Canadian Tax Deadlines 2026-2027: Every Date That Matters
Key takeaways
- April 30 is the date that catches most people: it is both the filing deadline and the payment deadline for individuals.
- Self-employed people get until June 15 to file, but not to pay. Interest runs from May 1 regardless.
- Corporations run on two separate clocks: six months to file, two or three months to pay.
- The late-filing penalty compounds. Filing on time while you sort out payment is almost always cheaper than doing neither.
- If a deadline falls on a weekend or public holiday, CRA accepts it the next business day.
Most missed deadlines are not the result of not knowing the date. They are the result of not knowing which clock applies to you. A sole proprietor, an incorporated consultant and a business with employees are all governed by different dates, and several of them run at the same time.
Here is the full picture in one place, followed by what each one actually means.
Every Canadian tax deadline in one table
| What is due | When | The part people miss |
|---|---|---|
| Personal return and any balance owing | April 30 | Both the return and the payment. If April 30 lands on a weekend, the next business day applies. |
| Self-employed personal return | June 15 | The filing date only. Any balance owing was still due April 30, and interest runs from May 1. |
| RRSP contribution for the prior year | First 60 days of the year | March 1 in most years, or the next business day when it falls on a weekend. |
| T4, T4A and T5 slips | Last day of February | Filed with CRA and given to recipients. Penalties apply per slip, so this one bites employers hardest. |
| Personal tax instalments | March 15, June 15, September 15, December 15 | Required if you owed more than $3,000 in net tax this year and in either of the two prior years. |
| Corporate return (T2) | Six months after fiscal year end | The return itself, not the payment. |
| Corporate balance owing | Two months after year end | Three months for a Canadian-controlled private corporation claiming the small business deduction. |
| Trust return (T3) | 90 days after the tax year end | For a December 31 year end that lands around the end of March. |
| Partnership return (T5013) | March 31 | Where every partner is an individual. Other structures follow different rules. |
| Registered charity return (T3010) | Six months after fiscal year end | Missing it puts registration at risk, not just a penalty. |
Dates shift when they land on a weekend or public holiday. CRA treats a return or payment as on time if it arrives the next business day. That single rule resolves most of the confusion about whether a deadline is the 28th, the 1st or the 2nd in any given year.
Personal tax deadlines
The personal return and any balance owing are both due April 30. People routinely treat this as a filing date and forget it is equally a payment date.
If you are self-employed
You have until June 15 to file, and so does your spouse or common-law partner. That extension applies to the paperwork only. Any tax owing was still due April 30, and interest begins on May 1. Filing in June with a balance outstanding since April is one of the most common and most avoidable interest charges we see.
Instalments
Instalments fall on March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15. They apply if your net tax owing was more than $3,000 in the current year and in either of the two years before it. CRA usually sends a reminder, but the obligation does not depend on the reminder arriving.
Corporate deadlines run on two clocks
This is where incorporated owners get caught. Filing and payment are not the same date and not even the same interval.
- The T2 return is due six months after the fiscal year end.
- The balance owing is due two months after year end, or three months for a Canadian-controlled private corporation claiming the small business deduction.
A December 31 year end therefore means payment around the end of February or March, and the return by June 30. Filing on time and paying late still costs interest, so the two dates need to be tracked separately rather than as one deadline.
If you have employees
T4, T4A and T5 slips are due by the last day of February, both filed with CRA and given to the people they belong to. Penalties here are charged per slip, which is why this deadline bites employers harder than its profile suggests.
Source deductions are a separate and more frequent obligation, usually monthly for a small employer, and CRA treats them seriously because the money is held in trust.
What late actually costs
The late-filing penalty is 5 percent of the balance owing, plus 1 percent for each full month the return is late, to a maximum of twelve months.
If CRA charged you a late-filing penalty in any of the three previous years, it doubles: 10 percent plus 2 percent per month, for up to twenty months. Interest compounds daily on top of the penalty.
If you cannot pay, file anyway. The penalty is calculated on the balance owing and the filing itself is what triggers it. Filing on time and arranging payment separately is almost always the cheaper of the two mistakes.
If you are owed a refund there is no late-filing penalty. You are simply lending the government money at no interest until you get around to it.
Trusts, partnerships and charities
- Trusts file within 90 days of the tax year end. For a December 31 year end that is around the end of March.
- Partnerships where every partner is an individual file by March 31. Other structures follow different rules.
- Registered charities file the T3010 within six months of the fiscal year end. Missing it puts registration itself at risk, not just a penalty.
Frequently asked questions
What is the tax filing deadline in Canada for 2026?
For most individuals the personal return and any balance owing are due April 30. If you or your spouse are self-employed you have until June 15 to file, but any tax owing was still due April 30 and interest starts accruing on May 1. When a deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, CRA accepts it on the next business day.
What happens if I file my taxes late in Canada?
If you owe money, the late-filing penalty is 5 percent of the balance owing plus 1 percent for each full month the return is late, to a maximum of 12 months. If CRA charged you a late-filing penalty in any of the three previous years, that rises to 10 percent plus 2 percent per month for up to 20 months. Interest compounds daily on top. If you are owed a refund there is no penalty, but you are lending the government your money for free.
When is the RRSP deadline?
Contributions count against a tax year if they are made within the first 60 days of the following year, which usually means March 1. That gives you two windows to reduce a tax bill: the calendar year itself, and the first two months of the next one.
What is the corporate tax filing deadline in Canada?
A corporation files its T2 return six months after its fiscal year end. Payment is on a different clock: the balance is due two months after year end, or three months for a Canadian-controlled private corporation claiming the small business deduction. Filing on time and paying late still costs interest, so the two dates need tracking separately.
Do I have to pay tax instalments?
You do if your net tax owing was more than $3,000 in the current year and in either of the two preceding years. CRA sends instalment reminders, but the obligation exists whether or not the reminder arrives. Instalments fall on March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15.
A deadline on this list making you uneasy?
We work with owner-managed businesses and professional practices across British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario, from offices in Abbotsford, Langley and Brampton. If you are behind, or you are not sure which of these clocks applies to your situation, that is a short conversation rather than a long one.