Business loans in Ireland for limited companies

No. Welcome Finance is a commercial finance broker, not a lender, and is not regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. We introduce Irish limited companies to a panel of five specialist non-bank lenders. The lender assesses the application, makes the decision and sets the rate and terms. Our panel may be able to help with unsecured, short-term and working capital loans and tax-bill funding; for other borrowing, tell us what your company needs and we will tell you whether a lender on our panel may consider it.

Start with the amount, the purpose and what your company can afford to repay. Lenders then look at filed accounts, recent management accounts, six months of business bank statements, director ID and, often, a tax clearance certificate. Banks usually take longer and may want security, while non-bank lenders focus more on current trading. Applying to a suitable lender first avoids a trail of enquiries on the Central Credit Register.

Yes. Non-bank lenders held 26% of outstanding Irish SME debt in 2025, according to the Department of Finance. They include online term lenders, merchant cash advance and revenue-based finance providers, and asset and invoice finance companies. Some are regulated by the Central Bank and some are not, so check each lender's status, the total amount repayable and any personal guarantee before you sign.

It depends on turnover, profit and what the company can comfortably repay each month. Lenders read your bank statements and accounts to judge affordability, and many non-bank lenders size an unsecured loan as a share of annual turnover. Larger, longer loans usually need security or a government-backed scheme, such as the SBCI Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme, which you apply for directly with a participating lender.

No. Welcome Finance only arranges business-purpose finance for companies registered in Ireland: LTD, DAC, PLC and ULC. Sole traders, partnerships, charities and CLGs cannot apply through us. If you trade as a sole trader or partnership, start with your bank, your Local Enterprise Office, or Microfinance Ireland, which lends €2,000 to €50,000 to micro-enterprises with fewer than 10 employees.

Yes, if it is registered as a limited company in Ireland. Start-ups can apply through Welcome Finance, but most lenders look for some trading history, so options may be fewer for a new company. New businesses can also speak to their Local Enterprise Office about grants, mentoring and Microfinance Ireland loans, to Enterprise Ireland if they are a high-potential start-up, and to their own bank.

There is no single rate. The Central Bank's average rate on new bank loans to SMEs was 5.59% in Q2 2026, a useful benchmark for bank lending. Non-bank unsecured loans usually cost more than secured bank lending. Your company's rate depends on the lender, the loan type and term, any security, and its trading and repayment record. Always compare the total amount repayable, not just the headline rate.

Most lenders ask for your latest accounts filed with the CRO, recent management accounts, six months of business bank statements, photo ID and proof of address for each director, and details of existing borrowing and beneficial owners. Many also want a current tax clearance certificate. Your company applies for this through Revenue's ROS, and Revenue issues a Tax Clearance Access Number that the lender can use to verify it.

Often, yes, for unsecured lending to a limited company. A personal guarantee is your promise, as a director, to repay the company's debt if it cannot. The lender can then pursue your personal assets up to the limit in the guarantee. Ask whether it is capped, whether it covers interest and costs, and when it ends. Always take independent legal advice before signing. Some government-backed loans limit guarantees; see our SBCI page.

Ask the bank for its reasons in writing and use its internal appeal. You can then apply to the Credit Review Service within 30 days for loans from AIB, Bank of Ireland or PTSB between €1,000 and €3 million. We can also approach other lenders.

Possibly, but it is harder and usually dearer. The Central Credit Register does not give a credit score: lenders read your company's report on the Central Credit Register, its bank statements and accounts. Recent missed payments, arrears or Revenue debts weigh heavily. Some non-bank lenders focus more on current trading than past problems. Request your company's Central Credit Register report first, free of charge, so you know what lenders will see.

Lenders pay us a commission when a loan completes. We do not charge your company a fee and never ask for payment upfront. The lender sets out its own interest and charges in its offer and agreement before you sign.