Tier 2 of 3
Alt doc
Your income evidenced from business activity statements and business bank statements instead of lodged returns, usually with a declaration you sign and an accountant confirms.
You land here when
- ABN active, commonly for at least one to two years
- Returns not yet lodged, or lodged income that lags current trading
- Business turnover visible and consistent in BAS and bank statements
Documents to assemble
- Four to six consecutive quarterly BAS
- Six to twelve months of business bank statements
- A signed income declaration
- An accountant's letter confirming the declared figure is reasonable
- ABN and GST registration evidence
What this tier costs you
A higher rate than full doc, a lower maximum loan-to-value ratio, and a narrower panel of lenders willing to look at it. The gap between full doc and alt doc pricing is real and worth quantifying before choosing.
Where the rules come from
General information about how Australian lenders assess self-employed income. Lender policy differs and changes, and tax and lodgement rules are set by the ATO; each page links to the body that sets the rule. Reviewed 17 August 2026.
The other tiers
Full doc Your income proven from lodged tax returns and the ATO notices of assessment that confirm them, for two financial years. Low doc The least documentary evidence a lender will accept while still meeting its responsible lending obligations — typically a self-declaration supported by one corroborating source rather than several.