2027 deadlines and penalties
For your 2026 tax return.
Dates to remember
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| February 22, 2027 | Tax season opens, as announced by the CRA |
| March 1, 2027 | Deadline for employers to issue T4s |
| March 31, 2027 | Deadline for T3 slips |
| Friday, April 30, 2027 | Deadline to file your return and pay any balance |
| Tuesday, June 15, 2027 | Filing deadline for the self-employed and their spouses (any balance is still due April 30) |
These dates follow the usual rules. The CRA confirms exact dates in January.
If you're late and you owe
The penalty is 5% of the balance owing, plus 1% for each full month late, up to 12 months. If the CRA already charged you this penalty in any of the three previous years and sent you a formal demand to file, it becomes 10% plus 2% a month, up to 20 months.
Interest is added every day from the day after the deadline, on the unpaid balance.
If you're expecting a refund
There's no penalty. But your payments can stop: the Canada Child Benefit, the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST/HST credit) and the Ontario Trillium Benefit are all based on your return. No return, no payment, even with no income.
Skip the April line
More than half of all returns come in after April 12. A spot in February or March means an earlier refund, and time to track down a missing slip.
Sources: Canada Revenue Agency, late-filing penalty and important dates for individuals; CRA tax tip of September 22, 2026. Read October 13, 2026.