Business loan checklist for New Zealand owners

Most delays in business lending come down to one thing: a document nobody had ready. Gathering the right paperwork before you apply makes the process smoother, helps you understand which lenders you’ll suit and shows a lender you’re organised. This checklist covers what New Zealand lenders usually ask for, grouped by paperwork level.

Everyone needs these

Document	Notes
Photo ID for every director, owner and guarantor	Driver licence or passport
NZBN and, for companies, the company number	From the NZBN and Companies Office registers
Business structure	Sole trader, partnership, company or trust
What the money is for	A quote, invoice, contract or IRD notice helps
How long you’ve traded	Start date, plus any previous business history
Existing business debts	Lender, balance and repayment for each

Add these for low doc lending

• Six to twelve months of business bank statements, linked or downloaded.
• GST returns for the last few periods, if you’re registered.
• Your IRD statement of account from myIR.
• An accountant’s letter confirming income, if your lender accepts one.
• A signed income declaration, if the lender uses one.

See low doc business loans for how these are used.

Add these for full doc lending

• The last one or two years of annual financial statements.
• IR3 or IR4 income tax returns, and notices of assessment if available.
• Year-to-date management accounts, such as a profit and loss report from your accounting software.
• A cash flow forecast for larger loans.

Add these when property is involved

• Property address and record of title, or enough detail for the lender to search it.
• A recent statement for any existing mortgage.
• The names of everyone on the title, with ID for each.
• Rates notice, and for commercial property, any lease.
• A clear explanation of how the loan will be repaid, with evidence if possible.

Structure-specific extras

Sole traders: your personal IRD number and IR3 returns; business income may be mixed with personal income on your return. See sole trader loans.

Partnerships: the partnership agreement and each partner’s ID; IR7 returns if filed.

Companies: the company extract from the Companies Office, details of all directors and shareholders, and IR4 returns if filed.

Trusts: the trust deed, details of all trustees, and the trust’s financial statements if prepared.

Tidy-up tasks worth doing first

1. File any overdue GST returns, even if you can’t pay them all yet.
2. Check your IRD statement for surprises.
3. Pull your personal credit reports and check them for errors. See our page on your business credit score.
4. Make sure the Companies Office has current director and address details.
5. Download or prepare to link your bank statements.

An illustrative example

A Nelson boat-building company needs $160,000 for a new CNC router. The director spends an afternoon gathering ID, the company extract, twelve months of statements, the last two GST returns and the supplier’s quote, and notices one GST return was never filed. She files it before applying. The lender’s first call takes fifteen minutes because nothing is missing, and the only follow-up request is a copy of the router’s specification sheet, which the supplier sends the same afternoon. Illustrative only.

Why lenders ask for each thing

It can feel like a paper chase, but each item answers a specific question. ID confirms who you are. The NZBN and company extract confirm the business exists and who controls it. Bank statements show how money really moves. GST returns confirm sales. The IRD statement shows whether tax is under control. Financial statements show profit over a full year. Property documents confirm what’s being offered as security and what’s already owed against it. When you understand why a document matters, it’s easier to offer a sensible substitute if you don’t have it.

How long it usually takes to gather

Document	Typical time to gather
ID, NZBN, company extract	Minutes
Bank statements	Minutes if linked; an hour if downloading
GST returns and IRD statement	An hour in myIR
Accountant’s letter	A few days, depending on your accountant
Financial statements	Days to weeks if not already prepared
Property title and mortgage statement	A day or two

Build a list for your situation

The document checklist builder asks a few questions about your structure, GST status, returns and property, then produces the exact list for you. Once you’ve gathered what you can, send us an enquiry. Asking won’t mark your credit file, your details aren’t passed down a list, and one person will phone you to fill any gaps. Start your enquiry.