About this programme
The Small Business Export Loan is an unsecured lending product from Export Finance Australia, the Australian Government's export credit agency. It is built for small businesses that need between $20,000 and $350,000 to fund an export-related activity but cannot offer property as security — the gap Export Finance Australia says traditional bank lending often does not cover.
Rather than taking a mortgage or other asset security, Export Finance Australia lends against the strength of the underlying export transaction and a director's guarantee. The loan is available to Australian-registered companies (or a company acting as trustee) that are exporting, growing international tourism sales, or expanding an online business into overseas markets.
Funds can be used for international contracts and purchase orders, export market development costs, working capital tied to export activity, equipment or plant purchases, and growing an online or tourism business's international sales. The loan sits alongside Export Finance Australia's other trade finance products but is specifically sized and streamlined for smaller exporters.
How it works
Loan amounts run from $20,000 to $350,000, with a fixed interest rate for the term of the loan (indicative rate approximately 13% p.a. — confirmed only in the formal loan offer).
No property security is required. The loan is secured by a director’s guarantee; Export Finance Australia may also require a general security agreement or priority deed if the guarantee alone is judged insufficient.
Repayments are equal monthly instalments of principal and interest, collected by direct debit, with interest calculated monthly on the outstanding balance so the interest portion falls as the loan is paid down.
On 24-month terms an interest-only period for the first 6 months is available.
The loan can be repaid in full at any time with no early repayment penalty.
Who can apply
The applicant must be an Australian-registered company (or a company acting as trustee) with an Australian Company Number (ACN). Sole traders and partnerships are not currently supported.
The business needs a minimum of two years’ trading and management history, and annual revenue of $250,000 to $10 million in the last financial year, with a net profit in the last financial year or a projected net profit for the current year.
For working capital, equipment finance, tourism, and online-business use cases, at least 20% of revenue must come from exports over the last 12 months (or as an average over the last three years). No minimum export-revenue share applies where the loan funds a specific international purchase order, a contract with an Australian exporter, or export market-development spending.
The business must be able to demonstrate a benefit flowing to Australia — Australian content, job creation, new market access, or R&D spend in Australia — and must accept Export Finance Australia’s Credit Information Policy and its environmental/social policy (aligned with the OECD Common Approaches and the Equator Principles).
Applicants supplying tourism services to international visitors or selling online directly to overseas customers can substitute supplier invoices or other third-party documentation for an export contract to evidence use of funds.
How to apply
- Complete the online eligibility check on the Small Business Export Loan page to confirm the loan is a fit.
- Create an exportonline account and complete the online application — Export Finance Australia states this takes as little as 20 minutes.
- Submit supporting financial and identification documents (see Documents) for credit assessment.
- On approval, sign the formal loan offer and settle; the $1,000 application fee is payable at drawdown and funds are made available — Export Finance Australia states within about 72 hours of approval.
- A third party such as an accountant or consultant can complete the application on the exporter’s behalf. Applicants can also call 1800 093 724 or request a callback for help with the application.
Documents you’ll typically need
- Six months of bank statements for the trading account and any existing loan/credit accounts
- Accountant-prepared financial statements for the last two financial years
- An aged accounts receivable summary
- Year-to-date management accounts (profit & loss and balance sheet) if more than three months into the current financial year
- A 12-month profit and loss forecast
- Most recent tax statements from the ATO portal
- A personal statement of assets and liabilities for each director
- Two forms of ID (passport, driver’s licence, or Medicare card) for each individual holding 25% or more ownership or voting rights in the borrowing entity
- Export contracts, purchase orders, or an export market-development plan, depending on the purpose of the loan
- Equipment quotes or invoices, where the loan is funding an equipment purchase
Frequently asked
Do I need to put up property as security for a Small Business Export Loan?
No. Export Finance Australia does not require property security for this loan — it is secured by a director’s guarantee, with a general security agreement or priority deed added only if the guarantee is assessed as insufficient on its own.
Can sole traders or partnerships apply?
No. The loan is only available to businesses structured as a company, or a company acting as trustee, with an Australian Company Number (ACN).
What can the loan be used for?
Approved uses include fulfilling international contracts and purchase orders, export market development costs, working capital for export activity, equipment or plant purchases, growing tourism services sold to international visitors, and expanding an online business into overseas markets.
What does the loan cost?
Export Finance Australia states an indicative interest rate of approximately 13% p.a., fixed for the loan term, plus a $1,000 application fee payable at drawdown, with no ongoing fees. These are estimates only — the binding terms are set out in the formal loan offer.
Is there a penalty for paying the loan off early?
No early repayment penalty applies, and the loan can be repaid in full at any time.
My business does not currently export 20% of its revenue — can I still qualify?
Possibly. The 20%-of-revenue-from-exports test applies to working capital, equipment finance, tourism, and online-business uses. If the loan is instead financing a specific international purchase order, a contract with an Australian exporter, or export market-development spending, no minimum export-revenue share is required.
How long does approval and funding take?
Export Finance Australia states the online application takes as little as 20 minutes, with funds available within about 72 hours of approval.
Reviewed 2026-08-17. Programmes change — confirm current eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private consultancy and is not affiliated with any government authority.