More Australians are working a second job than at any time since records began, and many of them will apply for a car loan at some point. A second job car loan application is assessed on the same basics as any other: how much income a lender can count, how reliable it looks and whether the repayments fit your budget. Extra income from a second job can lift your borrowing power, but only when the paperwork shows it clearly and your tax is in order.
Short answer: many lenders will consider income from a second job when it is regular, shows on payslips and bank statements, and has been running for a while. They may count all of it, part of it or none of it depending on their policy. Withholding too little tax across two jobs can also leave a tax bill that a lender will see.
This article explains what the latest ABS figures show about second jobs, how the ATO tax-free threshold rule affects people with more than one payer, and how lenders commonly look at income from two jobs. It is general information, not advice about your own situation.
Second jobs in 2026: what the ABS figures show
The Australian Bureau of Statistics released its Multiple job-holders publication for the June quarter 2026 on 11 September 2026. In seasonally adjusted terms it counted 1,049,100 multiple job-holders in June 2026, or 6.9 per cent of employed people. That is the highest multiple job-holding rate since the series started in 1994.
The rise has been quick. The ABS put the number at 984,200 in March 2026, so the June figure was 6.6 per cent higher in a single quarter. A year earlier, in June 2025, there were 945,400 multiple job-holders, so around 103,700 more people were working more than one job than twelve months before.
A few other details from the same release are relevant to borrowers:
- Women were more likely to hold more than one job, at 7.7 per cent of employed women compared with 6.2 per cent of employed men.
- Workers aged 20 to 24 were the most likely to have more than one job, at 11.2 per cent.
- By main job, administrative and support services had the highest rate at 9.8 per cent, followed by agriculture, forestry and fishing at 9.7 per cent and arts and recreation services at 8.8 per cent.
- In March 2026, multiple job-holders usually worked 30.0 hours a week in their main job and 9.3 hours in their other jobs, a total of 39.3 hours on average.
In other words, a typical second job is part-time hours on top of a main job. That shape matters when a lender decides how much of the second income to count.
How lenders commonly assess income from two jobs
Every lender sets its own credit policy, so there is no single rule for a second job. The patterns below are common across the market, not promises about any one lender.
- Time in the second job. Many lenders want to see that a second job has been running for some months before they count it, because a role that started last month is hard to rely on for a five year loan.
- Regular, documented pay. Payslips from each employer, a year to date figure and matching deposits in your bank statements make the income easier to verify. Our guide to what lenders check on your bank statements explains what an assessor looks for.
- Casual or variable hours. If the second job is casual, lenders commonly work from an average rather than your best fortnight. See our guide to car loans for casual employees for how casual pay is often treated.
- Shading or excluding some income. Some lenders count only part of second job income, or exclude it if it looks irregular. The amount a lender uses can therefore be lower than what you actually earn.
- Your whole budget. A second job raises income, but serviceability also looks at living costs and existing debts. Longer working weeks can also mean higher transport or childcare costs, and those belong in your budget too.
If one of your income streams is gig or platform work under an ABN, it is assessed more like self-employed income. Our article on rideshare driver car loans covers how that side of the application usually works.
The tax-free threshold rule for people with two jobs
Tax is the part of a second job that most often causes problems at loan time. The ATO says that if you have more than one payer at the same time, you generally claim the tax-free threshold of $18,200 from only one payer, usually the one who pays you the highest salary or wage.
Where you expect to earn more than $18,200 from all sources, the ATO says you should ask your other payers to withhold tax at the higher no tax-free threshold rate. You may also need to lodge a PAYG withholding variation application. Doing this reduces the chance of a tax bill at the end of the income year.
The ATO also notes two exceptions worth knowing:
- If you are certain your total income from all payers will be $18,200 or less, you can choose to claim the threshold from each payer. If your income later rises above $18,200, you need to give one employer a withholding declaration to stop claiming it there.
- If you change jobs rather than adding one, you can claim the threshold from your new employer even if you claimed it from the previous one, because the old employer has stopped paying you.
Why a tax bill from a second job matters for a car loan
When too little tax is withheld across two payers, the difference turns into a debt when you lodge your return. The ATO gives an example of a person earning $30,000 from a taxable pension and $30,000 from a part-time job in 2025-26, with tax withheld of $8,320 for the year against total tax and Medicare levy of $9,888. That leaves a tax debt of $1,568.
For a borrower, an unexpected bill like that can matter in a few ways. It is an extra commitment that may need to be paid before or soon after settlement. Some lenders ask about outstanding tax debts, and a payment plan with the ATO adds a regular outgoing that may be included in serviceability. It can also reduce the savings you were planning to use as a deposit.
The ATO says you can ask one or more payers to withhold extra tax, or set money aside to cover the bill when it falls due. If you are applying for finance around tax time, our article on lodging your tax return before a car loan explains why a lodged return and notice of assessment can help.
How much a second job can add to your borrowing power
Extra income can increase the loan amount a lender is comfortable with, but the effect depends on how much of it the lender counts. If a lender counts only part of your second job pay, the gain in borrowing power will be smaller than the gross figure suggests.
A practical way to plan is to run two versions of your budget in our car loan repayment calculator: one with your main job only and one including the second job. If the repayment only works with every dollar from the second job, the loan may be tight if those hours fall away. Our guide to how much you can borrow on an average salary shows how income turns into a loan amount.
How to prepare a car loan application with two jobs
- Keep recent payslips from both employers, plus your year to date figure for each, and the bank statements showing both pays arriving.
- Check that tax is being withheld correctly on your second job so you are not carrying a surprise bill into the application.
- Lodge your latest tax return if it is due. A notice of assessment showing total income from all payers is useful evidence.
- Let the lender or broker know about both jobs up front. Income that is disclosed and documented is easier to assess than income that appears later.
- Be realistic about hours. If your second job is seasonal or likely to end, plan the repayment around the income that will remain.
- Compare before you apply. Each formal application can be recorded as a credit enquiry, so it helps to shortlist first.
Comparing lenders when your income comes from two jobs
Because credit policy differs, a lender that suits someone with one full-time job is not always the right fit for someone with two. Some lenders are more comfortable counting second job income or shorter time in a role than others. Comparing current car loan rates and the policies of different lenders helps you find the options that match how you actually earn. If you already have a car loan and your income has grown with a second job, it may also be worth reviewing whether refinancing suits you.
Working two jobs is now more common than ever in Australia. With your tax set up correctly and clear evidence of both incomes, a second job does not have to complicate your car loan application.
Sources: ABS Multiple job-holders, June 2026 and ATO Multiple jobs or change of job, both checked 4 October 2026.
