Car financing for self-employed individuals without BWA: Your path to a company vehicle
23 May 2025
Katrin Straub
Managing Director at nextsure
For self-employed individuals, a vehicle is often essential, but financing without a profit and loss statement can be a hurdle. Many banks immediately reject applications without standard proofs. However, there are clear pathways for finding and successfully completing your car financing for self-employed individuals without a profit and loss statement online, using alternative documents and smart preparation.
The topic in brief and concise terms
Self-employed individuals can obtain car financing without a BWA by providing alternative proof such as income tax assessments and a statement of revenue and expenditure (EÜR).
A good credit rating, a clean Schufa record, and a down payment of at least ten percent increase the chances of approval and significantly improve the interest rates.
Use only credit-neutral condition inquiries for comparing offers to avoid a deterioration of your credit score.
Als Selbstständiger oder Freiberufler ist Mobilität ein entscheidender Faktor für den Geschäftserfolg. Ein zuverlässiges Fahrzeug sichert Kundentermine und den reibungslosen Ablauf Ihrer Projekte. Die Finanzierung kann sich jedoch als schwierig erweisen, da viele Kreditgeber eine betriebswirtschaftliche Auswertung (BWA) als zentralen Bonitätsnachweis fordern. Gerade für Kleinunternehmer oder Gründer, die oft nur eine Einnahmen-Überschuss-Rechnung führen, stellt dies ein erhebliches Hindernis dar. Dieser Artikel zeigt Ihnen, wie Sie diese Hürde überwinden, welche alternativen Nachweise Banken akzeptieren und wie Sie den Prozess zur Autofinanzierung online effizient gestalten, um schnell wieder auf der Straße zu sein.
The Central Hurdle: Why Banks Demand a BWA
Banks generally assess the credit default risk of self-employed individuals higher than that of salaried employees with a fixed income. The business management analysis (BWA) serves as a standardised report on a company's financial position. It enables lenders to quickly assess the financial stability and the ability to service loan payments over several years. Without this document, the bank lacks a crucial basis for risk assessment, which often leads to rejection. Many institutions therefore reject applications without a BWA outright, even though there is no legal requirement to produce one. The challenge, therefore, is to provide the bank with an equally reliable alternative to assess your creditworthiness. This requires careful preparation of your financial documents.
Smart Alternatives: Which Evidence Can Replace the BWA
Even without a balance sheet analysis, you can convincingly demonstrate your creditworthiness. Banks accept a range of alternative documents that make your financial situation transparent. Accurate bookkeeping is the most important prerequisite for success. Here are the most common alternatives:
Income tax notices: Notices from the last two to three years are often the most important substitute and show the officially taxed profit.
Income-expenditure statement (EÜR): For freelancers and small business owners, the EÜR is the standard document for profit determination and is accepted by many banks.
Current bank statements: Complete bank statements from the last three to six months demonstrate regular income deposits and organized account management.
Good Schufa report: A positive Schufa score is one of the most important prerequisites and indicates your general payment reliability.
Business plan: Especially for founders, a well-thought-out business plan with realistic sales forecasts can be convincing.
Good creditworthiness can also be supported by a loan for start-ups without equity. Carefully preparing these documents is the first step towards your successful financing.
The Online Process: Four Steps to Financing Approval
An auto financing option for self-employed individuals without a BWA can often be applied for completely online nowadays. The digital process significantly speeds up handling, and you often receive a preliminary approval within minutes. The key is to have all documents digitally ready in advance. Here's how you proceed:
Compare offers without affecting your credit score: Use comparison portals to request conditions. This is neutral with respect to your credit score and prevents it from deteriorating due to too many credit inquiries.
Prepare documents: Scan all required documents like tax assessments, income and expenditure statements, and bank statements in good quality.
Fill out the online application: Carefully fill out the application form. Incorrect or incomplete details lead to delays.
Verify identity and sign the contract: The identity check is conveniently done via video identification. The contract can often be digitally signed with a qualified electronic signature (QES) thereafter.
A swift process helps you stay mobile, for example, with a car loan for a van. This efficiency paves the way for optimizing your financing conditions.
