How to Obtain a Credit Report as a Business

There are two major credit reports that apply to businesses, which are Duns and Bradstreet and Experian Business. Getting a credit report for a business is far easier than buying a personal credit report. This is because any citizen has the legal right to see documents pertaining to how a business is run, especially if it is a corporation. With a little time and a small amount of money, viewing a business credit report is rather simple.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Visit the web site for Duns and Bradstreet, listed in our Resources section near the end of this article. In the upper right hand corner of the website, enter the country, name of the business, and state.

2. Click "Select" for the appropriate business once it is shown on the Duns web site. You then have multiple options to purchase business credit and other reports. A basic business credit report costs $39.99, but does not include a PAYDEX score. Getting a report with a PAYDEX score, the equivalent of a FICO score in the personal credit industry, costs $59.99. Alternatively, you could call Duns at [phone] and order the credit information over the telephone and have the report mailed to you. Both options require a credit card payment.

3. Visit the website for Experian Business, also listed in our Resources section. Click on the "Business Reports" graphic near the middle of the website.

4. Type the business name and state in the box on the upper left corner of the new page. Once the search finds the right business, click "Proceed" to go to the purchasing page.

5. Purchase the business credit report you want using a credit card. The standard report is $24.95, and includes a credit score. Alternatively, you could call Experian Business at [phone] to order a report and have it mailed to you.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that you can access a business credit report for any company. This could help you when deciding whether to do invoices, contracts, and other transactions with a business.
• Never buy business credit reports from non-official websites. These reports are often outdated or otherwise inaccurate.

Resources

• Duns and Bradstreet
• Experian Business

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