Document checklist builder
Business loan documents checklist
Choose the loan type, your business structure and anything unusual about your situation. Get the exact list of documents lenders ask for, ready to tick off and print.
Your checklist
Unsecured loan · company
Why the right documents matter more than the right lender name
Most business loan delays don't come from the lender's credit team. They come from a missing bank statement, a BAS that hasn't been lodged, or a trust deed nobody can find. Every gap means another email, another week, and sometimes a second look at a file that was close to approved. Getting the paperwork together before you apply is the single biggest thing you control in the whole process.
This builder combines what lenders commonly ask for by loan type with the extra items that come with your business structure and situation. It's a starting list: a lender may ask for something more specific, but if you have everything here, you'll answer most requests on the same day.
What lenders do with each document
| Document | What the lender is checking |
|---|---|
| Bank statements | Real turnover, consistency, dishonours, overdrawn days and existing repayments. |
| BAS | Declared turnover and whether GST is lodged and paid on time. |
| ATO portal summary | Tax debt, payment plans and lodgement history. |
| Financials and tax returns | Profit, not just turnover, and the trend over two years. |
| Security documents | That the property or asset exists, is owned as claimed and is worth enough. |
| Purpose and exit | That the money does what you say and the loan can be repaid on time. |
Tips for a clean application
- Download statements as PDFs straight from internet banking; lenders distrust edited files and screenshots.
- Include every business account, including ones you rarely use. Missing accounts look like hidden accounts.
- If something is behind — a BAS, a return, a payment plan — say so upfront and explain the fix.
- Fill in the enquiry form accurately. Amount, purpose, security and trading history decide which lender we approach.
The business loan requirements guide explains eligibility in full, and how long a business loan takes shows where paperwork speeds things up. When your list is ticked off, start your 60-second enquiry: there's no credit check to ask, your details go to one well-chosen lender rather than a crowd, and a real person rings you to talk it through.
Document checklist: questions
What documents do I need for a business loan in Australia?
Most lenders start with ID for each director, your ABN and ACN, six to twelve months of business bank statements, recent BAS and an ATO account summary. Bank loans and larger facilities add two years of financial statements and tax returns. Property-secured loans add rates notices, mortgage statements and owner consent; equipment finance needs the supplier's quote or invoice; invoice finance needs aged debtors and creditors reports.
What is a low doc business loan checklist?
Low doc lending replaces tax returns and full financials with other evidence of income — typically BAS, business bank statements and sometimes an accountant's letter. You'll still need ID, ABN details and an explanation of what the funds are for. Low doc loans are often secured by property, so security documents apply too.
Do I need financial statements for an unsecured business loan?
Often not for smaller amounts. Many unsecured and cash-flow lenders assess six to twelve months of bank statements, sometimes through a read-only data link, plus BAS. Larger unsecured facilities and bank lending usually ask for financial statements and tax returns as well.
Why do lenders want an ATO portal summary?
Tax debt affects both the risk and the lender's security, so most lenders check whether lodgements are up to date and whether anything is owing. If there is a debt, a payment plan or a clear plan to clear it — sometimes with the loan itself — makes a big difference to how the application is read.
Can I print or save the checklist?
Yes. Use the print button to print it or save it as a PDF from your browser's print dialog. Tick items off as you gather them; the ticks stay on screen while you work.
Ready when you are
Paperwork sorted? Let's put it in front of the right lender.
A real person reads your enquiry and matches you to the lender most likely to approve it. No credit check to ask, and your details go to one lender only.
No credit check to ask
Asking what you could get leaves your credit file alone. A check only happens later, with a lender you've chosen, and you'll know before it does.
Not sprayed to a list
Your enquiry isn't auctioned or blasted to a crowd of lenders. We work out where it belongs and take it to that lender properly.
A real person on your file
Someone who knows the Australian lending market reads your details and calls you. Accurate answers on the form mean the right match first time.