Quick answer: Merchant cash advance requirements are set by funding partners, not by a single Advancery checklist. Many partners typically review time in business, monthly deposits, recent business bank statements, existing withdrawals (including other advances), industry, and credit. Those items vary by partner. Having a complete file may help a review move more smoothly; it is not a promise of approval, pricing, or timing. Partners decide.

This guide is for owners who want a clear picture of what MCA funding partners often look at — and a document checklist — before they apply. It is not a guarantee that any partner will review or approve a file.

Advancery Business Funding, LLC is an independent business funding broker (ISO) at 1151 Broad Street, Suite 212, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702. We review your business information and present it to third-party funding partners, who make all underwriting, approval, pricing, and timing decisions. Advancery is not a lender, and we do not approve or issue funds. Advancery may be compensated by a funding partner if a deal funds; that does not change that partners decide. Funding is not guaranteed.

What are the requirements for a merchant cash advance?

There is no one list that guarantees a review or an offer. Requirements are partner-dependent. Many merchant cash advance and revenue-based financing partners typically look at some combination of the following:

A minimum time in business — thresholds differ, and some partners may want several months or longer
Recurring monthly deposits or revenue at a level the partner sets, with an eye on consistency, not only one strong month
Recent business bank statements, often three to six months, as a clear, complete PDF or export
The pattern of NSFs, overdrafts, and automatic withdrawals, including other advances or loans already coming out of the account
Industry and use of funds the partner is willing to review
Credit history, which may affect whether a partner will review the file and how an offer is priced — it is not always the first filter, and it is not ignored

Meeting a range that “many partners look for” is not an Advancery rule, and it is not a promise that a partner will review, approve, or fund.

A merchant cash advance is generally structured as a purchase of future receivables, not a loan. Advancery treats merchant cash advances and revenue-based financing as basically the same family of working-capital products. In practical terms, a partner purchases a portion of future sales or receivables, and repayment is often a percentage of sales or a scheduled ACH, depending on the partner and the agreement. Cost is often expressed as a factor rate, not a traditional interest rate. For a fuller comparison with a term loan or a line of credit, see what revenue-based financing is.

If you’d like us to see which funding partners may fit, start the quick online application. You can also call (844) 423-8623. Funding is not guaranteed, and every decision is made by the funding partner.

What funding partners typically review

Every partner sets its own guidelines. The points below are common review themes, not cutoffs Advancery can waive or promise.

Time in business

Many partners look for an operating track record, not a brand-new entity with little or no deposit history. Some may review a business that has been operating for several months; others may want a longer history. A short operating history can limit the partners who will look at the file. It is not an automatic no, and it is not a promise of a review.

If the business is still very new, waiting 60 to 90 days to build a cleaner statement history may change what some partners are willing to review. Waiting is not a promise that they will.

Monthly revenue and deposits

For many MCA and RBF reviews, recent deposits matter more than a tax-return profit figure. Partners often weigh whether deposits are recurring and relatively consistent, not only whether one month was strong. A high month followed by thin months can matter as much as the average.

There is no single monthly-revenue minimum that Advancery can state as a rule. Partners set their own thresholds, and those thresholds are not a guarantee of review or approval.

NSFs, overdrafts, and account activity

Frequent NSFs, overdrafts, or negative-balance days can be a concern for some partners. An occasional item is not automatically disqualifying, and it is not automatically fine either. Partners read the pattern, including large unexplained deposits and automatic withdrawals already hitting the account.

Existing advances or other positions

If you already have a merchant cash advance or other automatic payments leaving the account, some partners may still review the file; others may not. Taking on additional positions — sometimes called stacking — can tighten cash flow and is something to treat with caution. Advancery does not encourage stacking. Whether a partner will review a file that already has a position is their decision.

If money is already coming out of the account, have payoff or balance information ready. That helps a partner read the real room left in the deposits. It does not guarantee an offer.

Industry and use of funds

Some industries are routinely reviewed; some partners restrict or decline certain categories. Use of funds can also matter — for example, a straightforward working-capital need versus a use a partner will not review. These lists vary, and we do not publish a category list that would over-promise access. A partner decides whether your industry and use of funds fit their program.

Why bank statements often matter more than tax returns

Many MCA and RBF partners start with recent business bank statements because those pages show deposits, withdrawals, and cash-flow pattern in close to real time. That is also why people search for business loans based on bank statements or a bank statement business loan: an MCA is generally structured as a purchase of future receivables, not a loan, and a number of working-capital programs, including MCA/RBF, lean on deposit history rather than starting with tax returns.

Tax returns, profit-and-loss statements, or other financials may still be requested, especially for a term loan, some lines of credit, or a larger or more traditional review. A bank-statement-based working-capital review often starts without them. That is not “no-doc” funding, and it is not a shortcut around underwriting.

A cleaner package usually helps a partner read the file:

Complete months, preferably a PDF from the bank, with no missing pages
No password-protected files the partner cannot open, and no cropped screenshots of a single page
Business and personal activity separated when you can. Mixed accounts make deposits harder to read. A dedicated business checking account will not by itself produce an offer, but it gives a clearer picture.

How credit fits in: soft pull, pricing, and what a score does not decide

Advancery’s initial review may use a soft credit pull. A soft inquiry typically does not affect your credit score. That is not a promise that credit is ignored, and it is not “no credit check” funding.

If a funding partner is interested, that partner may run additional credit checks, including a hard inquiry, before approving or issuing funds. Ask what a specific offer requires before you accept. We cannot promise that applying will have no effect on your credit.

