Celtic Bank, a subsidiary of Celtic Investment Inc., is a Utah-chartered industrial bank headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. Founded in 2001 by Reese S. Howell Jr., Celtic Bank is FDIC-insured and has ranked among the top 10 SBA lenders in the United States every year since 2013. The bank has funded over $4 billion to more than 10,000 businesses across 60+ industries.
Celtic Bank's flagship products are SBA 7(a) loans ranging from $350,000 to $5 million, with rates as low as Prime + 2.75% and up to 90% loan-to-value. For smaller deals, Celtic Express covers $25,000 to $150,000 and Celtic Advantage handles $150,000 to $350,000 — both with streamlined processing. SBA 504 loans range from $350,000 to $5 million for real estate and major equipment purchases. Origination fees are 3% across SBA products.
Beyond SBA lending, Celtic Bank offers a broad portfolio: USDA Business & Industry loans ($500K-$10M) for rural businesses, equipment financing ($100K-$3M), construction loans ($350K-$5M), renewable energy financing ($350K-$10M), asset-based lending ($350K-$5M), supply chain financing ($50K-$1M), working capital loans ($50K-$350K), business acquisition financing ($350K-$5M), commercial real estate loans ($350K-$5M), and conventional business loans ($350K-$5M).
Celtic Bank differentiates itself through product breadth and industry experience context. With 14 distinct lending products spanning deal sizes from $25,000 to $10 million, the bank can structure financing for scenarios that single-product lenders cannot accommodate. Their USDA B&I and renewable energy programs serve niche markets underserved by most SBA lenders. The bank works with businesses across manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, retail, professional services, and dozens of other sectors.
As a consistent top-10 SBA lender with over two decades of operating history, Celtic Bank brings institutional credibility and underwriting depth to the small and mid-market business lending space. Prospective borrowers should note that Celtic does not publicly disclose minimum credit scores, revenue requirements, or time-in-business thresholds, and specific terms depend on deal structure and borrower qualifications.
For business owners exploring financing options, the landscape includes several distinct products. Small business loans provide lump-sum working capital with fixed repayment terms, while a business line of credit offers flexible revolving access to funds as needed. SBA loans through government-backed programs offer the lowest rates but require longer approval timelines. For businesses with outstanding invoices, invoice factoring converts receivables into short-term cash access flow. Equipment financing allows companies to acquire machinery and technology with the equipment itself as collateral. A merchant cash advance provides business-funding profile details by purchasing a share of future sales, though typically at higher effective costs. Startups and newer businesses may find working capital loan options through alternative lenders with lower qualification requirements than traditional banks.
