Low doc home loans
You've got the income. Just not two years of tax returns.
If you're self-employed, contracting or running a business, a low doc home loan lets you verify your income another way: with your BAS, your business bank statements, or a letter from your accountant. We match you to a lender whose low doc policy fits your situation.
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What it is (and isn't)
A low doc loan isn't a no doc loan. Your income still gets verified.
Low doc is short for low documentation, not low scrutiny. It's for people whose income is real but doesn't show up in two years of tax returns yet. Instead of payslips and full returns, the lender verifies what you earn another way, through your BAS, your business bank statements, or a signed letter from your accountant. The income still has to stack up. What changes is the paperwork it's proven with.
What people assume low doc means
- No proof of income needed
- You just state what you earn
- A way around the checks
- Only for people the banks turn away
- The same deal as a normal loan
What it actually means
- Your income is verified another way, not skipped
- BAS, bank statements or an accountant's letter stand in for tax returns
- The lender still has to see you can comfortably repay
- Built for self-employed income that's real but hard to document
- Usually a larger deposit, and sometimes a higher rate
How it works
The paperwork that stands in for your tax returns.
A declaration from your accountant
The most common route. Your accountant signs a declaration confirming what your business earns, often backed by a profit and loss statement. It's a registered tax agent putting their name to your income, which is why lenders lean on it.
Your BAS, straight from the ATO
Six to twelve months of BAS lodged with the ATO does the same job. It shows consistent turnover and that you're registered for GST, which together give a lender a real read on the business behind the loan. If you're not GST-registered, or you report annually, this just isn't your route. One of the others will be.
The money actually moving
Usually six months of statements showing revenue landing in your account. For a lot of sole traders and contractors, the cash flow through the business tells the story more honestly than a tax return that's been structured down.
Proof you're genuinely trading
An active ABN, generally held for at least a year, plus GST registration where your turnover requires it. This is the baseline most low doc lenders start from before they look at anything else.
Where we come in
Every lender's low doc policy is different. We know which one fits your paperwork.
Low doc is where lenders differ the most: which documents they accept, how much they'll lend against the property, how long you need an ABN, whether the rate carries a premium. It varies at every lender, and it changes often. We take your real situation across 30+ lenders and match you to the low doc policy that fits, so you're not firing off applications to lenders who were never going to work for someone in your position.
Is it right for you
Who a low doc loan suits, and who's better off with a full doc loan.
A low doc loan can fit if
- You're self-employed, contracting or running a business
- Your income is strong, but your latest tax returns don't show it yet
- You've been trading under an ABN for a year or more
- You've got a deposit near 20%, or equity to match
A full doc loan is usually better if
- You can provide two years of tax returns and notices of assessment
- You want a smaller deposit and more lenders to choose from
- You're a PAYG employee with regular payslips
- Your returns already reflect what you genuinely earn
Low doc is often a stepping stone, not a destination. Once your tax returns catch up with your real income, we can look at refinancing you onto a full doc loan. If you're self-employed, our self-employed lending page goes deeper on structuring your borrowing across years.
Good to know
Responsible lending
Your income still has to check out
A low doc loan changes the paperwork, not the rule. Under responsible lending laws the lender still has to be satisfied you can comfortably repay, so we build the case properly rather than paper over it.
Honest about the trade-offs
A bigger deposit, sometimes a higher rate
Low doc usually asks for more deposit than a full doc loan, and can come at a higher rate, because the lender is pricing in less documentation. We'll tell you where you stand before you count on it, and whether full doc is the smarter move.
In your corner
Free to you, and on your side
We're paid by lenders for introducing loans. Under the Best Interests Duty we're legally bound to recommend what's right for you, not what pays us most.
Common questions
Low doc home loans, answered.
- Is a low doc loan the same as a no doc loan?
- No. A true no doc loan, where you gave no evidence of income at all, effectively disappeared when responsible lending laws came in. A low doc loan still verifies your income, just through your BAS, bank statements or accountant's letter instead of full tax returns. Anyone marketing a "no doc" home loan today is almost always describing a low doc loan.
- How much deposit do you need for a low doc loan?
- Most low doc lenders cap what they'll lend at around 80% of the property value, so you're generally looking at a deposit near 20%, sometimes more. A few sit higher or lower depending on the lender and your situation, which is exactly the kind of thing we check before you apply anywhere.
- What documents do I need for a low doc home loan?
- It varies by lender, but usually some mix of an active ABN, GST registration, your recent BAS, six months of business bank statements, and a signed income declaration from your accountant. You rarely need all of them at once. We work out which combination your lender actually wants.
- Which banks do low doc home loans?
- Some of the majors will, but a lot of low doc lending sits with non-bank and specialist lenders whose policies are built for self-employed income. The right one depends on your documents and your situation, not the logo on the door, which is where a broker across 30+ lenders earns their keep.
- Can I get a low doc loan if I've only been self-employed a short time?
- Often you need an ABN held for at least a year, and some lenders want longer. If you're newer than that, there may still be options, or it may be worth waiting a few months. We'll tell you honestly which it is for your situation.
- Can I refinance a low doc loan to a normal loan later?
- Yes, and it's often the plan. Low doc gets you in now. Once your tax returns catch up and show your real income, we can look at refinancing you onto a full doc loan on different terms, and we keep watching for that opening after settlement.
Let's find the lender who reads your real income.
A licensed broker looks at what you actually earn and tells you honestly whether low doc or full doc is the smarter move. Nothing to prepare, no obligation.
15 to 30 minutes · no obligation · 30+ lenders