What can you show a lender?
Business credit by paperwork level
No doc, low doc, bank statements or full financials. Each level opens different lenders. Start with the paperwork you actually have, not the paperwork a bank wishes you had.
Business credit across New Zealand
Business credit that starts with the paperwork you have.
Most lenders start by asking for paperwork you may not have. We start with what you can show today, whether that's filed accounts, bank statements, GST returns or equity in property, and match you to lending that fits it.
- Asking won't mark your file
- Not passed down a list
- Read by a real person
Asking won't mark your file
Checking what your paperwork could support leaves your credit file untouched. A credit check only happens if you choose to apply.
Not passed down a list
Your enquiry doesn't get sent to every lender going. One person reads it and picks the lender whose paperwork rules suit yours.
Read by a real person
Someone who knows New Zealand business lending reads your enquiry and phones you. Honest answers on the form mean the first option you hear is one that fits.
The paperwork ladder
Four levels of evidence, four kinds of lender
Lenders differ less on what they'll lend for than on what they need to see. Find the row that sounds like your business.
- 1
You have
Filed accounts and tax returns, GST current, two years or more of trading
It opens
The widest choice of lenders, usually at the lowest cost
- 2
You have
Steady deposits in a business account and current GST, accounts not finished
It opens
Unsecured loans and lines of credit sized on what you actually trade
- 3
You have
Self-employed or a small company, GST returns filed, a signed income declaration
It opens
Business loans without up-to-date financial statements
- 4
You have
Returns behind, IRD debt or credit marks, and equity in property
It opens
Second and first mortgages that rely on the property and your exit plan
Not sure which row fits? The document checklist builder works it out from seven questions. We never publish rates.
Start where you are
By paperwork, by who you are, or by loan
Built around the borrower
Business credit by who you are
Sole traders, tradies, the self-employed, small companies and new businesses each get read differently by lenders. Here's what they look for from each of you in New Zealand.
The loans themselves
Business loan types in New Zealand
Unsecured loans, lines of credit, working capital, equipment finance, second and first mortgages and more. What each one is, when it fits and what it asks of you.
Free tool
Know exactly what to gather
The document checklist builder asks about your structure, GST, returns, property and credit, then lists the documents a lender is likely to want and the paperwork level you probably fit. Print it and tick it off.
- 1Say how the business is set up and what the money is for
- 2Tell it where GST and income tax returns are up to
- 3Add property and credit history, if they apply
- 4Get your document list and likely paperwork level
What stalls an application
Four hold-ups, and how to clear them
Most applications that stall don't get a no. They get stuck on something fixable.
Overdue GST returns
File them first, oldest period first. It's the most common reason an application stops.
A credit mark nobody mentioned
Check Centrix, Equifax and illion, then explain anything there in two plain sentences.
Paperwork in the wrong name
Make sure the bank account, GST registration and quotes all match the borrower.
An IRD balance that keeps growing
Get a statement of account from myIR and compare an instalment arrangement with borrowing.
Guides
Get your paperwork lender-ready
How to Get a Business Loan in NZ: A Step-by-Step Guide
A plain-English guide to getting a business loan in New Zealand: working out what you can show, picking the right loan, preparing documents and applying once.
Using Property When Your Books Are Behind: An NZ Guide
How New Zealand owners use home or commercial property to borrow when returns are overdue: how it works, what lenders check and how to plan the exit.
Preparing a Low Doc Income Declaration in New Zealand
How New Zealand self-employed owners prepare a low doc income declaration: what to include, the evidence that backs it up and mistakes that cause a decline.
Questions owners ask about paperwork
Can I get a business loan if my accounts aren't up to date?
Often, yes. Bank statement lending, low doc loans, equipment finance and property-backed loans can all work while the accountant catches up. Current GST returns make a big difference.
How much can a New Zealand business borrow?
Unsecured loans, lines of credit and cash flow options for trading businesses, typically $5,000 to $500,000, sized on turnover and bank statements. Property-backed business loans from $20,000 to $5,000,000 (first and second mortgages over residential or commercial property).
Does asking affect my credit file?
No. There's no credit check when you first enquire. A check only happens once you decide to go ahead with a specific option.
Will my details go to lots of lenders?
No. A real person reads your enquiry and works out which lender fits your paperwork. Your details aren't passed down a list.
Can you help if I owe IRD or have defaults?
Often. IRD arrears and past credit issues are looked at case by case, and property-backed options are the most flexible. Tell us upfront.
Why don't you show interest rates?
Every business loan is priced on the business's situation, so a published number would mislead most people. You'll see the full cost before you sign anything.
Do you arrange home loans or personal loans?
No. Everything we arrange is for business purposes only.
Business purposes only. We never publish interest rates; every loan is priced on the business's situation.
Not sure your paperwork is enough?
Tell us what you've got. A real person reads it and calls you with the lending that fits. Asking won't mark your file.
Asking won't mark your file
Not passed down a list
Read by a real person