a Business Credit Card Application

First and maybe most important, don’t lie on your application. There is a chance you could be asked to provide documentation that proves you are a small business owner.

Here is the business information portion of the credit card application. For this example, we will use the application for the Chase Ink Business Preferred card. 

 

 

The legal name of business:

This is the name of your business. As a sole proprietor without a registered business, don’t make up a business name, put down your own first and last name. 

Business name on card:

This is the name that will be displayed on the card. I would use the same name you used above.

Business mailing address:

Put your home address if you run your business out of your home.

Type of business:

From the drop-down menu select sole proprietor if you are the only owner in your business, or whichever one applies to your business. 

Tax identification number:

If you don’t have one, then put in your social security number. If you would like to register for an EIN it is free and easy to do online. 

The number of employees:

This is the number of employees in your business. As a sole proprietor, you would select 1. 

Annual business revenue/sales:

Enter the total amount of money you make annually from selling your goods or offering your services. If you haven’t started making any money yet, you can put your projected annual revenue.

Years in business:

This is the number of years you have been in business. 

General Industry/Category/Specific type:

Choose the options that most accurately describe your business.

Personal Section

After completing the business portion you will then fill out a personal section. This portion is very similar to a regular credit card application. Remember under total gross income, to include what you and a spouse make, if applicable.

 

 

Submit the application and sit tight! You most likely won’t get an instant approval when applying for many business cards. Instead, it will go into pending.

To stay up to date on what is happening you can call this number:
Chase Application Status: 800-436-7927

If you get denied you can call this number:
Chase Reconsideration (Business): 800-453-9719. They may just need some more information about your business. Send me a message anytime if you have questions about applying for a business card or what to do if they ask you to verify your business. I’ve been there!