Optimise costs: How to secure better interest rates
Interest rates for self-employed individuals can be up to two percentage points higher than those for employees due to the increased risk. However, with the right strategy, you can significantly reduce the costs. A 20% down payment can significantly reduce the loan amount and thus the risk for the bank. A car loan tied to a specific purpose often offers better terms than an unsecured personal loan, as the vehicle itself serves as collateral. The following measures can further help:
Make a down payment: A down payment of ten to twenty percent of the purchase price improves your negotiating position and reduces the monthly instalment.
Include a second borrower: A second applicant with good creditworthiness, ideally in an employee relationship, can massively increase the chances of approval and better interest rates.
Choose a short term: Shorter terms mean less risk for the bank and are often rewarded with lower interest rates.
Review existing loans: Sometimes a refinancing of a car loan can reduce existing burdens and thus improve creditworthiness.
These strategic decisions influence not only the costs but also the choice between financing and another popular option: leasing.
Expert Tips: Legal Pitfalls and Important Contract Details
When searching for car financing, it's important to understand the details and avoid unreliable offers. Always pay attention to the annual percentage rate (APR) as it includes almost all costs in contrast to the nominal interest rate, making offers comparable. Also, check if the contract provides for free special repayments or the possibility of payment breaks. Our expert tip: When comparing loans, always insist on a "rate inquiry" instead of a "loan inquiry." A rate inquiry is neutral concerning your credit score, whereas multiple loan inquiries can lower your score and lead to worse terms or even rejections. A car loan despite average creditworthiness is often possible if the inquiry is professionally prepared. With this knowledge, you are well-equipped for the final step.
Request an individual risk analysis now: Have your insurance situation reviewed free of charge and receive concrete suggestions for optimization.
More useful links
Wikipedia explains the business management analysis (BWA), an important tool for analysing a company's economic situation.
Der Deutsche Leasingverband offers information and services related to leasing.
The Business Register is the official company register of Germany, where information about companies can be viewed.
FAQ
Was ist der Unterschied zwischen einer Konditionsanfrage und einer Kreditanfrage?
Eine Konditionsanfrage ist eine unverbindliche, Schufa-neutrale Anfrage, um Kreditangebote zu vergleichen. Eine Kreditanfrage ist ein verbindlicher Antrag, der in Ihrer Schufa vermerkt wird und bei mehrfacher Stellung Ihren Score negativ beeinflussen kann.
Kann ich die Zinsen für den Autokredit von der Steuer absetzen?
Ja, wenn Sie das Fahrzeug überwiegend betrieblich nutzen (mehr als fünfzig Prozent), können Sie die Kreditzinsen als Betriebsausgaben steuerlich geltend machen.
Verbessert eine Anzahlung meine Chancen auf einen Kredit?
Ja, eine Anzahlung von zehn bis zwanzig Prozent reduziert die Kreditsumme und das Risiko für die Bank. Dies erhöht Ihre Chancen auf eine Zusage und führt oft zu besseren Zinskonditionen.
Was ist der effektive Jahreszins?
Der effektive Jahreszins beinhaltet neben dem reinen Sollzins auch die meisten Nebenkosten eines Kredits, wie zum Beispiel Bearbeitungsgebühren. Er ist gesetzlich vorgeschrieben und macht verschiedene Kreditangebote transparent und vergleichbar.
Bekomme ich als Kleinunternehmer ohne BWA einen Autokredit?
Ja, auch als Kleinunternehmer, der nur eine EÜR erstellt, können Sie einen Autokredit bekommen. Wichtig sind hier vor allem die lückenlosen Steuerbescheide der Vorjahre und eine positive Schufa-Auskunft.
Wie schnell erfolgt die Auszahlung bei einem Online-Autokredit?
Bei Online-Anbietern kann der Prozess sehr schnell gehen. Nach Einreichung aller Unterlagen und erfolgreicher digitaler Identitätsprüfung kann die Kreditsumme oft innerhalb von 24 bis 48 Stunden ausgezahlt werden.
