What documents do I need for a personal loan?
Standard documents: government-issued ID, proof of address (utility bill or lease), 2-3 recent pay stubs or last year's tax return, and bank statements (typically 60-90 days). Self-employed applicants need two years of tax returns. Most online lenders accept document uploads or bank-data verification via Plaid.
Context
Most online personal-loan lenders use automated income verification via Plaid (which connects to your bank account and reads recent deposits) instead of requiring manual document uploads. This shortens the application and speeds up funding.
Manual document uploads are required when Plaid can't connect to your bank, your income is from multiple sources, you're self-employed, or the loan amount is large enough to trigger additional verification.
For self-employed borrowers: two years of federal tax returns (Form 1040 with Schedules C, E, and/or K-1), 3-6 months of business bank statements, and a year-to-date profit-and-loss statement if available. Lenders often want to see consistent net income trending up or flat year-over-year.
- Reviewed by
- Compliance Review
- Last reviewed
- May 22, 2026
Ready to compare real personal-loan offers?
Two minutes. Soft credit check only.
Begin a request