Documents Required for MSME Loans in 2025 is usually where most entrepreneurs get stuck – not on the idea, but on the paperwork. This guide walks you through the exact documents banks typically ask for under Mudra, PMEGP, CGTMSE, Stand-Up India and regular MSME loans.
If you walk into a bank in 2025 and say, “Mujhe MSME loan chahiye,” the first thing they ask for is not your idea – it’s your documents file.
Most applications get delayed or rejected not because the business is bad, but because the paperwork is incomplete, confusing or mismatched with what the bank’s system expects.
This guide puts everything in one place: the practical documents you usually need for Mudra, PMEGP, CGTMSE, Stand-Up India and normal MSME bank loans – explained in simple language, with Indian small-business reality in mind.
Exact requirements vary slightly from bank to bank and state to state. Think of this as a master checklist you can prepare before meeting the branch.
Table of Contents
1. How MSME loan documentation really works in banks
In 2025, almost every MSME loan follows the same pattern:
You apply for a loan product (Mudra / term loan / cash credit etc.) at a bank or NBFC.
The lender checks your KYC, business proof, financial strength and repayment capacity using documents and credit reports.
For schemes like CGTMSE, PMEGP, Stand-Up India, the bank uses your file to claim guarantee or subsidy from the government portal – you don’t send documents to the ministry directly in most cases.
So when you prepare documents, you’re really preparing one strong master file that can be used for different schemes and products.
2. Core documents common to almost every MSME loan
Most lenders – whether it’s Mudra, Stand-Up, CGTMSE-backed loans or a normal term loan – will ask for the following basics:
Identity & address (personal)
Aadhaar card
PAN card
Voter ID / Driving licence / Passport (any one as additional ID)
Recent electricity / water / gas bill, property tax receipt or rent agreement as address proof
Business identity & registration
Udyam Registration Certificate (strongly preferred for MSME loans now)
GST registration certificate (if applicable)
Shop & Establishment / trade licence / local authority registration
Partnership deed / LLP agreement OR
MOA, AOA & incorporation certificate (for private limited company)
Financial documents
Bank statements of the main business account – usually last 6–12 months
Income Tax Returns – usually last 2–3 years (for existing units)
Audited balance sheet, profit & loss statement (if available)
For new units: projected financials / CMA data instead of past statements
Security / collateral (if required)
Property documents (sale deed, tax receipts, approved plan etc.)
Existing loan statements on the same security (if any)
Other common items
Passport-size photographs
Basic project report or business plan with cost & means of finance
Quotation for machinery / equipment where relevant
Once these are ready, scheme-specific requirements become much easier.
3. Mudra Loan (Shishu / Kishore / Tarun) – Documents required
Mudra loans under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) are offered up to ₹10 lakh through banks, NBFCs and MFIs.
Typical documents banks ask for:
Personal KYC
Aadhaar card and PAN card
Voter ID / Driving Licence / Passport (any one additional ID)
Recent residence proof – electricity bill, water bill, property tax receipt, etc.
Business proof
Udyam Registration Certificate (if already registered)
Any local registration: trade licence, GST, shop act licence, etc.
Lease or rent agreement / ownership proof for shop, office or unit
Category-related documents (if applicable)
SC / ST / OBC / Minority certificate where claimed
Any special category certificate required by bank
Financials & project details
For Shishu (up to ₹50,000):
Basic estimation of working capital / small equipment, quotations if any
Bank may rely more on cash-flow discussion than detailed statements
For Kishore / Tarun (₹50,000–₹10 lakh):
Simple project report with cost of project & means of finance
Last 1–2 years’ ITR and financial statements for existing units
Last 6 months’ bank statement
For loans ≥ ₹2 lakh, many banks ask for balance sheets with ITR and GST returns
Prepare this as a small “Mudra pack” so the bank doesn’t keep calling for one more paper every week.
4. PMEGP Loan – Documents required
Mudra loans under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) are offered up to ₹10 lakh through banks, NBFCs and MFIs.
Typical documents banks ask for:
Personal KYC
Aadhaar card and PAN card
Voter ID / Driving Licence / Passport (any one additional ID)
Recent residence proof – electricity bill, water bill, property tax receipt, etc.
Business proof
Udyam Registration Certificate (if already registered)
Any local registration: trade licence, GST, shop act licence, etc.
Lease or rent agreement / ownership proof for shop, office or unit
Category-related documents (if applicable)
SC / ST / OBC / Minority certificate where claimed
Any special category certificate required by bank
Financials & project details
For Shishu (up to ₹50,000):
Basic estimation of working capital / small equipment, quotations if any
Bank may rely more on cash-flow discussion than detailed statements
For Kishore / Tarun (₹50,000–₹10 lakh):
Simple project report with cost of project & means of finance
Last 1–2 years’ ITR and financial statements for existing units
Last 6 months’ bank statement
For loans ≥ ₹2 lakh, many banks ask for balance sheets with ITR and GST returns
Prepare this as a small “Mudra pack” so the bank doesn’t keep calling for one more paper every week.
