Key dates for the 2026 filing season
The 2025 tax return filing deadline for most Canadians is April 30, 2026. If you or your spouse or common-law partner are self-employed, you have until June 15, 2026 to file. Because June 15 falls on a Monday this year, no weekend extension applies.
The catch that surprises people every year: even self-employed filers must pay any balance owing by April 30. Filing in June without paying in April means interest accrues from May 1 at the CRA prescribed rate, compounded daily.
The late-filing penalty is separate and steeper: 5 percent of the balance owing, plus 1 percent for each full month the return is late, up to 12 months. Repeat late filers can face double those figures.
Our advice is simple. Gather slips as they arrive in February and March, file early, and if you cannot pay in full, file anyway. The penalty applies to late filing, not to owing money. Amie Fin-Tax clients can send documents as photos and we handle the rest.
This article is general information based on published CRA figures and is not tax, legal or financial advice. Confirm details for your situation before acting.