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What information do I have to provide to receive a Loan Estimate?

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Short answer

A lender must give you a after you provide six items: name, income, Social Security number, property address, estimated value, and desired loan amount. The lender cannot require extra documents just to issue that form. Some loan types use different disclosures instead.

Full explanation

The CFPB says the form is due after six items arrive: name, income, Social Security number (used to pull credit), property address, estimated value, and requested loan amount. The lender may not demand extra paperwork just to issue the estimate. A purchase contract or pay stubs are not required at that step.
Sharing more detail can still make the estimate more accurate. Each lender must send the form within three business days, plus mailing time if it goes by post. Arrival of the form is not an approval or a denial. It only previews the terms the lender is prepared to extend if you continue.
CFPB lists products that use other forms instead, including reverse mortgages, HELOCs, manufactured-home loans that are not real-estate secured, and some subordinate loans from homebuyer-assistance programs. Those files use disclosures such as Truth-in-Lending forms. This timing rule is a current-rule topic and should be confirmed against the official CFPB page before publication.

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Educational summary of public sources. Not personalized advice. The original official source controls where applicable.

Last reviewed

September 9, 2026

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