Quick answer
For a fast business loan in New Zealand, most lenders start with six months of business bank statements, current photo ID for every director and guarantor, your company or business details, and a short explanation of what the money is for. Property-secured loans add the property address, title details and existing mortgage information. Larger loans may need financial statements, an IRD summary or an accountant's letter. Having the core pack ready before you enquire is the biggest single speed-up.
Key points
- Core pack: statements, ID, company details, loan purpose.
- Secured add-ons: title details, current mortgage, rates notice, insurance.
- Bigger deals: financial statements, IRD position, accountant confirmation.
- Clear file names and PDFs from internet banking beat screenshots every time.
- Bank statements
- Usually 6 months, every business account
- ID
- All directors and guarantors
- Format
- PDF exports, clearly named
Ask anyone who has funded a business quickly what made the difference and the answer is usually boring: they had the documents ready. A lender can’t decide faster than the information arrives. This page sets out the pack that makes a 24-hour decision possible, split into what everyone needs, what property adds and what larger deals sometimes require.
What does every fast business loan need?
Think of this as the core pack. If you have nothing else, have this.
| Document | Where to get it | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Six months of business bank statements | Internet banking export | Every business account, PDF, full pages |
| Photo ID for each director or owner | Licence or passport | Current, clear, both sides of a licence |
| Proof of address | Recent statement or rates notice | Must match the address on the form |
| Company or business details | Companies Register / NZBN | Directors, shareholders, NZBN |
| The reason for the loan | The bill, contract, quote or invoice | Shows the amount and the deadline |
Business.govt.nz notes that lenders want financial records that show a business can repay. For fast unsecured lending, bank statements are the most direct evidence of that.
What does a property-secured loan add?
When property is involved, the lender needs to understand the asset as well as the business.
- Property address and owners. Exactly as they appear on the record of title.
- Title reference. If you have it; the lender can search it too.
- Existing mortgage details. Lender, approximate balance, and whether repayments are up to date.
- Rates notice. Confirms ownership and gives a rating value for context.
- Insurance. Lenders will want the property insured; know who your insurer is.
- Leases. For tenanted commercial property, the current leases.
Land Information New Zealand’s guide to reading a title shows the owner, the estate type and registered interests such as mortgages and easements. Knowing what’s on yours avoids surprises. Our property security checklist goes deeper.
What do larger or longer loans sometimes need?
As amounts and terms grow, lenders ask for more context.
- Financial statements for the last one or two years.
- Management accounts for the current year from Xero, MYOB or similar.
- An IRD summary from myIR showing returns filed and any balance or arrangement.
- An accountant’s letter confirming figures or tax status, where needed.
- A cash-flow forecast showing how repayments fit, particularly for growth funding.
See accountant letters and financials for when these are worth preparing in advance.
How should I organise and send the pack?
Presentation is speed. An assessor who can open a folder and immediately find each item works faster than one who has to open twenty attachments to find the licence.
- Use PDFs, not photos of screens.
- Name files plainly: “ABC Ltd statements Apr–Sep 2026”, “Director 1 licence”.
- Put everything in one email or one shared folder.
- Include a short covering note: amount, purpose, deadline, any issues.
What if I can’t get a document tonight?
Send what you have and say what’s coming. You can even start the enquiry now and tell the specialist which items will follow. A specialist can start assessing statements and ID while the title search or accountant letter follows. What slows a deal down isn’t an item arriving second — it’s an item nobody knew was missing. Our page on what slows a loan down lists the twelve repeat offenders.
How recent do the documents need to be?
Fast lenders care about the present, so freshness matters.
- Bank statements should run right up to the last day or two. A set that ends six weeks ago leaves a gap the assessor will ask about.
- ID must be current on the day it’s checked. If a licence expires next week, renew it now.
- Proof of address is usually expected to be recent — a statement or bill from the last few months.
- Company details should be pulled on the day you enquire, so recent changes to directors or shareholders show up.
- IRD summaries are best taken from myIR the same day, because balances and arrangements move.
If something is older than it should be, say so in your covering note and explain why. An explanation upfront is quicker than a question later.
Which documents matter most for my loan type?
| Loan type | Most important documents |
|---|---|
| Unsecured cash flow | Bank statements, ID, company details |
| Line of credit | Bank statements, ID, sometimes management accounts |
| Second mortgage | Title details, existing mortgage, ID, statements |
| Caveat-style loan | Title details, purpose, exit plan, ID |
| Equipment finance | Quote or invoice for the asset, statements, ID |
| Invoice finance | Debtor ledger, sample invoices, statements |
Illustrative example: a pack built in one evening
Illustrative only. A Christchurch electrical contractor knows a $70,000 supplier account must be cleared by Friday. On Tuesday night he exports six months of statements, photographs both directors’ licences, downloads the company extract and saves the supplier statement as a PDF. He enquires at 7.45am Wednesday, sends the folder at 8.30am after the first call, and receives an unsecured decision by early afternoon. The documents took him less than an hour.
Have your pack ready? Let’s see what it unlocks.
A complete pack is the shortest route to a fast answer. Start with a 60-second enquiry — there’s no credit check when you first enquire, your details aren’t scattered among other lenders, and a real person calls to confirm what’s needed. Please answer accurately; it lets us match the pack you have to the option that fits.
Frequently asked questions
How many months of bank statements do I need?
Six months is a common starting point for fast business lending. Some lenders ask for three, others for twelve, depending on the amount and how the business trades.
Do I need financial statements for a fast loan?
Not always. Smaller unsecured loans are often decided on bank statements alone. Financial statements are more likely to be requested for larger amounts or longer terms.
Can I send screenshots instead of PDFs?
Screenshots are hard to verify and often cut off information. PDF exports straight from internet banking are faster to assess and less likely to be requested again.
What if my accounts are with my accountant and not finished?
Tell the specialist. Recent bank statements plus management figures from your accounting software may be enough to start, with final accounts provided later if needed.
Do sole traders need different documents?
The core pack is similar. Instead of a company extract, the lender may ask about your trading name, NZBN if you have one, and your personal tax position.