Starting a Business Checking Account
- PRO
- Dec 8, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 16
What you need to open a business checking account at most U.S. banks depends a bit on your business structure — but there’s a fairly common set of papers and information that most banks will ask for.
Here’s a breakdown of the usual requirements 👇
✅ What you’ll almost always need
Personal identity for owners / signers — a government-issued photo ID (e.g. driver’s license, state ID, or passport).
Tax ID — either your business’s Employer Identification Number (EIN) or, for certain sole proprietors, your Social Security Number (SSN) (or ITIN).
Basic business information — legal business name (and DBA/“doing business as,” if your business operates under a trade name), business address, and contact info.
📄 Business documentation (depends on business type)
Which documents you need depends on how your business is structured:
Sole proprietorship — sometimes just your ID + SSN; if you operate under a DBA name, may need a registration certificate or business-name filing.
LLC — usually your Articles of Organization (or similar formation papers), and sometimes operating agreement.
Corporation — formation documents such as Articles of Incorporation (or equivalent), plus any corporate bylaws or similar documentation required by the bank.
Partnership — often a partnership agreement, and possibly a certificate or registration of the business name / “assumed name” if using a trade name / DBA.
DBA / trade names (if the business operates under a name different from the legal name) — banks typically ask for a DBA certificate or assumed-name certificate.
Business license or permits — depending on your industry or state/local laws, you may be asked to show your business license or relevant operational licenses.
💵 Other practical requirements
Initial deposit — many banks require an opening deposit (or minimum balance) when you start a business checking account.
Ownership / signers’ info — if there are multiple owners or authorized signers, each person may need to provide personal identification, SSN/TIN, and personal contact/address information.
⚠️ Why requirements vary
Because documents depend on business structure (sole proprietorship vs LLC vs corporation vs partnership), and on how you operate (legal name vs DBA, licensed vs unlicensed, etc.), banks may ask for more or fewer documents.
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