Credit history can affect whether a partner will review the file, and it can affect pricing. Challenged credit can narrow the field; it is not an automatic no, and it is not a promise of review, approval, pricing, or timing. For a fuller look at how partners may read a file when credit is less than perfect, see business funding with bad credit.

Merchant cash advance requirements checklist

Exact documents vary by funding partner. It helps to have, at minimum:

Three to six months of business bank statements, as a complete PDF or export from the bank
Owner government-issued ID
A voided business check or a bank letter with routing and account numbers
Basic business details: legal name, DBA if you use one, EIN if you have one, ownership, address, time in business, and a straightforward use of funds
Existing advance or loan information if payments are already leaving the account
Card processing statements, if a partner asks and you take cards
Business licenses or formation documents, and other items a partner may request after the first review
Tax returns or financial statements if a partner asks for them — not every MCA/RBF review starts there

An EIN helps identify the business. It is not a substitute for underwriting, and it does not mean a partner will skip a personal guarantee or a personal credit check. Some MCA offers are unsecured; “unsecured” does not mean “no personal guarantee” and does not mean credit will not be checked. Collateral, guarantees, and credit review are the partner’s call.

A complete, readable file may move faster than one that needs follow-ups. Completeness is not a promise of a same-day decision or of funding. For a realistic sequence after you apply, see same-day business funding timelines.

If a partner’s MCA review is not a fit yet

Not matching what one partner typically looks for does not mean every path is closed. Depending on the file, other options a broker may be able to shop include:

Waiting 60 to 90 days to season deposits, reduce NSFs, and separate personal and business activity, then asking partners to look again. That wait is not a promise of a later offer.
A business line of credit, which some partners may offer with statement-based or fuller underwriting. Requirements vary.
A term loan, which often involves more documentation and, in many cases, tax returns or a longer review.
Equipment financing, when the need is equipment the business will use. The equipment can be part of the partner’s review.

These are among Advancery’s public specialties, alongside MCA/RBF. Availability, pricing, and timing still belong to the funding partner. We do not promise that every file goes to every partner, that a partner will approve, or that funds will arrive on a set clock.

For names of companies that are among Advancery’s partners, see funding companies in Advancery’s 2026 partner network. Advancery may be compensated by a funding partner if a deal funds; that does not change that partners decide. Being on that list is not a promise that your file will be sent to, reviewed by, or approved by any of them.

If you’d like us to see which funding partners may fit, start the quick online application. Prefer to talk it through? Call (844) 423-8623. Funding is not guaranteed.

Frequently asked questions

What are the typical merchant cash advance requirements?

They vary by funding partner. Many partners typically review time in business, monthly deposits, recent business bank statements, existing withdrawals, industry, and credit. There is no single Advancery checklist that guarantees a review or an offer. Partners decide.

Is there a minimum credit score for an MCA?

There is no single minimum score Advancery can state as a rule. Some partners weigh credit more heavily than others, and a score can affect pricing or whether a partner will review the file. Challenged credit can narrow options; it is not an automatic no, and it is not a promise of approval. Advancery’s initial review may use a soft credit pull. Partners may run additional checks, including a hard inquiry.

Can a startup get a merchant cash advance?

Sometimes, with some partners, if there is enough operating and deposit history for that partner to review — and sometimes not. Brand-new businesses with little or no bank activity often have fewer MCA/RBF options. Waiting 60 to 90 days to build statements may change what some partners will look at. That is not a promise they will review or approve.

Can I get an MCA if I already have an existing advance?

It depends on the partner and on how much is already leaving the account. Some partners may still review the file; others may not. Additional positions can tighten cash flow, and Advancery does not encourage stacking. Whether a partner will review a file that already has a position is their decision.

Do I need tax returns to apply for an MCA?

Often not at the start of a bank-statement-based MCA or RBF review. Many partners begin with recent business bank statements, ID, and a voided check. Some partners, or other products such as term loans, may still ask for tax returns or financial statements. Ask what your file needs before you assume.

Do I need collateral for a merchant cash advance?

Not always. Some MCA offers are unsecured. “Unsecured” does not mean a partner will skip a personal guarantee or a credit check. Collateral, guarantees, and credit review are the partner’s call.

Will applying affect my credit?

Advancery’s initial review may use a soft credit inquiry, which typically does not affect your credit score. If a funding partner is interested, that partner may run additional credit checks, including a hard inquiry, before issuing funds. We do not offer “no credit check” funding, and we cannot promise that applying will have no effect on your credit.

How long does an MCA review take?

Timing is the partner’s, and it is not guaranteed. Some partners may decide within hours on a complete file; others take longer. A decision is not the same as money in the account. After approval, signed documents, and verification, some partners may fund the same business day or the next business day — or later. For a realistic sequence, see same-day business funding timelines.

Does Advancery approve or fund merchant cash advances?

No. Advancery Business Funding, LLC is a broker (ISO), not a lender. We review your information and present it to third-party funding partners. Those partners underwrite, approve, price, and fund. Advancery may be compensated by a funding partner if a deal funds; that does not change that partners decide. Funding is not guaranteed.

If you want a broker to review your file and see which funding partners may fit, start the quick online application or call (844) 423-8623. Funding is not guaranteed. Partners underwrite, price, and decide whether — and when — to fund.

Advancery Business Funding, LLC is a business funding broker (ISO), not a lender, at 1151 Broad Street, Suite 212, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702, (844) 423-8623. Funding is not guaranteed.