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Official CRA notices. The CRA's EFILE news page says EFILE stops accepting T1 and T3 transmissions at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on January 29, 2027, to convert its systems for the next filing season. New requirements for EFILE providers start January 30, 2027. We read the page on 10 November 2026. Its newest item is dated October 21, 2026.
This mostly concerns tax preparers and volunteers who use EFILE. If you file your own return with certified software, you use NETFILE, which the page does not mention. The page gives no date for when transmissions restart.
What stops on January 29, 2027?
The CRA lists EFILE and ReFILE as open until Friday, January 29, 2027, and T3 EFILE as open until the same date. Two notices describe the stop slightly differently.
- The October 19, 2026 notice says that as of January 29, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time, the CRA will temporarily stop accepting T1 and T3 transmissions.
- The October 21, 2026 notice for the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) says the CRA will stop accepting T1 transmissions temporarily to convert its systems for the next filing season. It mentions T1 only.
So the notices differ on whether T3 is named. The page gives no date when transmissions resume, so we cannot give you one.
What do EFILE providers need from January 30, 2027?
As of January 30, 2027, a provider who wants to send authorization requests needs three things, according to the October 21 notice.
- A renewed EFILE account.
- A passed suitability screening.
- Tax preparation software updated with the newly assigned password.
The October 19 notice words it a little more widely: the same three items are needed to send business authorization and cancellation requests and to file T2 returns. For individual clients who use Auto-fill My Return, the renewal form has a Yes option that allows you to send requests for authorizing or cancelling a representative.
How does the renewal timeline work?
Renewal is done online. To have it processed before the filing season, submit it before January 11, 2027. The CRA says only volunteers who will transmit electronically should renew.
The suitability screening starts only after both the volunteer registration and the renewal are submitted. It is normally completed within 30 business days and can take longer, so waiting until January is a risk.
On passwords, an account renewed on or after October 21, 2026 must update its software with the new password. An account that has not renewed may keep the current password until January 29, 2027. The CRA also says returns sent with a software product that is not associated with the EFILE account will be rejected.
Are there other changes on the page?
Form T183 will be revised for the 2027 filing program. For T2 returns, the October 19 notice says the January 30 requirements apply, and the page lists no separate T2 stop date. A May 4, 2026 partnership notice says revised versions of the T5013 schedules 8 and 12 will not be available for electronic filing until January 2027, and that the current versions can be used with overrides as needed. We did not verify the partnership details beyond the notice text.
Why T183 matters to you as a client is covered in Checking a Tax Preparer: EFILE Directory, T183 and Your Refund.
What does it mean if you file your own return?
The EFILE page says nothing specific for individuals about the 2027 season, and it does not mention NETFILE. It does say that when you file a 2026 return, you can choose to sign in to your CRA account before you submit, and that you should make sure you can get into the account first. That optional step is also described in CRA Pre-Filled Tax Return 2027: Who Gets an Invitation.
If you use a preparer in January or early February 2027, ask early whether they plan to file before or after the January 29 stop. For how self-filing works, see NETFILE in Canada: Dates, Rules and Who Can Use It and E-Filing Income Tax in Canada: NETFILE and EFILE. The season calendar is in Canada Tax Season: Dates, Deadlines and What to Do.
For the whole 2027 picture in one place, including confirmed numbers, Budget 2026 proposals, CRA program changes and key dates, see Canadian Taxes in 2027: Confirmed Numbers, Proposals and Dates.
What could we not confirm?
The page does not give the date T1 or T3 transmissions restart, the 2027 filing season opening date, or any NETFILE date. It has no last-modified date, and part of it was returned to us only as a summary, so we relied on the top section with the October 2026 notices. The CRA may post more in a later news item.
This is an independent information site. It provides no services, does not represent the CRA or any organization, and collects information from open sources. It does not guarantee that anything here is accurate or current, and it accepts no liability for how you use it. Check the CRA EFILE news page before you rely on a date.
Frequently asked questions
When does EFILE stop accepting T1 returns?
The CRA says EFILE is open until Friday, January 29, 2027, and stops accepting T1 transmissions at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time that day.
When do T1 and T3 transmissions restart?
The CRA's EFILE news page gives no restart date. It says only that the stop is to convert systems for the next filing season.
What changes on January 30, 2027?
To transmit authorization requests, an EFILE provider needs a renewed EFILE account, a passed suitability screening and tax software updated with the newly assigned password.
By what date should a volunteer or preparer renew an EFILE account?
The CRA says to submit the online renewal before January 11, 2027 so it can be processed before the filing season.
Does this affect NETFILE?
The EFILE news page does not mention NETFILE, so we cannot say. Check the CRA before you plan around a date.