Walking into a BHPH lot in Paterson with the right paperwork means same-day approval. Walking in without it means a second trip. This is the complete document checklist we use at our Paterson dealership — including the special cases for ITIN holders, gig drivers, cash-paid workers, and recent immigrants.
The core 5 documents
1. Valid NJ driver's license (or out-of-state license with proof of intent to register in NJ). 2. Two most recent paystubs (or 90 days of bank statements if self-employed or gig-paid). 3. Proof of Paterson address — utility bill, lease, mortgage statement, or bank statement dated within 60 days. 4. Insurance card or quote from an active NJ insurance provider. 5. Down payment in cash, debit card, certified check, or wire transfer.
References
Bring 4–6 personal references with current phone numbers. These should be people who can confirm you exist and are reliable — not co-signers, not financial references. A mix of family and non-family is best. We'll call 1–2 of them as part of the approval.
ITIN holders and recent immigrants
Bring your ITIN letter from the IRS instead of a Social Security card. We accept passports, consular IDs (matrícula consular), and foreign driver's licenses as supporting identity documents alongside your NJ license.
If you've been in Paterson for less than 6 months, a notarized letter from your employer confirming hire date and income, plus a notarized letter from your landlord or roommate confirming address, can substitute for the standard documentation in many cases.
Gig drivers (Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart)
Gig income works at our Paterson lot. Bring 90 days of app-platform earnings statements (downloadable from the driver app), 90 days of bank statements showing the deposits, and last year's 1099-NEC if you have it. We treat consistent gig income the same as W-2 income for approval purposes.
Cash-paid workers and self-employed
If you're paid in cash, bring 3–6 months of bank statements showing consistent deposits, plus last year's tax return if you filed one. A notarized letter from your employer (or your own business records if you're self-employed) helps. We approve cash-paid workers all the time in Paterson — it just takes slightly more documentation than a W-2 employee.
Bankruptcy, repo, or other special situations
Active Chapter 13: bring your trustee's contact info and a copy of your reorganization plan. Discharged Chapter 7: bring the discharge papers. Open repo: bring the repossession notice and any deficiency-balance documentation. None of these are deal-breakers — they just need to be on the table from the start so we can structure the deal correctly.
Trade-in (optional)
If you're trading in: bring the title (signed if you own it outright), your current registration, your payoff statement if there's an existing loan, and both sets of keys. We'll appraise on the spot and apply the trade value to your down payment.