How to Get a Business Credit Card with EIN Only: Modern Finance Solutions

How to Apply for a Business Credit Card with an EIN: The Definitive Guide

Building a business shouldn't require putting your personal finances at risk just to access the capital you need to grow.

That’s why more and more founders are turning to EIN-only business credit cards. They're a way to keep business and personal finances completely separate while still unlocking flexible credit lines and spend control.

Traditionally, applying for a business credit card meant handing over your Social Security Number (SSN), consenting to a personal credit check, and often taking on a personal guarantee. That process makes sense if you’re applying for a personal credit card. But for small businesses, founders, and early-stage operators trying to scale, it’s an outdated model. It links your personal finances to your business’s success or failure even when realistically the two should be separate.

That’s where EIN-only cards come in. These cards are underwritten based on your Employer Identification Number (EIN), business revenue, and operational maturity, not your personal credit history. With the right tools, you can start building credit as a company, keep your books clean, and scale your spend without tying every purchase to your personal credit score.

In this guide, we’ll break down how EIN-only business credit cards work, how to qualify, and how modern platforms like Slash are redefining what a business credit card should be.

Business Credit Cards with EIN Only

What is an EIN?

An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a 9-digit number issued by the IRS to identify your business entity. It functions like a Social Security Number but for your company. It’s required for business tax filings, payroll, opening business bank accounts, and applying for business credit. Having an EIN is often the first step toward accessing a corporate credit card without a personal guarantee.

What does “EIN-only” actually mean?

An EIN-only business credit card means you can apply without providing your SSN, skipping the personal credit check and avoiding any impact on your personal credit score. The underwriting is based on business-specific factors: your annual revenue, cash flow, time in operation, financial reports, and even product legitimacy or online presence.

In short: EIN-only cards allow you to build your business credit profile without risking your personal credit history.

Benefits of EIN-Only Business Credit Cards

Establish Your Business Credit History

Applying with just your EIN helps you build a standalone business credit profile. Over time, responsible usage is reported to business credit bureaus like Dun & Bradstreet and Experian Business, improving your business credit score and unlocking better terms on future loans, credit lines, and vendor relationships.

Avoid Personal Credit Checks and Guarantees

Most traditional business credit cards require a hard inquiry into your personal credit report. EIN-only cards avoid this entirely. That means no ding to your credit score, no requirement to pledge personal collateral, and no personal liability for business purchases.

Separate Personal and Business Finances

Mixing business expenses with personal finances creates all kinds of headaches... especially during tax season. A dedicated business card using your EIN makes it easier to manage business expenses, track deductions, and maintain clean books.

Enable Scalable Business Spend

The best EIN-only cards offer dynamic credit lines that scale with your revenue. If you’re growing fast, you don’t want to be held back by rigid credit limits based on your personal FICO score. Many EIN-based providers use real-time cash flow and business analytics to set higher limits.

Streamline Spend and Expense Control

Modern corporate cards like Slash, Brex, or Ramp go beyond simple spending tools. They include granular controls: merchant locks, team permissions, spend caps, automated approvals, and deep integrations with accounting tools. These features give you the ability to automate your finances and eliminate manual oversight.

How to Get a Business Credit Card with EIN Only

Getting approved for an EIN-only business card isn’t as simple as just filling out an application. You’ll need to show lenders that your business is real, active, and financially viable. Here’s what that process looks like:

1. Register Your Business and Get an EIN

The first step is to legally register your business. That could be an LLC, S-Corp, or C-Corp or even a sole proprietorship with an EIN. You can apply for an EIN directly through the IRS website. Having an EIN is also required to open most business bank accounts, file taxes, and build business credit.

2. Open a Business Bank Account

Lenders want to see that your business has a financial footprint and history. A business bank account shows where your revenue goes and how you manage your expenses. It also signals that you’re not co-mingling personal and business finances which is almost always a red flag for many lenders and credit card issuers.

3. Build Operational and Financial History

Even simple things like making vendor payments, managing subscriptions, and receiving client deposits can start creating a business credit history. Regular usage of your business bank account, on-time payments, and clean records help build trust with lenders and improve your chances of being approved for EIN-only cards.

