--- title: "Documents for a Car Loan in Canada | usedcarnearme.ca" description: "The exact documents a lender asks for on a bad credit car loan in Ontario, Quebec, or Atlantic Canada, what counts as proof of income, and what newcomers add." canonical: https://www.usedcarnearme.ca/en/guides/documents-for-a-car-loan --- [Guides](/en/guides) / [Low credit score or bad credit](/en/bad-credit-car-loans) # The documents you need for a car loan Most files stall for one reason: a missing piece of paper. Here is everything a lender in Ottawa-Gatineau or Atlantic Canada will ask for, what counts, and what to do if you do not have it. Updated 9 September 2026 ยท 3 min read The guide 1. [The four documents every lender wants](#s1) 2. [What counts as income](#s2) 3. [If you are new to Canada](#s3) 4. [If you have been through a bankruptcy or consumer proposal](#s4) 5. [What you do not need](#s5) 6. [How to send documents without a scanner](#s6) 7. [What slows a file down](#s7) The short version - Four documents cover almost every lender: licence, proof of income, proof of address, and a void cheque. - Pay stubs, a job letter, pension statements, and bank deposits for self-employed income all count. - You can apply first and gather the paperwork while the approval is worked. ## The four documents every lender wants Whatever your credit looks like, the lender needs to confirm who you are, that you can drive, where you live, and what comes in each month. Four documents cover that. - A valid driver's licence from your province. A G2, probationary, or graduated licence is accepted by most lenders. - Proof of income: your two most recent pay stubs, or a job letter on company letterhead stating your position, start date, and pay. - Proof of address: a utility bill, lease, bank statement, or government letter from the last 90 days with your name and address. - A void cheque or pre-authorized debit form from your bank, so payments can be set up. ## What counts as income Lenders want steady, verifiable income, not perfect income. Employment pay is the simplest, but it is far from the only kind that qualifies. - Full-time or part-time employment: pay stubs or a job letter. Most lenders want at least three months on the job, some accept a signed offer letter. - Self-employment: last year's notice of assessment plus three to six months of bank statements showing deposits. - Pension, CPP, OAS, or a disability benefit: the award letter or the last three deposits on a bank statement. - Child tax benefit and support payments: usually counted as supplemental income alongside another source. - Employment insurance: accepted by only a few lenders and usually with a co-borrower. ## If you are new to Canada Add proof of your status in Canada. Status that stays valid for at least the first part of the loan term is the usual requirement. An international licence is often accepted for the loan itself while you complete the provincial exchange, but you will need the Ontario or Quebec licence to insure and register the car. ## If you have been through a bankruptcy or consumer proposal Bring the discharge certificate for a bankruptcy, or the certificate of full performance for a completed proposal. If your proposal is still active, bring the trustee's contact details; some lenders will approve with the trustee's written consent to the new payment. ## What you do not need You do not need a social insurance number to apply with us, and you do not need a down payment to start. A down payment helps the approval and lowers the payment, but it is not a document and it is not a condition of applying. ## How to send documents without a scanner A clear phone photo is accepted by every lender we work with, as long as all four corners of the page are visible and the text is readable. Take it in daylight, flat on a table, and send the original image rather than a screenshot. Bank statements can be downloaded as PDF from your banking app and forwarded directly. ## What slows a file down Three things, in order: a job letter without a phone number for the employer, a pay stub older than 60 days, and a proof of address that does not match the licence. Fix those before you send and most files clear in a day. [Get pre-qualified with bad credit](/en/apply) Questions ## Questions people actually ask Can I apply before I have all the documents? Yes. Apply first, then gather the documents while we work on the approval. Most people have everything on their phone within a day. Does the job letter need to be recent? Within the last 30 days is ideal. If it is older, add a recent pay stub to show you are still employed. I get paid partly in cash. What do I show? Bank statements showing regular deposits, plus whatever pay stubs or T4 you have. Some lenders count stated income for self-employed buyers when the deposits support it. Related ## All guides - [01Getting a car loan during or after a consumer proposalRead the guide](/en/guides/car-loan-during-consumer-proposal) - [02Getting a car loan as a newcomer to Canada with no Canadian creditRead the guide](/en/guides/car-loan-new-to-canada) - [03Getting a car loan after a repossessionRead the guide](/en/guides/car-loan-after-repossession) - [04How much car you can actually affordRead the guide](/en/guides/how-much-car-can-you-afford) - [05How soon after a bankruptcy discharge you can get a car loanRead the guide](/en/guides/car-loan-after-bankruptcy-discharge) - [06Do you need a co-signer for a car loan?Read the guide](/en/guides/co-signer-for-a-car-loan) - [07The best used cars to finance with bad creditRead the guide](/en/guides/best-used-cars-to-finance-with-bad-credit) - [08Extended warranty and GAP insurance on a financed used carRead the guide](/en/guides/used-car-warranty-and-gap-insurance) - [09Car loan calculatorEstimate a payment](/en/car-loan-calculator) ## Know in two minutes. Free, about two minutes, no credit pull. [Get pre-qualified with bad credit](/en/apply)