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What documents do you actually need from me for a home loan?
Bayley Clarke · Mortgage broker on the road · Last checked 1 September 2026 · 3 min read
The short answer
Depends on your situation, but for most people: ID, payslips, and depending on where we are in the financial year your tax return or income statement from myGov, evidence of savings if you're buying, and statements for any debts that aren't already on your credit file. Self-employed, two years of tax returns.
If you sat down and got everything I ask for, it'd probably take you ten minutes. That conversation plus ten minutes of documents is mostly all I need to pre-qualify you across lenders and work out which one is in your best interest.
The two minute version. The rest of this page is the detail underneath it.
The list for employees
Of course we're going to need ID, and a driver's licence satisfies that for most people.
If you're an employee: payslips. Depending on where we are in the financial year I might also get your tax return or your income statement from myGov. That's important for anything that isn't base salary, such as overtime, allowances, bonuses and commission, because the bank will normally want secondary evidence of those before it counts them.
If we're buying a house, evidence of savings, usually a statement. If you've got any other debts, car loans, personal loans, credit cards, anything like that, then if it's on your credit file we generally won't need to see statements. If it's not on your credit file, we'll get a statement for those as well.
If you're self-employed
Rule of thumb: two years of tax returns. A lot of banks will just use the latest year, which is great, because it means we only need the most recent one. But sometimes the latest year doesn't stack up on its own, so we want to see both.
There are other options for self-employed borrowers that need less paperwork, but generally the rates start to creep up on that side. If we can avoid going down that path, I will, and just use your tax returns.
Ten minutes, and I'll show you where to click
Other than that, there's not a whole bunch you need to provide. If you were to sit down and actually get all the documents I request, it'll probably take you ten minutes. Part of the fun I get to do is show you where to get each one from. There's some bonus tech support that comes with this.
The conversation and ten minutes of documents is mostly all I need to pre-qualify you for lenders, work out which one is actually going to be in your best interest, and figure out the interest rates and fees that come with it. Ten minutes of your work, and you can hand me everything I need to do a home loan for you.
The honest bit: the documents aren't the hard part
People put off the first conversation because they think the paperwork is a mountain. It isn't. The documents take ten minutes and I walk you through every one. The thing that actually takes time is the part before that: knowing your numbers, so you know what to aim at and whether you'd be approved.
So don't wait until the folder is perfect. Have the chat first, then chip away at the documents as they come in. That order is faster every time.
Want the list for your situation, not the generic one?
A 30 minute call. I tell you exactly what I need from you, where to find each item, and what I can do with it. Then chip away at it, no rush.
No cost to you. The bank pays me when a loan settles. ยท How I get paid
Next question
Do I pay you? How does a mortgage broker get paid, and what's the catch?The other question people ask before the first call.
Related answers
Will the bank give me a home loan if I'm casual? Will the bank count my bonus income? Do shift allowances and penalties count as income?Not your question? Book a call and ask it, or call 0437 189 939.