What Is the Credit Bureaus Definition of a Legitimate Business?

A legitimate business is defined, by the Credit Bureaus, as having a business name with a business license and/or Federal Tax ID number issued to the company name. You can’t use your Social Security Number as a Federal Tax ID number. Selecting a business name and applying for a Federal Tax ID number via the SS-4 form on the IRS.gov web site, at http://www.irs.gov/, is the least expensive way to meet these requirements.

You must use a business name when accessing credit reports. If you intend on using a business license or Federal Tax ID number issued to your personal name, you must still select a business name that has something to do with the rental business you operate. Example: Summit Properties or Professional Rentals. When Landlord2Landlord accesses a credit report from the credit bureaus we must send the name of the business end user to the credit bureau. Even if you are using Landlord2Landlord to process your rental applications, you must have a valid Tax ID and/or Business License to request Equifax credit reports. The Trans Union Credit Bureau is the only one that does not require a business license and/or tax ID number.