How Long Does it Take for your SBSS Score to Update?

If you're preparing to apply for an SBA loan or just trying to understand the health of your business credit, one key number stands out: your SBSS score. But how often does it update and what does it actually mean for your loan eligibility?

Let’s break it down.

What Is the SBSS Score?

The Small Business Scoring Service (SBSS) score is a specialized credit scoring model developed by FICO. It plays a central role in the SBA 7(a) loan process. Whenever you apply for an SBA loan, lenders are required to pull your SBSS score. This score helps them assess how likely you are to repay a loan, and ultimately, whether or not you qualify for financing.

The SBSS score is unique because it blends multiple data sources, including your personal credit, business credit, and application history. This combination gives lenders a more complete picture of your business's financial health.

In addition to the credit score itself (which ranges from 0 to 300), the SBSS system also includes a risk assessment component. Each SBA-approved lender may set its own minimum SBSS score threshold, but the SBA itself typically looks for a score of at least 155 for automatic underwriting.

How Often Does the SBSS Score Update?

Your SBSS score is dynamic. It changes based on the underlying credit data that lenders and creditors report to the major credit bureaus. Since the SBSS score is influenced by both personal and business credit, any updates to these credit profiles can trigger a change in your score.

When creditors report payment information—such as balances, payment history, new accounts, or delinquencies—that data is reflected in your credit profiles. Once those updates are received by the SBSS system, your score may be recalculated accordingly.

Typically, personal and business credit bureaus receive updates every 30 days, but the exact timing depends on when your lenders report. This means your SBSS score may update monthly, or even more frequently if multiple data points change in a short period of time.

In short: Your SBSS score updates as often as your credit reports do. If your credit usage, payment behavior, or reported balances change, your SBSS score can change too.

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Can You Check Your SBSS Score Yourself?

Unlike your personal credit score, the SBSS score isn’t something you can check on your own through standard consumer credit apps or monitoring tools. It’s only accessible to approved SBA lenders or through platforms connected to the SBA’s internal systems, like ETRAN.

That’s exactly why we created SBAScore.com-to make it easy for business owners to access their SBSS score without having to complete a full SBA loan application.

Too often, borrowers waste valuable time applying with lenders, only to find out after the fact that their SBSS score doesn’t meet the lender’s minimum threshold. SBAScore.com solves that problem by helping you see where you stand before you apply—saving you time, effort, and unnecessary credit pulls.

With SBAScore.com, you can:

• Estimate your SBSS score range
• Understand your likelihood of SBA loan approval
• Get guidance on how to improve your score if needed

What Can You Do to Improve Your SBSS Score?

If you're planning to apply for an SBA loan and want to raise your SBSS score, here are a few key steps you can take:

• Pay down revolving balances: Lower debt-to-credit ratios help both personal and business scores.
• Make on-time payments: Consistent, timely payments are crucial across both credit profiles.
• Establish or strengthen business credit: Work with vendors that report to bureaus like Dun & Bradstreet or Experian Business.
• Fix errors: Dispute any incorrect information on your credit reports that could be dragging your score down.
• Keep personal credit healthy: Even well-established businesses rely on the owner’s credit as a key part of the SBSS formula.

How Your SBSS Score Impacts Loan Approval

Because the SBSS score is part of the SBA’s loan screening process, it plays a significant role in determining whether a lender will proceed with your application. Many lenders use it to automatically approve or reject applicants. Falling below a lender’s SBSS threshold doesn’t always mean you're disqualified—but it does often mean the underwriting process will be more manual and require extra documentation.

In other words, the higher your SBSS score, the faster and easier your path to funding.

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