Home loan documents checklist: what to gather before you apply

Lenders are required to verify your finances, and most delays in approvals come down to paperwork. Use this list to get ahead.

Everyone

• Photo ID: driver licence and passport, or other ID the lender accepts.
• Medicare card or other secondary ID.
• Three months of statements for transaction and savings accounts.
• Statements for every credit card, personal loan, car loan and buy-now-pay-later account.
• Evidence of your deposit and where it came from, including any gift letter.

Employees (PAYG)

• Two recent payslips.
• Latest income statement or tax return, especially if you earn overtime or bonuses.
• Employment contract if you've recently started a job.

Self-employed

• One or two years of personal and business tax returns and notices of assessment.
• Business financial statements.
• Recent business activity statements (BAS) for some lenders.

See our self-employed home loan guide for options if your returns don't reflect your real income.

Refinancing

• Six months of statements for the loan you're refinancing.
• A recent rates notice for the property.
• Details of any fixed-rate period and break costs.

Buying

• Contract of sale once you have one.
• Building contract, plans and specifications if you're building. See construction loans.

Gifted deposits

If family is helping with your deposit, most lenders want a signed gift letter confirming it's non-repayable, plus evidence of the funds in your account. Some also want to see your own genuine savings. If the help is a guarantee rather than cash, read family guarantee home loans.

Visa holders

Include your passport and current visa grant notice. Lenders check how long your visa has left to run. See our guide for visa holders and new migrants.

How recent is recent?

Payslips are usually expected to be within the last month, and bank statements within the last 30 days. Documents can expire during a long search, so we'll ask for updates before a formal application.