📅 March 2026 · ⏱️ 3 min read
Missing a CRA deadline doesn't just mean a stern letter — it means penalties and interest that add up fast, and in some cases it can lead to follow-up CRA letters and notices. Here's every key date you need to know for the 2025 tax year.
This is the big one. Your 2025 T1 personal income tax return must be filed, and any taxes owing must be paid by April 30, 2026. This applies to most Canadian taxpayers — employees, retirees, and anyone with investment income.
Late filing penalty: 5% of your balance owing, plus 1% for each full month the return is late (up to 12 months). If you've been late before, penalties can double.
If you or your spouse/common-law partner are self-employed, your filing deadline extends to June 15, 2026. However — and this is the part people miss — any taxes owing are still due April 30. The extension is for filing only, not for payment.
This means if you owe money, you'll be charged interest starting May 1 even though your return isn't technically late until June 16.
To claim RRSP contributions on your 2025 tax return, you must contribute by March 2, 2026 (60 days after December 31). Contributions made after this date count toward 2026. Not sure whether to prioritize your RRSP or TFSA? Check out our RRSP vs. TFSA comparison.
Your RRSP deduction limit is shown on your 2024 Notice of Assessment or in your CRA My Account.
If you owe more than $3,000 in net tax for the current year and either of the two prior years, CRA may require you to make quarterly instalments. Self-employed individuals and those with significant investment income often fall into this category.
Missing instalments triggers instalment interest, which compounds daily. CRA sends instalment reminders, but it's your responsibility to pay on time.
Corporate returns are due 6 months after the end of the corporation's fiscal year. For a December 31 year-end, that's June 30, 2026. However, taxes owing are due within 2 months of year-end (3 months for certain CCPCs that qualify for the small business deduction).
T3 returns are due 90 days after the trust's tax year-end. For most trusts with a December 31 year-end, that's March 31, 2026. Taxes owing are also due by this date.
GST/HST filing deadlines depend on your reporting frequency:
Payment is due on the filing deadline, regardless of reporting frequency.
The simplest way to avoid penalties: file on time and pay on time. Even if you can't pay your full balance owing, file your return by the deadline — the late filing penalty is separate from (and on top of) the interest on unpaid taxes.
If you truly can't pay, CRA offers payment arrangements. But you have to ask — they won't offer.
Not sure about a deadline that applies to you?
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