5. CGTMSE Collateral-Free Loans – Documents required
Under CGTMSE, the bank gives you a loan without collateral and then gets guarantee cover from CGTMSE Trust. You don’t apply directly to CGTMSE – your bank does.
So practically, the documents are very similar to a normal MSME term loan, with some extra focus on MSME status and viability. Typical requirements seen in lender lists and guides:
Personal & business KYC
Aadhaar, PAN, additional ID proof
Residence proof
Udyam Registration Certificate
GST certificate, shop act licence, or other business registration
Partnership deed / incorporation documents, as applicable
Financials
Last 2–3 years’ audited balance sheets and P&L (for existing units)
ITR for the same years
Latest provisional financials and stock statements (if available)
Bank statements, generally 6–12 months
Project / business plan
Detailed project report with:
Business model, market, capacity, sales assumptions
Cost of project and means of finance
Break-even, DSCR, cash-flow projections
Other
Existing loan statements (if you have other facilities)
NOC / no-default confirmation from other banks, if asked
Declarations required by the bank to mark the loan as CGTMSE-covered
If your business is new, the bank will rely heavily on Udyam, project report and promoter profile instead of past balance sheets, so those documents need to be well-prepared.
6. Stand-Up India Scheme – Documents required
Stand-Up India provides loans from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore for new greenfield enterprises promoted by SC / ST and women entrepreneurs.
Document expectations from banks and fintech explainers typically include:
Identity & residence
Aadhaar & PAN
Voter ID / Passport / Driving licence
Recent residence proof: electricity / telephone bill, property tax receipt, etc.
Business & category proof
Udyam Registration Certificate (for MSME classification)
Business registration – GST, shop act licence, partnership deed, MOA/AOA, etc.
Proof of business address – rent agreement, property documents, allotment letter, etc.
SC / ST caste certificate or proof of women ownership / shareholding as per scheme rules
Financials & project
Detailed project report with cost, means of finance, employment generation
Quotations for machinery and equipment
Past financial statements & ITR (if promoter has existing business)
Bank statements (usually 6–12 months)
Other
Undertakings / declarations in the bank’s Stand-Up India format
Guarantor details, if a guarantor is taken
Because loan size is higher here, banks scrutinise financials and project viability more deeply, even though the scheme is promoted as supportive.
7. Normal MSME term loan / cash-credit – Documents required
If you’re not specifically using PMEGP / Stand-Up / CGTMSE, and simply applying for a normal MSME term loan / working-capital / cash-credit, the documents are broadly similar across banks, with some variations in number of years etc.
Typically, banks ask for:
KYC and constitution
Aadhaar & PAN of all promoters / partners / directors
Photo, specimen signature
Partnership deed / MOA, AOA & incorporation certificate / HUF deed
Board resolution or partnership authorisation for borrowing (for firms & companies)
Business proof
Udyam Registration
GST registration
Shop & Establishment / trade licence / professional tax / any local registration
Business address proof – rent agreement, property papers, utility bill
Financial documents
Last 2–3 years’ audited balance sheets & P&L
Corresponding ITR acknowledgements
Latest provisional financials
Bank statements of all main accounts – generally 6–12 months
Debtors and creditors list, stock statements (for working capital)
Collateral documents (if loan is secured)
Property sale deed, chain documents, tax receipts, encumbrance certificate, approved plan, NOC etc., depending on state
Valuation report and legal opinion are usually arranged by the bank but they may ask for copies of your original documents
Loan-specific papers
Application form with photos
Project report (for expansion or new unit)
CMA data / projected balance sheet and cash flow for the loan tenure
Details of existing loans and security offered
Once you create a master folder with all of the above, it becomes much easier to adapt your documents set to each scheme and lender
8. Extra documents banks may ask based on your profile
Depending on your line of activity and location, lenders may additionally ask for:
Land conversion / NA permission for industrial use
Pollution control / FSSAI / drug licence for specific industries
Rental NOC from landlord if you are using rented premises as collateral or for unit
Income certificate (for some subsidy-linked schemes; Aadhaar is increasingly mandatory for these in several states) The Times of India
Quotations from approved vendors when subsidies are available only on certain machinery
Instead of waiting for the bank to tell you each item one by one, keep a small checklist with the relationship manager and tick off everything on day one.
