How to Build Business Credit: D-U-N-S, Paydex and Net-30 Accounts

Your personal credit score follows your Social Security number. Your business credit lives in separate files at business credit bureaus, tied to your company’s name, address and EIN. A strong business file can help you get better supplier terms, higher card limits and, over time, financing that leans less on your personal credit.

The three business credit bureaus

Bureau	Main score	Scale	What it means
Dun & Bradstreet	Paydex	1–100	Based on how promptly you pay vendors. 80 = paying on time; paying early pushes it higher.
Experian Business	Intelliscore Plus	1–100	Higher means lower risk. Uses payment history, credit use and public records.
Equifax Business	Business credit risk and payment scores	Varies	Uses payment data from lenders, card issuers and vendors.

Unlike personal reports, business files are not free by law, and not every lender or vendor reports to all three. That is why you build credit on purpose, with accounts you know report.

Step-by-step plan

1. Make the business official. Register your LLC or corporation with your state (Sunbiz in Florida, the Departamento de Estado in Puerto Rico) and get an EIN at IRS.gov.
2. Make it findable. Use the same legal name, address and phone everywhere: state registration, bank, IRS, website and directories. Mismatches split your file.
3. Open a business bank account and run all business money through it.
4. Get your D-U-N-S number. It is free from Dun & Bradstreet. Paid “expedite” offers are optional.
5. Open two or three net-30 vendor accounts. These are suppliers that let you pay 30 days after you buy (office supplies, packaging, shipping, industry suppliers). Ask each one: “Do you report payments to Dun & Bradstreet or Experian Business?” Only reported payments build your file.
6. Add a business credit card that reports to business bureaus. Use it for regular expenses and pay in full. Our finder marks cards that report.
7. Pay on time or early, every time. On D&B’s Paydex, paying on the due date earns 80; paying before the due date scores higher.
8. Check your files every few months. Correct wrong addresses or names directly with each bureau.

How long does it take?

A Paydex score needs several vendor payment experiences reported before it appears, so expect a few months for a first score and longer for a strong one. Experian and Equifax files grow as more accounts report.

What business credit does not do

• It doesn’t replace your personal credit for most small-business loans. SBA lenders and banks still review the owners’ personal credit. See what credit score you need for an SBA loan.
• It doesn’t erase a personal guarantee. If you guaranteed a card, you are still responsible.
• It can’t be bought. Services that sell “tradelines” or “instant business credit” for a fee are risky at best.

Avoid these mistakes

• Mixing personal and business spending on the same card or account.
• Using a home address on some records and a business address on others.
• Opening many accounts at once that you don’t need.
• Paying vendors late “because they won’t notice.” Late payments are exactly what the bureaus record.

Ready to pick a card? See cards that build business credit or start with the full card finder.

Frequently asked questions

How do I start building business credit?

Register the business, get an EIN and a free D-U-N-S number, open a business bank account, and use vendor accounts and cards that report to business bureaus.

What is a good Paydex score?

80 means you pay on time. Paying before the due date pushes the score higher, up to 100.

Does business credit replace personal credit for loans?

Not for most small-business loans. Banks and SBA lenders still review the owners' personal credit.