Tier 1 of 3
Full doc
Your income proven from lodged tax returns and the ATO notices of assessment that confirm them, for two financial years.
You land here when
- ABN active and registered for GST for two years or more
- Two years of returns lodged and assessed, with no outstanding years
- Declared income high enough to service the loan on its own
Documents to assemble
- Two years of personal tax returns
- Two years of business tax returns for every entity
- ATO notices of assessment matching each return
- Company or trust financial statements where applicable
- Current ABN and GST registration evidence
What this tier costs you
Nothing. This is the tier with the widest lender choice, the best pricing and the highest loan-to-value ratios available. Every other tier exists because someone cannot reach this one.
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
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. 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.