AIB business loans: published rates, what the bank asks for and how to apply

The loans and finance AIB offers

AIB's own repayment calculator runs from €2,000 to €60,000 for the fixed rate loan and from €61,000 to €300,000 for the variable rate loan, over 1 to 7 years. You can also run the numbers on an AIB-sized loan here.

There are separate farm, forestry and TAMS loans. AIB also takes part in the SBCI loan schemes backed by the State. On 3 October 2026 its site said the Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme was paused for new applications.

AIB's published rates

Bank rates change. On 3 October 2026 AIB's business lending rate sheet was dated 29 September 2026 and showed:

These are headline rates. The rate on your own loan is confirmed in AIB's letter of offer. Check AIB's business lending rates page before you apply.

AIB's loan pages and its business fees booklet list no arrangement fee for business loans. It does publish asset finance fees: €63.49 for documents on hire purchase plus €12.70 with the last instalment, and €78.09 on a lease.

Who can apply, and who AIB turns down

AIB does not publish a list of trades or sectors it refuses. It says it looks at each application on its own facts. What it does publish is its test for a viable business. A viable business has:

• a track record of profitable trading, even if there have been some recent losses
• a good credit history over the previous 3 to 5 years
• a realistic business plan and cashflow forecast
• the ability to stay solvent, or get back to solvency, within two years

For a start-up, AIB says the credit history test may relate to the owner's personal record, or to earlier businesses they were involved in.

Two products are out of reach for most small firms. Invoice finance needs an ongoing funding need of at least €150,000 and a debtor book of at least €250,000. The Sustainability Loan cannot be used for working capital, buying land or refinancing AIB debt.

Credit is not available to anyone under 18.

What AIB asks you for

AIB's guide to applying for business finance lists:

• The SME Business Lending Application Form. It covers the business, the owners and what you want to borrow. It asks for all existing borrowings, including credit union loans, and whether your tax is up to date.
• A business plan, where AIB asks for one. It should cover the owners and background, what the business has achieved, its goals, and the risks and how you will reduce them.
• Financial projections and the assumptions behind them. AIB says short-term cashflow projections, 6 to 12 months, are of particular importance.
• Two to three years of accounts, up-to-date management accounts and lists of debtors and creditors, if you are trading.
• Confirmation that your tax affairs are in order.
• An asset and liability statement for the business and its owners.
• Bank statements, if you are new to AIB.

AIB publishes its own business plan template and cashflow planner. If you would sooner have the documents written for you, our plan pack writes the plan and the forecast for an AIB application.

How to apply, and how long it takes

1. Talk to AIB first. Phone 0818 47 88 33, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, or go to your branch or relationship manager. They tell you what they need for your case.
2. Fill in the application form. You can type into the PDF, print it and sign it. AIB staff can help you complete it.
3. Gather the supporting documents and hand everything in together.
4. AIB acknowledges the application and gives you an idea of how long it will take. It says a decision may take up to 15 business days, depending on the size of the loan and the complexity of the business.
5. If you are approved, AIB issues a Letter of Sanction with the amount, the rate, the repayments, any conditions and any security it wants. AIB recommends getting legal advice before you sign.

AIB says e-signing may be available, and that the money can then reach your account straight away.

If AIB says no

AIB says it gives a clear reason for a refusal, and that a declined request does not harm your credit rating.

You can appeal in writing within 25 business days of the decision, to the Credit Appeals Officer, PO Box 11826, AIB, 10 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2, or by email to credit.appeals@aib.ie. An internal panel reviews it and AIB says it sends an update within 15 business days. You can also appeal if AIB offers less than you asked for, or terms you cannot accept.

If the appeal fails, you can ask Credit Review to look at AIB's decision. A business with fewer than 10 staff can also try the State-backed lender that AIB's own guide points to.

We take no commission or payment from any lender. This page is information only, not financial advice.

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