A self-employed borrower in Australia can generally get a home loan with one year of financials from about 5 of the 10 lenders NIK Finance models directly, and with two years from all of them. Low-doc options accept a BAS statement, an accountant's declaration or business bank statements instead of full tax returns, usually at a lower maximum LVR. Which lender you apply to matters more than how long you have been trading.
The single biggest variable for a self-employed applicant is the minimum trading history a lender demands. The table below is generated directly from the lender policy data behind the Kreddi Score engine, so it reflects what we actually assess against rather than a marketing summary.
Minimum self-employed trading requirement across the 10 lenders NIK Finance models in full policy detail. Max LVR shown is for owner-occupied principal and interest lending.
| Lender | Type | Minimum trading requirement | One year accepted? | Max LVR (OO P&I) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANZ | Big 4 Bank | 18 months + 1 year financials | Yes | 95% |
| CBA | Big 4 Bank | 2 years (standard) | No — two years | 95% |
| NAB | Big 4 Bank | 1-2 years depending on structure | Yes | 95% |
| HSBC | Foreign Bank | 2 years | No — two years | 90% |
| Macquarie | Bank | 2 years (1 year for professionals) | Yes | 95% |
| ME Bank | Bank (BOQ Group) | 18 months | Yes | 95% |
| Qudos Bank | Credit Union | 2 years | No — two years | 95% |
| Great Southern Bank | Customer-Owned Bank | 2 years | No — two years | 95% |
| Firstmac | Non-Bank | 2 years | No — two years | 90% |
| Bluestone | Non-Bank (Non-Conforming) | 6 months ABN (Specialist) to 24 months (Prime) | Yes | 90% |
NIK Finance has access to 130+ lenders through the Finsure panel. These 10 are the lenders with full 16-factor policy profiles modelled inside the Kreddi Score engine, which is why we can state their self-employed positions precisely. Policies change; we confirm current requirements with the lender before you apply.
Lenders use three broad evidence standards for self-employed income. The one you qualify for sets both your rate and your maximum LVR.
Two years of personal and company tax returns plus ATO notices of assessment. Best rates and highest LVR. Available to you once your financials are lodged and current.
A single year of financials, accepted by a subset of lenders where the business is established and the income is clean. Rates are typically at or near full-doc pricing.
BAS statements, business bank statements, or a signed accountant’s declaration in place of tax returns. Expect a lower maximum LVR (often 80%) and a rate premium.
For short ABN tenure or credit impairment. Bluestone accepts from 6 months ABN on its Specialist tier. Higher rate, with a view to refinancing to a prime lender later.
Self-employed borrowers are routinely assessed on a taxable income that deliberately understates their earning capacity. Add-backs are the items a lender will legitimately add back to that figure when working out serviceability.
Add-back policy is one of the widest points of variation between lenders, and it is rarely published. Two lenders can look at the same tax return and arrive at assessable incomes tens of thousands of dollars apart. This is the specific thing a broker is useful for.
Lenders measure trading history from ABN registration, and many require GST registration for the same period. Check both on ABN Lookup before you apply.
Personal and company tax returns plus ATO notices of assessment for the most recent one or two years. If the latest year is not lodged, that alone can cost you the sharper lenders.
Usually the four most recent quarterly BAS plus six months of business transaction statements. These carry the low-doc path if tax returns are not available.
A signed letter confirming your income and that the business can sustain the proposed repayments. Some low-doc products will not proceed without one.
It maps your position against lender policy and shows which lenders are open to you, so the application goes to the right one first time rather than collecting declines.
Yes. Of the 10 lenders NIK Finance models in full policy detail, 5 accept a single year of financials where the business is established and the income is clean. The remainder require two years. Applying to a two-year lender with one year of accounts produces a decline that sits on your credit file, which is why lender selection comes first.
It ranges from 6 months to 2 years across our modelled panel. Bluestone accepts from 6 months of ABN registration on its Specialist tier, ME Bank and ANZ from 18 months, and most others require a full 2 years. Shorter tenure generally means a higher rate and a lower maximum LVR.
Not if you qualify on a full-doc basis. A self-employed borrower with two years of financials and clean credit is priced the same as a PAYG borrower at most lenders. Rate premiums apply to low-doc and alt-doc products, where the lender is accepting BAS or an accountant’s declaration instead of tax returns.
On a full-doc application the standard applies: 5% is possible with Lenders Mortgage Insurance, 20% avoids it. Low-doc products typically cap at 80% LVR, so you need a 20% deposit plus costs. Several of our modelled lenders will go to 95% LVR for self-employed applicants who meet full-doc requirements.
Usually yes, where you own and control the company. Lenders add back retained profit and depreciation to your taxable income when assessing serviceability. Policies differ significantly, which is why the same tax return can produce very different assessable incomes at different lenders.
It restricts your options rather than ending them. Most prime lenders want the most recent notice of assessment. Where that is unavailable, a low-doc product assessed on BAS, business bank statements or an accountant’s declaration is the usual route, at a lower LVR and a rate premium.
Your Kreddi Score maps your position against real lender policy and shows which of our panel will lend to you, at what LVR, before you make a single application. It takes 15 minutes and leaves no mark on your credit file.
NIK Finance Pty Ltd (ACN 685 393 917) is a Credit Representative (567387) of Finsure Finance & Insurance Pty Ltd (Australian Credit Licence 384704). This page is general information only and does not constitute financial advice. Consider your personal circumstances and speak with a licensed broker before applying for credit.