Yes.  You don’t have to have a credit card to have bad credit. If you have or have had a student loan, auto loan or mortgage that you have been late making payments or defaulted on, then your credit score would have been negatively affected.  Likewise if you have had a credit card in the past that you managed irresponsibly then there could be damage on your credit report for up to seven years from the date that any of your old accounts were opened.  Additionally, if you have any accounts in collections (e.g. medical or utility bills), your credit would have suffered.  Lastly, if you have declared bankruptcy in the last 10 years, then your credit is probably pretty bad.

If none of these things apply for you and your are still unable to get a loan, then you probably have no credit, in which case you may want to apply for a secured credit card.  With a secured credit card, a deposit starting at $200, acts as collateral against your loan, and you can start building/improving your credit history with very little risk to you or your lender.