Personal guarantees on business credit cards: who's liable (2026)
Edited by Moe Ameen · Published
A personal guarantee is the SBA's term for a written promise from a business owner to repay if the business can't. Of the traditional cards whose terms we could read, American Express and Chase both make the cardholder and the business jointly liable. The four cards we found that say they need no personal guarantee, from Brex, Ramp, BILL and Mercury, are corporate or charge cards rather than traditional bank cards.
Key takeaways
- A personal guarantee makes you responsible for the business's debt if it doesn't pay.
- Amex's and Chase's terms make the cardholder and the business jointly and severally liable.
- Brex, Ramp, BILL Divvy and Mercury IO say they require no personal guarantee.
- Some Capital One business cards report to your personal credit; others don't while the account is in good standing.
What is a personal guarantee on a business credit card?
A written promise from the owner to repay the business's debt if the business doesn't. The SBA defines it that way.
The SBA calls it a written promise from a business owner to accept responsibility if the business fails to pay [1]. Capital One describes it the same way and notes that some cards use corporate liability instead [4].
What does joint and several liability mean on a business card?
That you and the business are each responsible for the full balance. Chase and American Express both use this wording.
Chase says its Ink cards require joint and several liability, meaning both the cardmember and the business are liable for repayment [3]. American Express's Blue Business Cash agreement says the Basic Cardmember and the Company remain jointly and severally liable for all charges [2].
Which business credit cards don't need a personal guarantee?
Of the cards we checked: Brex, Ramp, BILL Divvy and Mercury IO. All four are corporate or charge cards, not traditional bank cards.
Brex says it doesn't require a personal guarantee and doesn't check founders' personal credit [7]. Ramp bases its limit on revenue or money raised [8]. BILL uses a soft inquiry on the initial application [9]. Mercury runs no credit check at sign-up [10]. The trade-off is eligibility: Brex serves US-incorporated companies [7], Ramp doesn't accept sole proprietorships, as covered in sole proprietor vs LLC, and Mercury's bank account doesn't either; see business bank account requirements.
Do business credit cards show up on my personal credit report?
Some do. Capital One reports its Spark Classic to personal bureaus but not Spark Cash Plus, unless the account falls behind.
Capital One says Spark Cash Plus doesn't report activity to personal bureaus while the account is open and in good standing, though the application's hard inquiry may appear [5]. U.S. Bank and Chase say a business card application usually means a hard inquiry on your personal credit [6][3]. Mercury reports IO payments to Experian, Equifax and Dun & Bradstreet's business files [10].
Do SBA loans require a personal guarantee?
Yes. Under the SBA's rules, anyone owning 20% or more of the business must sign an unlimited full guaranty on a 7(a) or 504 loan.
The SBA's lender rulebook says every loan needs at least one individual or entity as guarantor, and if no one owns 20% or more, at least one owner must give a full unconditional guaranty [11]. The SBA can ask others to sign too, whatever their ownership share [11]. More in SBA loans explained.
Glisten check
10 business cards: liability and personal credit reporting
| Card | Liability, as the issuer states it | Reports to personal credit? |
|---|---|---|
| American Express Blue Business Cash | Cardholder and company jointly and severally liable [2] | Agreement doesn't say which bureaus [2] |
| Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards | Not stated on the product page | Not stated |
| BILL Divvy Card | No personal guarantee [9] | Not stated; reports to SBFE [9] |
| Brex Corporate Card | No personal guarantee [7] | No [7] |
| Capital One Spark 1% Classic | Not stated on the product page | Yes, primary cardholder activity [5] |
| Capital One Spark Cash Plus | Not stated on the product page | No, while open and in good standing [5] |
| Chase Ink Business Unlimited | Joint and several liability [3] | Not stated for this card |
| Mercury IO | No personal guarantee [10] | No; business bureaus only [10] |
| Ramp Corporate Card | No personal guarantee [8] | No [8] |
| U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards | Not stated on the product page | Not stated |
Four of the six traditional cards don't state liability on their product pages. The two whose terms we could read, Amex and Chase, both make the cardholder liable. Capital One's Spark 1% Classic was the only card that named fair credit as its target.
Is this right for you?
Best for
- Owners deciding whether to sign a personal guarantee on a first business card.
- Founders comparing corporate cards with traditional ones.
Not ideal for
- Comparing rewards or APRs. This page covers liability and reporting only.
- Legal advice about a specific agreement. Read the cardmember agreement before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a business credit card without a personal guarantee?
Yes, from corporate card issuers like Brex, Ramp, BILL and Mercury, which say they require none [7][8][9][10]. Brex and Ramp say they look at business finances instead of your personal credit [7][8].
Does a Chase Ink card require a personal guarantee?
Chase says Ink cards require joint and several liability, so both you and the business are liable [3].
Will a business credit card application affect my personal credit?
Usually. U.S. Bank and Chase say an application typically means a hard inquiry on your personal credit [6][3].
Is there a business credit card for fair credit?
Capital One lists its Spark 1% Classic at a fair credit level. See first business card with fair credit.
Who has to sign a personal guarantee on an SBA loan?
Anyone with 20% or more ownership must give an unlimited full guaranty [11].
How we know this
On October 28, 2026 we read each card's product page, and where available its cardmember agreement and the issuer's help articles, for liability terms and personal credit reporting, plus the SBA's lender rulebook (SOP 50 10 8.1) for SBA loans. Where an issuer's own pages didn't say, the table says so.
- Top 10 business credit terms, SBA. Checked October 28, 2026.
- Blue Business Cash Cardmember Agreement (PDF), American Express. Checked October 28, 2026.
- What is a personal guarantee on a credit card?, Chase. Checked October 28, 2026.
- Business cards and personal guarantees, Capital One. Checked October 28, 2026.
- Do Capital One business cards report to personal credit?, Capital One. Checked October 28, 2026.
- Does a business credit card affect personal credit?, U.S. Bank. Checked October 28, 2026.
- Business credit card, Brex. Checked October 28, 2026.
- Corporate cards, Ramp. Checked October 28, 2026.
- BILL Divvy Card requirements, BILL. Checked October 28, 2026.
- IO credit card, Mercury. Checked October 28, 2026.
- SOP 50 10 8.1 technical policy updates (effective October 1, 2026), SBA. Checked October 28, 2026.