Short answer
To start a franchise funding review with Merchant Fund Express, send the 4-minute application, the last three months of business bank statements for the entity that owns the store, and a photo ID for each owner. Tax returns are not required to apply. Depending on the request, you may also be asked for an equipment quote, a remodel scope, an ownership breakdown for multi-unit groups, or details on existing funding payments.
The three things that start every review
1. Application
About 4 minutes. Business details, brand, store address, amount, use of funds, owners.
2. Bank statements
Last three full months, all pages, from the business account that receives the store's deposits. Bank-generated PDFs work best.
3. Photo ID
A driver's license, passport or other government ID for each owner on the application. ITIN applicants are accepted.
Extra items by situation
| Situation | You may be asked for |
|---|---|
| Equipment purchase | Vendor quote or invoice with model numbers |
| Remodel or refresh | Contractor scope and quote; franchisor deadline letter if you have one |
| Several locations | Ownership chart showing each LLC and owner percentages |
| Existing advances or loans | Current balances and payment amounts |
| Seasonal store | Short note on peak and slow months |
| Recent change of ownership | Proof of when your ownership began |
Store-level checklist
Getting statements right
Bank statements carry most of the weight. Download the official monthly statements from online banking rather than sending screenshots or transaction exports. Make sure the account name matches the entity applying. If your franchise requires a separate account for each store, send the account for the store that needs funding. If deposits for two stores land in one account, say so on the application; that is common and fine when the same entity owns both.
What is not needed to apply: tax returns, a business plan, your franchise disclosure document, or franchisor approval. A reviewer may still ask for specific items later.
Sending documents securely
Upload documents through the Merchant Fund Express application rather than emailing them. If you are applying in Spanish or need help gathering statements, Spanish-speaking support is available. Keep your franchise agreement handy for yourself: it may have clauses about financing or liens worth reading before you sign an offer.
Document mistakes that cost a day
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Screenshots instead of statements | Download the bank's monthly PDF statements |
| Two months instead of three | Send all three most recent full months |
| Statements for the wrong LLC | Match the account to the entity applying |
| One owner's ID missing | Collect ID from every owner listed before you submit |
| Existing advance not disclosed | List every current funding payment up front |
Fix these before you hit submit and most franchise files can go from application to decision the same day.
One document set, every product
The same three items (application, three months of statements, owner ID) open every product Merchant Fund Express offers franchise owners. The full menu for existing owners: franchise business loans, merchant cash advances, revenue-based financing, lines of credit, equipment financing, working capital and, for franchises that bill other businesses, invoice factoring.
After you send the documents
A specialist reviews the statements, confirms the entity and ownership, and checks existing payments. If something is unclear, you get a short question by email or text, often about a large one-off deposit or an unfamiliar recurring debit. Answer it quickly and the decision usually follows within 2–4 hours. If the request fits better as a different product or a different amount, the specialist will say so and explain why before anything is signed.
Owner questions, answered
What documents do I need for franchise funding?
The application, three months of business bank statements and photo ID for each owner. Extra items depend on the request.
Do I need tax returns?
No tax returns are required to apply with Merchant Fund Express.
Do I need to send my franchise agreement?
Not to apply. A reviewer may ask about specific terms in some cases.
Can I send statements from my personal account?
Send statements from the business account where the store's revenue is deposited. Sole proprietors using a dedicated account should send that one.
What if I own several stores under different LLCs?
Send statements for the entity that will receive the funds, plus an ownership breakdown.
Keep going
Merchant Fund Express is a separate company with no franchisor ties. Terms depend on the business's revenue and history.