What documents do I need to apply?
It depends on which product and which application you're using.
Quick summary
- Padder Guarantor (or Padder Guarantor + Padder Deposit): the front of your Canadian provincial ID or passport. That's the only upload at submission.
- Standalone Padder Deposit (your landlord has already approved you for the lease): no documents. You enter your building, unit, lease start date and monthly rent, and you see your price straight away.
For Padder Guarantor applications, our underwriting team may ask for more documents after they review your application. If anything else is needed, we'll email you, and your application page will show exactly what to upload.
Padder Guarantor (and Padder Guarantor + Padder Deposit)
Required at submission
Upload the front of your Canadian provincial ID or passport. Use a clear, high-resolution colour photo taken with your phone, keep the whole document in frame, and avoid glare. Accepted file types: JPG, JPEG, PNG, PDF and HEIC. Acceptable ID includes a passport, driver's licence, provincial or territorial photo ID card, or Permanent Resident Card.
Optional at submission
Your SIN (Social Insurance Number). Providing it helps us verify your identity and match your credit file accurately. Padder runs a soft credit check with Equifax, which doesn't affect your credit score. This step is optional: choose "I prefer not to provide" and your application is still reviewed.
Documents we may ask for
After our team reviews your application, they may ask for some of the following, depending on your situation. You don't need to gather these in advance. We only ask for what your file needs.
- A clearer copy of the front of your ID, if the first one couldn't be read
- Recent pay stubs (usually two)
- Proof of employment, such as an employment verification letter on company letterhead, or a contract or offer letter for a new or fixed-term role
- Bank statements
- Proof of savings
- Refugee protection claimant documents
- A valid visa
- A student visa document
- A Permanent Resident Card
- Proof of enrolment, if you're a student
If you're self-employed
These usually work in place of the standard documents:
- Instead of pay stubs: your two most recent monthly statements for the business income account.
- Instead of proof of employment: your business registration.
- If you're paid through dividends: your most recent CRA Notice of Assessment, plus your articles of incorporation if available.
How you'll know, and how to upload
We'll email you, and when you sign in, your application page will change to "Documents Requested" with a message from our team and one upload box for each document. Upload each file and select Submit Files. Everything goes through your Padder account. Please don't email documents to us. See Uploading documents to Padder.
Standalone Padder Deposit: what's different
If you're using the standalone Padder Deposit application (you already qualified for the lease on your own and your building offers Padder Deposit), there are no documents to upload and no SIN or credit check. You enter your building, unit number (optional), lease start date and monthly base rent, see your one-time premium, sign the agreement and pay by card or Google Pay. The primary applicant completes the application for the lease and signs the Indemnity Agreement, which makes them responsible for reimbursing Padder if a valid claim is ever paid to the landlord.
For step-by-step instructions, see How to apply for Padder Deposit.