Can I finance a partner buyout using a bank loan the same way I'd finance buying a whole business?

Yes, bank financing is a normal way to fund a partner buyout, and lenders generally look at it similarly to financing any share purchase. They'll want to see the business's financial statements, a purchase agreement setting out the price and terms, and often security against the business's assets or your own personal guarantee, just as they would for financing the purchase of an entire company.

One difference worth planning for is that a partner buyout usually closes around an internal valuation or negotiated price rather than an arm's-length market transaction, so the lender will want confidence that the price is defensible — an independent valuation can help here. It's also worth coordinating the loan terms with any vendor take-back or deferred-payment component if the departing partner is also financing part of the deal, since a lender providing a loan alongside seller financing will want to understand exactly how the different payment obligations rank against each other.