Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
A T2 return has to be filed electronically for most corporations, and the CRA says you must use CRA-certified software to do it. That’s the whole reason T2 software exists. Names like Taxtron T2 turn up in searches, and we can’t verify what any one product costs or does, so this page covers how to pick one and what to check before you pay.
Do you need T2 software at all?
Almost certainly, yes. For tax years starting after 2023, all corporations file the T2 over the internet, with a few exceptions: insurance corporations, non-resident corporations, corporations reporting in a functional currency, and tax-exempt corporations under section 149 of the Income Tax Act. The CRA’s Corporation Internet Filing service is free. The software isn’t always free, since the CRA says “you may have to buy tax preparation software”.
You also need access. That means a web access code if you’re filing for one corporation, or an EFILE number and password if you file for several. Many owners never touch the software themselves, because their accountant files. Either way, someone needs a certified package.
Take Nadia, who owns a small dental-supply company in Surrey and has always left the T2 to her bookkeeper. This year the bookkeeper retires. Nadia can hire a new one, or file herself if the return is simple. Either way, the first thing she needs is the corporation’s web access code, and she’s better off sorting that out in March than in the last week of June.
What should you check before choosing?
Start with the certification. The CRA keeps a list of approved software on its website, so check that a product is on it for the tax year you’re filing. A tool that isn’t certified can’t transmit the return, however good its screens look.
After that, ask plain questions. Does it cover your province, or the single federal and Ontario return? Does it handle your situation, such as associated corporations or a short first year? Can it import your trial balance from your bookkeeping file? Can you get the return and working papers out in a format you can keep? And what happens next year if you stop paying?
| Question to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Is it on the CRA certified list for this tax year? | Only certified software can file through Corporation Internet Filing |
| Which returns and provinces does it cover? | Some situations need extra schedules |
| Can it import your bookkeeping data? | Retyping numbers is where errors come from |
| Can you export the finished return? | You need to keep records for six years |
| What are the fees, in writing? | We couldn’t confirm any product’s price |
When is the T2 due, and what is due with it?
You file within six months of the end of your tax year. The CRA’s 2026 deadlines page says the balance owing is generally due two months after year end, or three months for a Canadian-controlled private corporation claiming the small business deduction. So a December year end means a filing date at the end of June and tax due earlier, in February or March. Paying late costs interest even if you file on time.
A weekend or holiday moves the date to the next business day. To claim a refund, the CRA says you must file no later than three years after the end of the tax year. Penalty amounts for late filing weren’t on the page we read, so we won’t quote them.
Can your accountant just file it for you?
Yes, and most small companies do it that way. Accountants hold their own certified software and use an EFILE number to file for many clients. What you owe them is clean books, signed approvals and the year’s bank and loan statements. If you pick software yourself, you’re taking on the filing steps and the checks the accountant would normally do, so be honest about how complex your year was. A rental, a loan from a shareholder or a related company are all signs to ask for help.
What does the software calculate for you?
It fills in the forms from the numbers you feed it. It doesn’t decide what those numbers should be. Take a corporation with $300,000 of active business income in Ontario. The corporate tax calculator shows $35,088 of tax for a calendar 2026 year, an average of 11.7%. If your software gives a very different figure, look for a missing small business deduction or an associated company.
The tax you pay on money you take out is another matter. For that, see the dividend tax calculator. If you’d rather compare with not incorporating, the self-employed tax calculator gives the sole proprietor’s side. Payroll for staff or yourself is covered in the payroll remittance calculator.
Mistakes people make with T2 filing
The biggest is picking a tool by a search result and finding out in June that it isn’t certified. Others: filing late because the accountant was waiting on a bank statement, assuming filing date and payment date are the same, and forgetting that associated corporations share one small business limit.
Would we buy any software on the strength of an ad? No. Compare two or three certified options, ask for the price in writing and try the import with your real file.
Sources, and how we checked them
Filing rules come from the CRA‘s pages on Corporation Internet Filing, when to file a corporation return and the 2026 tax deadlines, read on 30 September 2026. The example uses our 2026 corporate tax data. We have no link with the CRA or any software company.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to file my T2 online?
For tax years after 2023 most corporations must. Exceptions include insurance, non-resident and tax-exempt corporations, and those reporting in a functional currency.
Is Corporation Internet Filing free?
The CRA says the service is free, but you must use CRA-certified software and may have to buy it.
When is my T2 due?
Within six months of your tax year end. Balance owing is generally due two months after year end, or three for a CCPC claiming the small business deduction.
How do I know software is certified?
Check the list on the CRA's Corporation Internet Filing software page for the tax year you are filing.
What does the software cost?
We couldn't verify any product's price. Ask for it in writing before you commit.
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