Documents needed for a mortgage: the checklist
Every mortgage application needs photo ID, proof of address, around 3 months of bank statements, and evidence of your deposit. On top of that: employed applicants add 3 months' payslips and a P60; self-employed add SA302s with matching tax year overviews (usually 2 years); company directors add company accounts and salary and dividend evidence. Exact lists vary by lender.
Everyone needs these
- Photo ID: passport or driving licence, in date, name matching your application.
- Proof of address: recent utility bill, bank statement or council tax bill (usually within 3 months).
- Bank statements: usually the last 3 months (some lenders ask for 6).
- Proof of deposit: statements showing the money building up, or a gifted deposit letter if any of it is a gift.
- Details of debts: credit cards, loans, car finance, buy-now-pay-later.
- Existing mortgage statement, if you already have one.
- National Insurance number.
If you are employed (PAYE)
- Last 3 months' payslips.
- Most recent P60.
- Employment contract if you recently started, are in probation, or your income includes bonus, overtime or commission.
- Evidence of bonus or commission history if you want it counted (often 2 years).
If you are self-employed (sole trader or partner)
- SA302 tax calculations, usually the last 2 years (sometimes 3). See how to get your SA302.
- Tax year overviews for the same years: lenders want the pair.
- Finalised accounts, if you have them.
- Your accountant's details. Qualified accountants carry more weight with lenders.
- Evidence of ongoing work if asked: contracts, order book.
If you are a limited company director
- 2 years' finalised company accounts (some lenders accept 1 year).
- SA302s and tax year overviews for the same years.
- Evidence of salary and dividends: payslips, dividend vouchers, or the accounts.
- Accountant's reference or certificate, if the lender asks.
- Some lenders can work from salary plus your share of net profit instead of dividends: a broker knows which. See limited company director mortgages.
What lenders look for in your bank statements
Lenders use your statements to check the application against your real account. Three lenders' published guides show what they look at:
- Your salary paid in. Yorkshire Building Society asks some employed applicants for "the bank statement showing the salary credit from your most recent payslip". So the pay going into your account should match your payslips.
- Your regular payments. Nationwide says "outgoings must match those declared on the application", for example loan and credit card payments. Declare every loan, card and finance payment you make.
- Returned direct debits and overdrafts. Leeds Building Society's guide for brokers says to look for direct debits that have been returned, or an overdraft limit that has been gone over, as these "may need an explanation".
- Large payments out. The same Leeds guide says to check for any significant outgoing and show it on the application.
- Full, recent statements. Nationwide wants all pages, your name and address, the account number and sort code, and a running balance. It may ask for up to 6 months, depending on your circumstances.
Other lenders have their own rules. If something on your statements needs explaining, say so on the application rather than wait to be asked.
Before you send anything
- Names and dates readable on every page.
- Statements are complete months, not screenshots of balances.
- PDFs where possible (print to PDF), not photos.
- Every large or unusual deposit into your account has an explanation.
- The same name and address appear consistently across all documents.
Requirements vary by lender, and this page is information, not advice: a regulated mortgage broker will confirm the exact list for your case. For the fuller guide version with the reasoning behind each document, see documents you need for a mortgage; for where documents fit in the process, use the mortgage application checklist.
Not applied yet? An agreement in principle gives you an early idea of what a lender might offer, and how much can I borrow explains how lenders work out your maximum.
Common questions
What documents do lenders check for a mortgage application?
Photo ID, proof of address, recent bank statements and proof of your deposit for everyone. Employed applicants add recent payslips and usually a P60. Self-employed applicants add SA302s with matching tax year overviews, and company directors add company accounts. The lender checks that these match what you put on the application.
How many months of bank statements do mortgage lenders want?
Usually the last 3 months, though some lenders ask for 6, and self-employed applicants are sometimes asked for business statements too. Send complete statements, not screenshots, and be ready to explain any large or unusual deposits.
What documents do self-employed applicants need for a mortgage?
The core is SA302 tax calculations plus matching tax year overviews, usually for the last 2 years, alongside the standard ID, address, bank statement and deposit evidence. Company directors add finalised company accounts and evidence of salary and dividends.
Why was my document rejected by the lender?
The usual reasons: it is out of date (proof of address is commonly required within 3 months), a name or address does not match the application, pages are cropped or unreadable, or a pair is incomplete (an SA302 without its tax year overview). Checking those four things before sending avoids most bounce-backs.
Founder, MortgageExplained
Adam spent over eight years as a mortgage adviser at Just Mortgages, with further experience in commercial finance. He is CeMAP and CF qualified. He built MortgageExplained to do one thing well: explain mortgages in plain English, so you know where you stand before you speak to a regulated broker. Every page on the site is written by Adam.
Last reviewed by Adam Parker