{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/personal-fico-score","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/personal-fico-score","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":"personal-fico-score","term":"Personal FICO Score","group":"Reading the business","definition":"Your Personal FICO Score is a three-digit number reflecting your personal credit risk, based on your credit history. It's a key indicator of your financial responsibility for any loan.","what_it_means":"SBA lenders will pull your personal FICO score, and those of all key principals, as part of the underwriting process. While there's no official minimum, a score generally above 680 is preferred, and significantly higher is better. A strong personal score demonstrates your good character and ability to manage debt, which is crucial for SBA approval.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/personal-fico-score","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":"13-cfr-part-120","title":"13 CFR Part 120 — Business Loans","official_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/chapter-I/part-120","official_label":"View on eCFR","authority_tier":1,"publisher":"Office of the Federal Register","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/13-cfr-part-120"}],"related":[{"slug":"credit-profile","term":"Credit Profile","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-profile"},{"slug":"credit-report","term":"Credit report","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-report"},{"slug":"good-character","term":"Good character","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/good-character"}],"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 if my personal credit score is strong (720+), but I have high personal debt-to-income (DTI)?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-if-my-personal-credit-score-is-strong-720-but-i-have-high-personal-debt-to-income-dti"},{"question":"Does my personal credit score matter for an SBA 7(a) loan application?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/does-my-personal-credit-score-matter-for-an-sba-7-a-loan-application"},{"question":"Does my personal credit score matter for getting an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/does-my-personal-credit-score-matter-for-getting-an-sba-7-a-loan"},{"question":"What personal credit score do I need for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-personal-credit-score-do-i-need-for-an-sba-7-a-loan"},{"question":"Is there a minimum personal credit score needed for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/is-there-a-minimum-personal-credit-score-needed-for-an-sba-7-a-loan"}]},"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 — Personal FICO Score","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/personal-fico-score","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}