Every resident with tax owing, and anyone who wants benefits or credits; self-employed people file the T1 with form T2125.
Tax year and deadline
Calendar tax year; returns are due 30 April, or 15 June for the self-employed and their spouses, though any balance is still due 30 April.
Penalties for filing or paying late
A late T1 return with a balance owing attracts a penalty of 5% of the balance owing plus 1% for each full month late, up to 12 months. If a late-filing penalty was charged in any of the three previous years and the CRA sent a demand to file, the repeated late-filing penalty is 10% of the balance owing plus 2% for each full month late, up to 20 months. Separately, the CRA charges compound daily interest on any unpaid amount from the day after the due date, at rates that can change every three months. Filing on time avoids the penalty even when the balance cannot be paid.
Written from published tax-authority guidance and reviewed on 2026-10-11. Everything here is indicative rather than a ruling on your circumstances, and rules change. Confirm anything you rely on with Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) before acting on it, and tell us if you find something out of date so we can correct it.
This guide explains the rules in general terms and is not tax advice for your circumstances. Confirm your position with a qualified adviser or with Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).