{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-check","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/credit-check","data_freshness":{"sba_records_through":"2026-05-31","fdic_records_through":"2026-03-31","dealroom_last_updated":"2026-06-15","timezone":"America/Chicago"},"source_summary":["Public SBA 7(a) loan records","FDIC institution data","DealRoom lender and franchise enrichment"],"term":{"slug":"credit-check","term":"Credit Check","group":"People and paperwork","definition":"This is an examination of your personal credit history to assess your creditworthiness and repayment behavior. Lenders use it to evaluate your reliability in managing debt.","what_it_means":"For an SBA loan, your personal FICO score and credit report are crucial. Lenders will perform a hard credit pull, and any derogatory marks, bankruptcies, or high debt-to-income ratios can significantly impact your loan eligibility or require further explanation.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-check","official_sources":[{"slug":"sop-50-10","title":"SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs","official_url":"https://www.sba.gov/document/sop-50-10-lender-development-company-loan-programs","official_label":"View on SBA.gov","authority_tier":2,"publisher":"U.S. Small Business Administration","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/sop-50-10"},{"slug":"sba-form-1919","title":"SBA Form 1919 — Borrower Information Form","official_url":"https://www.sba.gov/document/sba-form-1919-borrower-information-form","official_label":"View on SBA.gov","authority_tier":4,"publisher":"U.S. Small Business Administration","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/sba-form-1919"}],"related":[{"slug":"fico-score","term":"FICO score","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/fico-score"},{"slug":"credit-report","term":"Credit report","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-report"},{"slug":"creditworthiness","term":"Creditworthiness","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/creditworthiness"},{"slug":"debt-to-income","term":"Debt-to-Income","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/debt-to-income"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"Does the SBA check my personal credit score directly when I apply?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/does-the-sba-check-my-personal-credit-score-directly-when-i-apply"},{"question":"What kind of records does the SBA check about my personal background?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/what-kind-of-records-does-the-sba-check-about-my-personal-background"},{"question":"Does the SBA check my personal background, like criminal history, for a loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/does-the-sba-check-my-personal-background-like-criminal-history-for-a-loan"},{"question":"How do I check if a specific franchise system is eligible for SBA 7(a) financing?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/how-do-i-check-if-a-specific-franchise-system-is-eligible-for-sba-7-a-financing"},{"question":"Does the SBA check for past defaults on federal debts, like student loans or prior SBA loans?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/does-the-sba-check-for-past-defaults-on-federal-debts-like-student-loans-or-prior-sba-loan"},{"question":"When is a lender required to conduct a criminal background check for non-owner managers or key employees of an applicant business?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/when-is-a-lender-required-to-conduct-a-criminal-background-check-for-non-owner-managers-or"}]},"caveats":["Definitions represent DealRoom's plain-English interpretation for buyers; verify regulatory terms against the official SBA and eCFR sources listed.","Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an SBA eligibility determination."],"citation":{"label":"DealRoom.so Glossary — Credit Check","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-check","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}