Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
Tax filing near you comes down to four routes: certified software with NETFILE, a free volunteer clinic, a paid preparer who files by EFILE, or paper. The CRA’s own list of ways to file shows each one. For 2025 returns, NETFILE stays open until January 29, 2027. For 2026 returns, the usual date is Friday, April 30, 2027.
Which way of filing suits you?
Match the route to your return, not to what is convenient this week. A T4 job and a couple of receipts is a software job. A business, a rental or a sale of shares is where a preparer starts to earn the fee.
| Route | Fits when | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Certified software and NETFILE | Simple to moderate return | Some products are free for modest incomes, others charge |
| Free tax clinic | Modest income, no business or rental | Volunteers, run by community groups, walk-in, drop-off or appointment |
| Paid preparer | Business, rental, capital gains, or you want it done for you | The preparer sets the fee, so ask first |
| Paper | You cannot file online | Complete the income tax package and mail it to the CRA |
The CRA certifies the software that can send returns through NETFILE and keeps the list on its tax software page. See our page on free taxes online in Canada for the free options on that list.
How do you find a free tax clinic near you?
The CRA’s Community Volunteer Income Tax Program runs clinics for people with a modest income and a simple tax situation. The CRA suggests total family income of $40,000 for one person, $55,000 for two, $60,000 for three, $65,000 for four and $70,000 for five, and it says organizations may adjust that for their area. Use the CRA’s tax clinic directory to find one. Clinics are walk-in, drop-off or by appointment, in person or virtual. The CRA page gives no hours, so contact the clinic. Some operate from private homes, so confirm the address.
Bring photo ID, your SIN, your slips and receipts, and your last notice of assessment. Quebec residents use Revenu Québec’s volunteer program instead.
How do you find and check a paid preparer near you?
The CRA has a tax preparer directory of preparers certified to file by EFILE. A preparer sends your return electronically for a fee, and the CRA says to give them your income and expense details, review the return and Form T183, and sign Part F before they file. The T183 must match the electronic return. Keep your slips, receipts and the T183 for at least six years.
Ask about the fee before you hand anything over. Our guides on tax preparer fees, checking a preparer’s EFILE status and choosing a tax preparer cover the questions. Discounters, which pay you one amount up front for your expected refund before filing, are a different product, and the CRA points to a separate page for them.
What are the dates for tax filing?
| Item | 2025 return (filed 2026) | 2026 return (filed 2027) |
|---|---|---|
| Most people file and pay by | April 30, 2026 | Friday, April 30, 2027 |
| You or your spouse is self-employed: file by | June 15, 2026 | Tuesday, June 15, 2027 |
| Balance owing for the self-employed | April 30, 2026 | Friday, April 30, 2027 |
| NETFILE opened | February 23, 2026 | Not yet published |
| NETFILE closes for 2025 returns | January 29, 2027 | Not applicable |
The 2027 dates follow the same rules. The CRA’s page for the self-employed already lists them, though its general individual page still shows 2025 dates, so confirm there. A May 15 date is proposed in Budget 2026, but it would first apply to the 2027 return filed in 2028. See which filing deadline applies in 2027.
What if you have missed the deadline?
File anyway, and file now. A late 2025 return still works through NETFILE until January 29, 2027. If you owe, the late-filing penalty is 5% of the balance plus 1% for each full month, up to 12 months, with interest on top. Say you owe $1,000 and file 4 full months late: the penalty is $1,000 x (5% + 4 x 1%), which is $90. If you are owed a refund there is no penalty, but a missing return can hold up benefits such as the GST/HST credit. Our page on missing the tax filing deadline has the steps.
Is it worth filing early?
Yes, if you are owed a refund. Suppose you earn $60,000 in Ontario and your employer withheld $9,500. Our tax refund calculator works out $8,320.50 of tax, so the refund is $1,179.50. Withheld only $7,500 and you would owe $820.50, due by the deadline. If you owe, filing early gains little because the payment date is the same, but get the return done, since benefits depend on it.
Earning income with no tax taken off, such as self-employment or rent, may mean paying in instalments. Our tax instalment calculator splits a bill into four equal payments.
What should you do the week before you file?
Keep it boring. Sort the slips, find last year’s notice of assessment, confirm your address and direct deposit details in your CRA account, and write down the one or two credits you plan to claim so you can check that the software picked them up. Then pick a quiet evening, not April 30, and read the summary page before you send. A missing T5 from the bank is the classic problem, and the CRA usually has a copy.
Sources and what we checked
We checked the figures and rules on this page against the official pages below in November 2026. This is an independent information page with no connection to the CRA or any government.
- CRA: Ways to file your personal tax return
- CRA: Using a professional tax preparer
- CRA: Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, need a hand
- CRA: Find certified tax software
- CRA: NETFILE dates and eligibility
- CRA: Important dates for individuals
Frequently asked questions
Can I file my taxes online for free?
Often, yes. The CRA says most certified software will prepare a basic return for free if your income is modest, and four products on its 2025 list carry a plain Free label. SimpleFile and volunteer tax clinics are free for eligible people. Check each product’s pricing label on the CRA list.
What was the deadline for filing 2025 taxes?
April 30, 2026 for most people, for both filing and paying. If you or your spouse or common-law partner were self-employed, you had until June 15, 2026 to file, but any balance owing was still due on April 30, 2026. For 2026 returns the usual dates are April 30 and June 15, 2027.
How long is NETFILE open for 2025 returns?
It opened on Monday, February 23, 2026 and stays open until Friday, January 29, 2027. After that, a 2025 return would need another route, such as paper. The CRA has not published an opening date for 2026 returns, so check its NETFILE page in early 2027.
Do I have to file if I owe nothing?
Yes, in most cases it is worth it. The CRA says you must file every year to receive or keep receiving benefit and credit payments. Late filing penalties apply only when you owe tax, but a missing return can stop payments such as the GST/HST credit, so file even with no income.
Where can I get a free walk-in tax clinic?
Use the CRA’s tax clinic directory under the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program. Some clinics take walk-ins during advertised hours, others use drop-off or appointments, in person or virtual. The CRA page does not list hours, so contact the clinic before you go, and bring ID, your SIN and your slips.
- 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