Welcome to uCapFintech

select option

SELECT YOUR EMPLOYMENT TYPE

Working Capital Loan

To put it simply, a working capital loan is taken to finance a company’s operational expenses. When there’s a shortage of cash flow to manage short-term needs, a company may resort to this type of loan. The finance received from this loan can be used for various purposes:

  • Debt payments
  • Buying inventory and raw materials
  • Paying employee wages
  • Managing overhead costs
  • Paying suppliers

However, a working capital loan cannot be used for investments or the purchase of long-term assets.

What is Working Capital Loan?

  • Working capital loans are loans taken by business organizations for financing their routine, day-to-day operations. These loans are usually taken to cover costs such as employees’ wages or cover accounts payable. Working capital loans are usually taken by organizations which have extremes in their sales cycles and require funds during times of reduced business activity. Working capital loans may be secured or unsecured.
  • Working capital loans are not meant for long term investments or assets purchases. These are usually used for purposes such as clearing up wages, account payable etc. As such, these loans are meant to allow businesses to continue operations daily even when they don’t have the required operating expenses. The loans are a way to ‘buy time’ so as to look for avenues for revenue generation while continuing general operations.
  • There are multiple modes of disbursal of working capital limits such as letter of credit, letter of guarantee, bills limit, and cash credit, among others. In general, banks will not ask for collateral security or third party guarantees in case the borrowed amount is less than Rs.1cr though individual banks have different criteria for releasing these loans. You are advised to check individual products from banks to ascertain the eligibility criteria.

Best Working Capital Loan

Banks
Interest Rate
Loan Amount
Tenure

State Bank of India 

9.00% to 10.50% 

Up to 100 Cr 

1-15 Yr
Bank of Baroda
9.00% to 10.50%
Up to 100 Cr
1-15 Yr
Union Bank of India
9.00% to 10.50%
Up to 100 Cr
1-15 Yr
Indian Bank
9.00% to 10.50%
Up to 100 Cr
1-15 Yr
Bank of India
9.00% to 10.50%
Up to 100 Cr
1-15 Yr

*The interest rate depends on loan amount availed by the customer as well as the type of loan scheme and several other factors based on the terms and conditions of the lender.

Eligibility criteria required to be fulfilled in order to avail a Working Capital Loan

  • If you are businessman or a trader and own small and medium sized business, then you can apply for a Working Capital Loan scheme
  • Your business must exist for at least 3 years
  • It is mandatory to have ownership of at least one property
  • Your business should have its income tax filed for at least 1 year
  • Your age should be between 25 years and 55 years

Different Types of Working Capital Loans

1. Trade Credit

This kind of credit is dependent on the creditworthiness of the borrower and is provided by a supplier. The creditworthiness can be ascertained from the liquidity situation, profit and payment records of a business. There are specific terms and a thorough business evaluation involved before such funding can be secured.

2. Cash Credit

This is provided by commercial banks, and is one of the most popular sources of funds for SMEs. There is a maximum limit allotted to borrower and interest is charged on the amount used to meet working capital requirements.

3. Short Term Loan

This type of loan has a fixed amount and repayment tenure that must be met. It is good to secure funding for unexpected sudden situations. It is normally secured. However, depending on the goodwill of the borrower, the relationship with the lender and the past repayment history, the ender might choose to not issue loan without any collateral.

4. Overdraft

Under this type of loan, a bank or financial institution allows the borrower to draw more money from their current/ savings account, than they have, in exchange for an agreed upon rate of interest, if the overdrawn amount is within the agreed upon limits.

5. Accounts Receivable Financing

This is meant for businesses that have received sales orders but are unable to deliver it due to lack of funds. This type of funding can be received only on the number of orders confirmed and the borrower is unable to pay for. This type of funding requires the borrower to have an excellent record of credit.

6. Factoring

This is similar to accounts receivable, with the difference being that it is secured on future credit receipts. A few select chosen accounts payable are sold to the lender, at a discounted rate, where the lender collects the money from the debtors of the borrower. It can be with recourse (i.e. the borrower bears the risk if debtors do not pay up) or without recourse (i.e. the factor party bears the risk if the debtors do not pay).

7. Bills Discounting

This is a method of buying goods through a bill of credit, for sellers of goods. It is a source of working capital, where the lender or financial institute takes discount from the seller’s customers. The bills that come under this discount are termed as ‘bills of exchange’.

8. Letter Of Credit

This instrument is crucial for enterprises dealing in import and export, where they have to engage in business if buyers or sellers overseas. In such a situation, a bank provides monetary guarantee that acts as assurance to the suppliers of goods.

9. Bank Guarantee

This is a non-monetary or non-fund based responsibilities taken by a bank or lender. It can be availed to cushion the risks related to the non-payment bby a third party. The lending authority might charge a minimal commission in addition to collateral.