9. How to organise your documents so the file doesn’t keep bouncing
Depending on your line of activity and location, lenders may additionally ask for:
Land conversion / NA permission for industrial use
Pollution control / FSSAI / drug licence for specific industries
Rental NOC from landlord if you are using rented premises as collateral or for unit
Income certificate (for some subsidy-linked schemes; Aadhaar is increasingly mandatory for these in several states)
Quotations from approved vendors when subsidies are available only on certain machinery
Instead of waiting for the bank to tell you each item one by one, keep a small checklist with the relationship manager and tick off everything on day one.
10. Frequently Asked Questions on MSME Loan Documents (Real Questions People Ask)
1. Can I get an MSME loan without Udyam Registration?
Technically some banks may still process a small ticket loan without Udyam, but in 2025 most branches will first ask, “Udyam hai kya?” It helps them classify you clearly as Micro/Small/Medium and is now linked with many schemes and portals. If you’re serious about loans, subsidies or tenders, it’s better to get Udyam done first and carry the certificate in your documents file.
2. Is PAN card compulsory for Mudra or other MSME loans?
For very small Shishu loans, some banks used to be flexible, but nowadays PAN is practically treated as mandatory because of KYC and reporting rules. For Kishore, Tarun and almost all loans above ₹50,000, banks will insist on PAN of the main applicant and often of partners/directors as well.
3. I don’t file ITR / my income is in cash. Can I still get an MSME loan?
This is one of the most common worries. For tiny Shishu loans, some lenders may rely more on bank statement and field report. But for most loans above ₹1–2 lakh, especially CGTMSE, PMEGP or normal term loans, banks prefer at least 1–2 years of ITR. If you don’t have ITR yet, it’s better to start filing now and build a clean track record instead of waiting till the day you urgently need a big loan.
4. My business is new. How can I give balance sheet and profit & loss statement?
New units are not expected to show past financials, but they must show projections. The bank will ask for a project report or CMA data: expected sales, expenses, profit, EMI, cash flow, etc. You’ll still need your personal KYC, Udyam, business registration, quotations for machinery and proof of own contribution. The story on paper must convince the bank you can repay from future cash flow.
5. Can I get a loan without collateral using only documents?
Collateral-free doesn’t mean “document-free.” For Mudra and CGTMSE-backed loans, the security is a guarantee, not property, but banks still check KYC, Udyam, financials, credit history and project viability. If CIBIL is weak, income is not clear or documents are incomplete, collateral-free schemes may still be declined.
6. My Aadhaar, PAN and Udyam have slightly different names/addresses. Is that a problem?
Yes, small mismatches can slow files down a lot. Different spelling of surname, father’s name, door number or PIN code often triggers KYC queries and repeated “please update this first” responses from the branch. Before applying for any loan, try to align your Aadhaar, PAN, bank KYC and Udyam as much as possible so everything looks consistent.
7. What documents are needed if the business is in rented premises?
Banks will usually ask for the rent agreement, latest electricity/water bill of the premises and sometimes an NOC from the owner saying they have no objection to you running your unit from there. If you’re offering some other property as collateral, they will separately take those documents as well.
8. I am a woman / SC / ST entrepreneur. What extra documents do I need for schemes like Stand-Up India or subsidies?
Along with the usual KYC and business papers, you’ll need documents that prove your eligibility: caste certificate for SC/ST, and in case of women-led enterprises, proof that you are the owner / majority shareholder / key partner as per scheme rules. In many cases, the bank will also take a simple declaration in their format confirming this.
9. Do I have to submit original documents to the bank? How long do they keep them?
For basic KYC and many scheme applications, self-attested photocopies are enough. But if you are giving property as collateral, the bank will retain original title deeds till the loan is fully repaid. Always keep one clear photocopy/scan set of every property document with you before handing originals to any bank.
10. Can I apply online and upload documents, or do I still need to visit the branch?
Portals like PMEGP, Stand-Up India and some banks’ websites allow online registration and document upload. But in most real-life cases you will still end up visiting the branch for verification, signing forms, KYC and discussion about your project. Think of online portals as the “front door” and the branch as the place where the actual decision is taken.
11. How many guarantors do I need, and what documents are needed from them?
Not every loan needs a guarantor, but when banks ask for one, they usually want KYC (Aadhaar, PAN, photo, address proof) and income proof (ITR, salary slips or bank statement) of the guarantor. The guarantor is legally responsible if you default, so banks want someone with stable income and clean credit report.
12. Where can I get help if I’m confused about which documents my bank really needs?
Every bank, branch and scheme has small differences in checklists, and it can be confusing to match everything on your own. If you want one clear, customised checklist for your case, you can talk to a professional who deals with these files daily.
For personalised help with Udyam registration and MSME loan paperwork, contact Eudyamaadhar MSME Consultancy at 📞 +91 9241250551 or visit 🌐 www.eudyamaadhar.org.