4. Look for Modern Credit Card Issuers

Not all credit card issuers support EIN-only approvals. Focus on platforms built for startups and smaller businesses (like Slash, Brex, and Ramp) that prioritize business performance over personal credit history. Traditional issuers like Chase or Amex still often require SSNs and personal guarantees unless you’re a large enterprise.

5. Prepare Documentation

EIN-only doesn’t mean “no documentation.” Many lenders will ask for your EIN confirmation letter, articles of incorporation, recent bank statements, and sometimes links to your product or business site to confirm legitimacy. Volunteering more documentation (even when not required) always strengthens your application.

6. Complete the Application Thoughtfully

When applying, be thorough. Even if some fields are listed as optional, include as much detail as you can. Especially around your business model, revenue streams, growth trajectory, and future plans. Platforms like Slash use this info to make approval decisions quickly.

7. Use the Card Responsibly to Build Credit

Once you’re approved, the work isn’t over. Use your card regularly, pay it off on time, and track your usage through software integrations. Many EIN-only cards report to business credit bureaus, which helps improve your business credit score and unlock better financial terms in the future.

Best EIN-Only Business Credit Cards in 2025

Slash Platinum Card

Industry-wide, Slash is known for offering one of the most founder-friendly corporate credit cards available today and one of the easiest to get approved for using your EIN only. No SSN, no personal guarantee, and no credit check all while being extremely secure and providing 24/7 support.

Why Slash Stands Out:

EIN-only approval, no SSN or personal credit check
Instant virtual card issuance
High, stable cash back with no gimmicks
Merchant-level spend controls
Built-in accounting integrations
Ability to transact in USD or stablecoins without needing a crypto wallet
Yield-earning business accounts to store idle cash

Slash is a lot more than just a corporate card. It’s like a financial command center for businesses with high spend, and ideal for small businesses, startups, and e-commerce brands looking to scale without the bloat.

Chase

Chase is one of the largest business credit card issuers in the U.S. While they do allow you to input your EIN on applications, they almost always require:

Your SSN
A personal credit check
A personal guarantee

Only large enterprises with deep commercial banking relationships might get EIN-only approval from Chase. But it’s not something most small business owners will qualify for online.

Brex

Brex underwrites based on your cash balance, revenue, and fundraising, not your personal credit.

Brex Highlights:

No SSN or personal guarantee
Real-time expense tracking
Multiple card users and custom limits
Built-in budgeting and software integrations

Brex works best for funded startups, fast-growing teams, or companies with a solid bank balance. If you’re bootstrapping or just starting out, you may not qualify right away.

Ramp

Ramp offers EIN-only approvals for qualified businesses and focuses heavily on spend management.

Ramp Highlight:

Only flat 1.5% cash back
Detailed expense categorization
Accounting integrations
Automated workflows and approval rules

Ramp is ideal for mid-sized companies or teams that want better visibility into spend and centralized controls for finance teams.

Alternatives to EIN-Only Business Credit Cards

If you’re not ready for a full-fledged corporate credit card yet, here are other options that can still help you build business credit:

Secured Business Credit Cards: Require a cash deposit, often equal to your credit limit. Good for new or smaller businesses looking to establish credit.
Business Credit Cards with a Personal Guarantee: Still the most common option, especially for sole proprietors or new LLCs with limited credit history.
Business Lines of Credit: Flexible credit that you can draw from as needed, typically requires both EIN and SSN.
Small Business Loans: Great for larger purchases or growth initiatives but involve more paperwork and longer underwriting times.

Each of these tools can help you build credit, manage cash flow, and position your business for EIN-only card approval down the line.

Why Slash Works Better

With Slash, your business gets the full suite of tools that used to be reserved for much larger companies:

Control Without the Oversight: Set pre-approved limits on transactions, lock specific vendors, and manage team cards from one dashboard.
See Every Charge in Real Time: No more mystery transactions. Get instant alerts and categorize spend as it happens.
Automate How Your Business Spends: Slash integrates with your accounting software and sets up rules so you don’t have to micromanage every transaction.
Avoid Personal Risk: No SSN. No personal guarantee. You keep your business and personal finances separate from day one.

Slash is designed to give small businesses and fast-growing startups access to the same financial infrastructure that powers enterprise companies.