Verification of employment (VOE)
Also known as: VOE, employment verification
The lender's process of confirming an applicant's employer, position, and salary. Done via direct contact with the employer's HR department, a verification service (The Work Number, etc.), or by reviewing recent paystubs and tax documents.
Full definition
Verification of employment (VOE) is one of the four standard underwriting verifications, alongside credit pull, income calculation, and asset verification. Lenders run a VOE near the end of the application process by directly contacting the employer's HR department, querying a verification service like The Work Number (Equifax's database, which covers about 70% of U.S. employers), or accepting a written letter from the employer on letterhead. VOE confirms three things: that the applicant is currently employed at the stated position, the stated salary or hourly rate, and the start date. Discrepancies between the application and the VOE result either delays or denials. Self-employed borrowers cannot do a traditional VOE; lenders substitute tax returns, bank statements, and sometimes CPA letters as analogous documentation.
- Written by
- Get Advance Loan Editorial Team
- Reviewed by
- Compliance Review
- Published
- January 15, 2026
- Last reviewed
- May 22, 2026
- Pre-qualificationA preliminary check that estimates the loan terms you might qualify for, based on a soft credit inquiry that does not affect your score.
- Pre-approvalA stronger lending check than pre-qualification, often involving a hard credit inquiry and a conditional commitment from the lender.
- UnderwritingThe lender's process of evaluating credit, income, identity, and risk before approving and pricing a loan.
- Co-signerA second person who agrees to repay your loan if you don't. A strong-credit co-signer can help you qualify or lower your APR.
- Co-applicantA second borrower who shares both the obligation to repay and access to the funds. Different from a co-signer.
- Promissory noteThe signed legal document in which a borrower promises to repay a loan according to specified terms. The promissory note is the loan's enforceable contract.
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