For small business lenders, whether or not a loan application is approved boils down to basic numbers.

Basically, the debt-to-income ratio for your small business. In other words, how much of your small business's monthly earnings are used to repay existing debt.

As a small business owner, you need the documentation to prove your worth and meet the loan requirements. Here's a guide to the standard requirements businesses must meet as you learn how to get a small business loan.

Here's a list of information that your lender will want to see:

What about risk management? For a lender, various types of small businesses have different risk levels. For example, restaurants and beauty shops have a higher risk level than other types of businesses.

That's because those two types of industries have a higher failure rate than other businesses.

There are three basic types of lenders:

The Small Business Administration (SBA) – Learning how to get an SBA loan is often easier for small businesses than working with other lenders. You'll need a very good credit score (690 or higher), but you'll get a good interest rate and long SBA pay-off terms. You must meet the definition of a small business, which varies by industry. You must be current on all existing business loans and no defaults.

SBA loans are obtained through SBA-approved banks. The SBA also has start-up loans and microloans (the borrowed amount is less than $50,000).

Traditional Lenders – Traditional lenders are banks and credit unions. The typical loan requirement is an annual revenue of $250,000, a credit score of 690 or higher, and at least a two-year business history. Learn how to get a business loan from a bank here.

Alternative Lenders – Alternative lenders include online lenders, fintech companies, and those providing short-term loan options. The average loan requirement is an annual revenue of $100,000, six months in business, and a minimum credit score of 500.