In short
Applicants to the Guyana Development Bank have been told to expect seven items: a credit report, proof of NIS compliance, proof of GRA compliance, an ID card, a detailed business plan, financial statements if already trading, and proof of address.
Start with the three that depend on other offices: your credit report, and your NIS and GRA compliance. Get written quotations for everything the loan will pay for, and register the business early if it is not registered. The Bank's own application form, when published, is what counts.
The seven items, and how to prepare each
- Your credit report. Request your own before you apply, so you see what the lender will see and can correct any error first.
- Proof you are up to date with the National Insurance Scheme (NIS). Depends on NIS, and on any contributions owed being settled first.
- Proof you are up to date with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). Depends on GRA, and on outstanding returns being filed.
- How to get your GRA and NIS certificates, from the official requirements
- Your ID card. The digital ID is preferred.
- A detailed business plan, with a monthly cash flow showing the loan can be repaid.
- Financial statements, if your business is already trading.
- Proof of your address.
As listed by Minister Zulfikar Ally, 21 May 2026, reported by Demerara Waves. The Bank's own form may differ.
What else to have ready
- Written quotations for everything the loan will pay for, from real suppliers, with dates.
- Business registration. The Bank has not yet published its rule on this, and registration takes time, so start at the Deeds and Commercial Registry now if you are not registered.
- Licences and permits your trade needs, current on the day you apply.
- Your own records: sales, stock, bank statements. Every figure in the plan should trace back to one of them.
Is my business small enough?
The law setting up the Bank uses the Small Business Act's definition of a small business. The Small Business Bureau describes that as a business with no more than 25 employees, yearly sales of no more than G$60 million, and business assets of no more than G$20 million. The Bank has not yet said how it will apply this.
Government has announced loans of up to G$3 million, with no interest and no collateral, for eligible borrowers, and has said the Bank is especially for women, youth and persons with disabilities. The Bank opens on 5 October 2026 and decides every application.
Questions owners ask
What documents do I need for a Guyana Development Bank loan?
A credit report, proof of NIS compliance, proof of GRA compliance, an ID card (the digital ID is preferred), a detailed business plan, financial statements if you are already trading, and proof of address. Also have written quotations for everything the loan will pay for.
Which items take the longest?
The ones that depend on other offices: your credit report, and your NIS and GRA compliance, especially if contributions or returns are outstanding. Start those first.
Does my business have to be registered?
The Bank has not yet published its rules on this. Registering takes time, so if your business is not registered, start at the Deeds and Commercial Registry now.
Can I apply if I have never borrowed before?
Yes, you can prepare and apply. Government has said it will check applicants' record of repaying debts, but not how it treats someone with no borrowing history. Getting your own credit report early shows you what a lender will see.
Do I have to use an adviser to apply?
No. Anyone can apply to the Bank directly when it opens its application process. If you want the file prepared with you, see how we prepare the plan.
Last checked against these sources on 17 September 2026: Demerara Waves, 21 May 2026; Department of Public Information, 14 September 2026; Guyana Chronicle, 17 September 2026; Small Business Bureau, About; Guyana Development Bank Act 2026, section 2.
See also: Business plan for a Guyana Development Bank loan · The cash flow projection a lender wants · Getting GRA and NIS compliant
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