Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
To file an online tax return in Canada, you use tax software that the CRA has certified for NETFILE. For the 2025 return the service opened on 23 February 2026 and stays open until 29 January 2027, so even a late return can still go in online. Refunds are faster this way, too.
How do you file an online tax return?
You pick certified software, enter your slips and claims, and send the return through it. There’s no separate CRA form to fill in on the web. The CRA certifies third-party programs each year and publishes the list, which for 2025 shows 17 providers. Some run in a browser, some install on a computer, and some are phone apps.
We won’t name a favourite, because we haven’t tested them and prices change. The choice comes down to how simple your return is, how much help you want with the tricky parts, and what the provider charges. Read the free-version terms before you start typing. Eligibility rules differ.
What is Auto-fill my return?
It’s a CRA service that fills parts of your return with information the CRA already has. You need access to a CRA My Account to use it. Set the account up before you sit down to file.
Do you have to trust it blindly? No. Check every figure against your own slips. If your T4 says one number and the auto-filled line says another, find out why before you send anything.
| Item | What the CRA says |
|---|---|
| NETFILE and ReFILE open | 23 February 2026, 6:00 a.m. Eastern |
| NETFILE and ReFILE close | 29 January 2027 |
| Years you can file online | 2018 to 2025 first returns; ReFILE for 2022 to 2025 amendments |
| Refund with direct deposit | About two weeks online, up to eight weeks by mail |
| 2025 return due | 30 April 2026 for most people |
Is it worth checking the numbers before you file?
Yes, and it takes ten minutes. Run your income through the income tax calculator first. On $60,000 in Ontario it shows $8,320.50 of 2026 income tax. If your software shows something wildly different, one of you has a wrong input.
Then try the tax refund calculator with the amount on your T4’s tax box. On $75,000 of Ontario employment income with $14,000 withheld, it estimates a 2026 refund of $1,295.35. It won’t match your return to the dollar, since it ignores many credits. But it tells you whether a big refund or a big bill is coming.
If you’re self-employed, the self-employed tax calculator gives a rough total of tax and CPP. It leaves out EI and GST/HST.
What goes wrong with online filing?
Typing errors top the list. A slipped digit in a box number changes your tax, and software won’t always catch it, so read the summary page before you submit and keep a PDF of the return and the confirmation number afterwards.
Next, picking the wrong tax year in the software. Match it to the return you’re actually filing, especially if you’re catching up on an old one.
The balance is another trap. Filing online doesn’t move the payment date. For the 2025 return, tax owing was due 30 April 2026 even if a self-employed person had until 15 June to file. Missing it starts interest, and filing late can trigger a penalty of 5% of the balance plus 1% per full month, up to 12 months, according to the CRA’s page for that year.
Last, forgetting to save a copy.
Where the numbers come from
Service dates, filing years, refund times and penalty rates come from Canada Revenue Agency pages read in September 2026. Example taxes come from our calculators, which use 2026 federal and Ontario rates. We made no claims about the price or features of any software product, since we could not confirm them.
Frequently asked questions
How do I file an online tax return in Canada?
Use tax software certified by the CRA for NETFILE. You enter your slips and claims in it and send the return from there.
Until when can I file online?
The CRA says NETFILE and ReFILE for the 2025 return are open until 29 January 2027.
Can I file an old year online?
The CRA lists first returns for 2018 through 2025 as available, and ReFILE amendments for 2022 to 2025.
How fast is a refund when I file online?
The CRA says about two weeks with direct deposit, versus up to eight weeks for a paper return by mail.
Do I need a CRA My Account?
Only for services like Auto-fill my return, which uses the information the CRA already holds.
- 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
Information only. This page is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Tax-Services.ca is an independent publisher: we don't prepare or file tax returns or offer tax services, and we have no connection with the CRA, Revenu Québec, any government or any company named on this page. Check the figures that matter with an official source or a qualified professional.