10. Equity Finance

This kind of finance is secured from investors, friends and family, and is best suited for fairly nascent businesses, that do not yet have a credit record.

Benefits of a working capital loan

If you need to manage your company’s immediate expenses, a working capital loan has several benefits that will work in your favour.

Unsecured loans

When you apply for a working capital loan, you’re not required to pledge any type of asset as security. You can also get a sizeable loan amount sanctioned, going up to Rs.30 lakh. Now, the amount granted varies from bank to bank, and also depends on other eligibility criteria.

Quick application and approval process

One of the major benefits of a working capital loan is the convenient application and approval process. All you have to do is share basic information and submit minimal documentation to begin your application process. The lack of collateral also speeds up the approval process. Once your loan is approved, you can expect the sanctioned amount to be disbursed quickly.

No interference

Considering that this is a short-term loan, you’re not required to give your lender any information about your expenditures. The lender also has no involvement in your business matters, since there is no ownership from their end or any exchange of shares. All you have to concern yourself with is the equated monthly instalments and clearing those balances before the due date.

Flexible withdrawals

Some businesses don’t have a structured budget or plan for their finances, especially when it comes to procuring new material or managing overhead costs. This is when a working capital loan comes in handy because you have the flexibility to spend as per your discretion. You’re not required to share a detailed plan of your company’s expenditures to acquire the loan. In fact, some banks also offer flexi working capital loans. Here, you only borrow how much you require and pay interest on the borrowed amount. You can also repay your dues when you have the finances, without worrying about the pre-payment charges.

Pre-approved loan offers

Some banks also give you the option of accessing pre-approved loans. Now, these offers make the application and approval process far easier. To get a hold of this offer, you may be asked to submit your basic information on the bank’s portal. If you’re eligible for the loan, the approval and disbursal should have a quick turnaround.

Eligibility

The criteria vary from lender to lender. However, listed below are some basic requirements to be eligible for a working capital loan.

  • Minimum age requirement of the applicant is 25 years
  • Business vintage of at least 3 years
  • The latest Income Tax returns information

You may be asked to provide additional information to verify your business as well.

Documents Required

As mentioned above, the document requirements for a working capital loan are minimum. Check the list below to get an idea of what documents you need to keep handy.

  • Passport-sized photographs
  • KYC documents
  • Relevant financial documents
  • Business proof
  • The latest bank account statements

You may be asked to provide additional information to verify your business as well.

Banks offering working capital loans

There are several public and private banks in India that offer working capital loans to its customers. Here are some of the major banks and NBFCs that provide this loan:

  • HDFC Bank
  • ICICI Bank
  • Axis Bank
  • State Bank of India
  • Indian Overseas Bank
  • Bank of Baroda
  • Bajaj Finserv

You may be asked to provide additional information to verify your business as well.

Frequently Ask Questions

If you have a question that deals with clients, customers or the public in general, there is bound to be a need for the FAQ page.

A working capital loan can be used to secure funding for the day to day functions of a business. It can help in ensuring better cash flow, business operations and also cushion against sudden cash requirements or unforeseen situations.

A working capital loan secured without any collaterals or guarantor is called unsecured. Such a loan is issued by most lenders and can go up to 1 crore, with a repayment tenure of up to 5 years. It can either a short term or a long term loan.

A short term working capital loan can be used to counter sudden cash crunches and keep the business flow unhindered. Some of these activities could be paying rents, etc. These loans have a smaller amount and subsequently shorter repayment tenure or up to 12 months, whih means there is less debt burden on the business.

A long term working capital loan can help in business expansion activities, buy long-term assets, etc. Such a loan can have an amount of up to 5 crore (or even more, depending on borrower’s profile, credit history and lender discretion)and a repayment tenure that is more than 12 months.

The differences are as follows:

Types:

Working Capital - Business Credit, Letter/Line of Credit, Factoring, Account Receivables, etc.
Term Loan - Long term and short term

Use:

Working Capital - Day to day operations, functioning of business.
Term Loan - Rent, Raw material purchase, equipment, etc.

Interest rate:

Working Capital - Low
Term Loan - High

Loan Amount:

Working Capital - Low
Term Loan - High

Repayment Tenure:

Working Capital - Shorter
Term Loan - Longer

Collateral:

Working Capital - Not required
Term Loan - Required

Documentation:

Working Capital - Lesser chances of improvement
Term Loan - Better chances of improvement

No. of EMIs:

Working Capital -Lesser
Term Loan - More

Say Hello To The
Collaboration Hub.

Working Capital - OD / CC / LC / BG / BILL DISCOUNTING | Professional - Self Employed

Personel Questions
Residence Address
Current Residence Address-1
Permanent Residence Address-1
Office Address

Working Capital - OD / CC / LC / BG / BILL DISCOUNTING | Company

Personel Questions
Residence Address
Current Residence Address-1
Permanent Residence Address-1
Office Address