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Yes, you can still file taxes 2023 returns, and the CRA takes them. NETFILE-certified software accepts initial returns for 2018 to 2025 until 29 January 2027, so a 2023 return can go in online. We assumed you mean tax year 2023, which was due 30 April 2024. If you owe tax, the delay adds a penalty that grows every month.
Can you file a 2023 return late and online?
You can. The CRA’s certified tax software page says you can currently file with tax software for tax years 2018 to 2025, and the NETFILE and ReFILE services stay open until 29 January 2027. If you already filed 2023 and need a change, ReFILE covers amended returns for 2022 to 2025. Check that your software lists the 2023 year before you buy or pay, since support for old years varies by product.
There are limits. NETFILE won’t take a return for a deceased person or a bankrupt, and you need a SIN that starts with 1 to 9, or a temporary tax number starting 01 or 03. Anything outside that goes on paper.
How much does a late 2023 return cost?
Only a balance owing triggers the penalty. The rule starts with a flat 5% of what you owe. Then add 1 point for every complete month that passes, and it stops at 12 months. Were you already hit with this penalty in one of the last three years? Then the rates double, to 10% and 2 points a month, and the count runs to 20 months.
Here’s what that looks like on $2,000 of tax owing.
| Full months late | First-time penalty | Repeat penalty |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $120 | $240 |
| 3 | $160 | $320 |
| 6 | $220 | $440 |
| 12 | $340 | $680 |
Interest is separate. The CRA charges compound daily interest from the day after the due date, at rates that change every quarter, and we didn’t try to total that here. For a 2023 return the clock started in May 2024, so that’s a long stretch.
If you were due a refund or owed nothing, the CRA doesn’t charge the late-filing penalty. Filing is still worth doing, but no fine sits waiting for you. A refund you never claim just sits there, and benefit payments that depend on your income are easier to sort out once the CRA has the return in hand.
What do you need to file taxes for 2023?
The same things as any year. Your 2023 slips, receipts for anything you claim, and software or a preparer that handles that tax year. The CRA tells filers to keep slips and receipts for at least six years, so an old year is also a test of your paperwork.
If the slips are gone, don’t give up. Employers and banks can usually reissue them, and you can look for them in your CRA account. Start with the biggest income source, since that’s the number the CRA already has on file and will compare your return against.
Our calculators use 2026 tax data. They won’t give your 2023 answer, but they’re fine for a ballpark sense of scale. The tax refund calculator and the income tax calculator show the shape of a return, and the tax credits calculator lists the federal credits you may be missing. Your 2023 rates and amounts were different.
What’s the quickest way to get a late return filed?
Picture Dana in Winnipeg, who skipped 2023 because her job changed mid-year and the slips got lost in a move. She does it in four steps, and so can you.
- Pull together every 2023 slip you can find, and ask for copies of the rest.
- Pick software that lists tax year 2023, then enter the slips and any receipts.
- File it online and keep the confirmation.
- If a balance is owing, pay what you can right away, because interest keeps running on the unpaid part.
Then file any other missing years in the same sitting. One late return is annoying. Three in a row is a habit the CRA starts to notice.
What if you can’t pay what you owe?
File anyway. The CRA’s advice is that if you can’t pay by the due date, file on time to avoid the late-filing penalty. For 2023 that moment has passed, so file now and stop the months from adding up.
You can also ask for penalties and interest to be cancelled or waived if something outside your control kept you from meeting your obligations. The CRA allows requests going back 10 years. The CRA decides if yours succeeds, not us.
If you never file, it may assess tax on its own, and the CRA says such an assessment won’t include voluntary deductions you might have claimed. That can make the bill bigger than a return you prepared yourself. Self-employed for 2023? Your filing date was 17 June 2024 because 15 June fell on a Saturday, but the balance was still due 30 April 2024. Use the self-employed tax calculator if you need to size up what that year looks like.
Where this information comes from
The penalty rules, relief and the 2023 dates come from Canada Revenue Agency pages, and the NETFILE years from the certified software page linked above, all read in September 2026. The penalty table is our own arithmetic on those rules. This is an independent guide, separate from any government body.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still file my 2023 taxes?
Yes. The CRA accepts late returns, and NETFILE lists 2018 to 2025 for first-time returns until 29 January 2027.
What was the deadline for the 2023 return?
30 April 2024 for most people. Self-employed people had until 17 June 2024, but any balance was due 30 April.
What is the penalty for filing late?
A flat 5% of the tax owing, then 1 point for each complete month, stopping at 12 months. Repeat offenders pay double: 10% and 2 points a month.
Is there a penalty if I'm owed a refund?
No. The late-filing penalty only applies when you owe tax.
Can the penalty or interest be waived?
The CRA can cancel or waive them if circumstances beyond your control kept you from meeting your obligations. Requests can go back 10 years.
- How to file your tax return in Canada: steps and dates
What to gather, when your return is due and how to file in Canada, from the first slip to the notice of assessment that closes the year