What Documents Do I Need for a Mortgage?

If you're wondering what documents you need for a mortgage? We have you covered. Here is a list of documents needed to apply for a mortgage loan.

An interested home buyer researching what documentation is needed for a mortgage with his son sitting on his lap.

Written byAlycia Lucio|July 17, 2025

When applying for a mortgage, you’ll need to submit important documents related to your income, assets, and other personal information. These documents are used to verify your ability to repay the loan and determine your risk profile. According to the Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Survey, 31% of mortgage buyers reported at least one mortgage denial in 2024 before getting approved. To make the mortgage application process less stressful and improve your chances of loan approval, collect all the documents you need to apply for a mortgage ahead of time and scan them onto your computer (if not already on a PDF).

Here is a list of documents you might need to include in your mortgage application.

Personal identification

Lenders may ask for different forms of identification to verify you are who you say. A photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport, will be used to verify your identity, name, address and date of birth in compliance with the U.S. Patriot Act. If you don’t have a driver’s license or passport, lenders might ask for two government-issued photo IDs, such as a green card, military ID, or employment authorization document.

In addition, lenders require a Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to verify your identity, credit history, and compliance with federal laws.

Income and employment documents

Lenders typically request two months worth of pay stubs from your place of work to assess your current earnings; and two years worth of tax returns to get a better idea of your income history.

If you receive additional income through spousal support, child support, Social Security benefits, rental income, or earnings from a side gig, you should also include this information in your application. Lenders will need copies of the actual court documents (court decrees, affirmed support agreement, etc.). A higher annual income might help you secure a larger mortgage, allowing you to finance a more expensive home.

The type of documentation you’ll need depends on how you receive income. Here’s a list of income documents you might need to submit based on employment:

Employees:

Pay stubs from the last two months
W-2 forms from the last two years
Tax returns from the last two years

Business owners, gig workers, self-employed individuals:

1099 forms from the last two years
IRS Form 4506-T from the last two years
Profit and loss statements (P&L) for the last two years
Direct deposits
Business license (if self-employed)

Alternative sources of income:

Social Security award letter
Employment contracts
Lease agreements (for rental property owners)

Bank statements

In addition to your income documents, lenders also want to see your bank statements to verify the income on your pay stubs matches the income you received in your account. Bank statements can reveal red flags, such as unstable income, bounced checks, or mysterious deposits.

If a large amount of money suddenly appears in your account, lenders are likely to question its origins, especially if the amount of money deposited is substantially greater than your earning potential. For example, if you earn $5,000 a month, and you have a $20,000 deposit on one of your accounts, your lender will probably want to know more about where that money came from.

Mortgage applicants usually need to show two to three months worth of their checking and savings account statements. It’s important to show that you have enough cash saved for a down payment, closing costs, and any other cash to close. In certain conditions, you may be required to have extra cash in reserve. This is more common if, for instance, your income is lower than ideal or your credit score is below the recommended threshold.

Assets

If you make money through alternative sources and have funds tied up in different assets, you can include asset statements in your application. Lenders consider a borrower’s assets in addition to, or in place of, their income when assessing their risk profile. If you have assets you’d like to include in your application, you might need to submit:

Property deeds
Vehicle titles
Certificates of deposit
Bond certificates
Retirement account statements
Investment account statements
Business account statements

Debt and expense statements

To properly assess whether you can afford a mortgage, lenders need to know how many debt obligations you have. Although lenders can derive your debts and expenses from your bank statements, they might request specific debt and expense statements to confirm your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio. Auto loans, student loans, credit card balances, medical debts, and other recurring monthly payments can count towards your DTI ratio.

If your lender requires proof of debts and expenses, they might ask for:

Debt payment records (receipts, transfers, proof of payments)
Outstanding debt balances
Creditor name and contact information
Correspondence between you and your creditors

Credit reports

Lenders need to pull your credit reports from at least one of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Transunion, Equifax) to assess your risk profile. Your lender will ask for your written or verbal permission to do a hard credit check when you submit a formal mortgage loan application. A hard credit pull grants the lender access to your credit history for the last seven years and your current credit score.

No supplemental documentation is needed to support your credit score once a lender does a hard pull. However, you might need to sign an authorization document granting the lender access to your credit information.

Residential history

Mortgage lenders also want to make sure you can cover your monthly housing expenses. Borrowers who rent need to show a year’s worth of canceled rent checks or bank transfers. You may also need to provide a letter from your landlord confirming you pay your rent on time. Renter history is particularly important when you don’t have much credit history.

Borrowers who own a home might need to show receipts of mortgage, insurance, and property tax payments. Depending on the lender, you might also need to provide payment history for homeowners association (HOA) fees and other monthly homeownership expenses.

Gift letters

If your loved ones are helping you pay for your down payment, earnest money deposit or other homeownership costs, you’ll need to provide written confirmation that the money is a gift and not a loan that needs to be repaid. This documentation is known as a gift letter and must include how much money you’re receiving and from who. If you have multiple individuals gifting you money for your home, each individual would need to write and sign their own gift letter.

Each gift letter should include:

Gift amount
Date the funds were gifted
Name, address, and phone number of the person gifting the money
Your relationship to the person providing you with the funds
Clear statement that the person doesn’t expect repayment of the amount gifted
Your signature
The donor’s signature

A signed purchase agreement

Lenders need to have a purchase agreement to confirm the address being purchased, the seller of the property, the agents involved, the agreed upon earnest money deposit and other conditions or contingencies (such as a home inspection). While the purchase agreement is not part of the actual application, it is part of the overall loan file. Lenders will spend the majority of their time building and reviewing your file for loan approval.

A home appraisal report

Your lender may also require a home appraisal report to verify the property’s worth. Typically, home appraisals are requested by the lender when financing the purchase to verify the home is worth the list price. This ensures you’re not borrowing more money than the home’s value. A licensed appraisal will write up the report and share a copy with you and the lender for review. If the appraisal comes in low, you may need to negotiate the price with the seller or bring in a larger down payment before your mortgage can be approved.

Additional documents you may need for mortgage approval

Depending on your lender, your individual situation, and the type of mortgage you’re pursuing, you might need to provide extra documentation before your mortgage loan can be approved. Here are some documents that might be required:

Letter of explanation (for hardships, like foreclosures)
VA Certificate of Eligibility
Alimony documents
Divorce papers
Child support agreement or proof of payments
Bankruptcy documents (including discharge date and bankruptcy dismissal)
VA home appraisal and inspection report
FHA home appraisal and inspection report

In addition to documents needed for a mortgage, you may need to provide other information within your mortgage application, such as property address, phone number, prior addresses of residences you’ve occupied, employer information and any additional legal names.

If you have additional questions about securing a mortgage, contact one of our loan officers at Zillow Home Loans*.