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Yes, you can still file a 2022 tax return online. The CRA lets you send returns for 2018 through 2025 with NETFILE, as long as your tax software is certified for that specific year, and the service stays open until January 29, 2027. So if the 2022 return has been sitting in a drawer, you’ve got a window, but it isn’t a long one.
Which tax software works for a 2022 return?
Only software the CRA has certified for the 2022 tax year. Many providers kept prior-year versions, and TurboTax is one name people search for, but nothing confirms that any single product still sells or supports 2022, or what it charges. Check that yourself before you pay.
The quickest way is the CRA’s own NETFILE page and the list of certified software it points to. Each provider has a details page that shows which years it covers. If 2022 isn’t listed, that product can’t file it online.
What does a late 2022 return cost?
That depends on one thing: do you owe tax? If you’re due a refund or your balance is zero, there’s no balance for the penalty to apply to, because the CRA’s late-filing penalty is charged when you file after the due date and owe tax. Filing late only costs you the refund you haven’t collected yet.
Owe tax and the CRA takes 5% of that amount up front, then adds 1% more for every full month you’re behind, stopping after 12 months. The higher rates of 10% and 2%, with a cap of 20 months, apply when you were penalized in one of the three earlier years and also received a demand to file. The CRA’s late-filing penalty page sets out both.
| Situation | Late-filing penalty |
|---|---|
| No balance owing | None |
| Balance owing, first offence | 5%, then 1% a month, 12 months at most |
| Balance owing, penalized in the last three years and sent a demand to file | 10%, then 2% a month, 20 months at most |
Here’s what that looks like. Suppose you owed $2,000 for 2022 and file eight full months late. That’s $100 for the first 5%, then $160 for eight months at 1%, so $260 in all. A different balance scales the same way. Interest on the unpaid tax is separate and isn’t priced here.
Now the harsher case. Same $2,000 balance, same eight months, but the repeat rates apply. The first charge is 10%, or $200, and eight months at 2% adds $320. That’s $520, double the first-offence figure. Interest comes on top of both.
Does filing late hurt your benefits?
It can, for a while. The CRA says you must file by April 30 each year so your benefit payments aren’t disrupted, and that if you file late they may stop temporarily. The CRA’s page on keeping your Canada child benefit payments adds that once the return is assessed, any entitled amounts you missed are paid retroactively on the next scheduled payment date. That’s one good reason not to leave an old year hanging, especially if you have kids at home.
Steps for filing an old return
Start by collecting the slips for that year. You’ll need the T4s, T5s and RRSP receipts. Then enter them into software certified for 2022.
Two more things trip people up. First, use 2022 rules, not this year’s. The calculators on this site use 2026 tax data, so they can’t reproduce a 2022 return and shouldn’t be used for one. Second, claim what applied for 2022, not what applies now.
To gauge the size of a typical return under current rules, the tax refund calculator estimates a refund or balance from your pay and the tax withheld. The income tax calculator shows total tax on your income, and the tax deductions and credits calculator shows what deductions save. They give you a sense of size, not a 2022 answer.
What mistakes do people make with old returns?
- Buying this year’s software and finding it can’t open 2022.
- Skipping the CRA list and trusting a search result that says “2022 supported.”
- Waiting because they fear a penalty when they’re actually owed money.
- Sending it on paper, which is slower, when NETFILE would take it in minutes.
Not every return qualifies for NETFILE. The CRA’s page says it can’t be used for deceased taxpayer returns, bankruptcy returns or deemed residents, among other cases, so read it if the software rejects your file. Quebec residents also file their provincial return with Revenu Quebec separately.
Where do the numbers come from?
NETFILE years and the January 29, 2027 closing date come from the CRA’s NETFILE page, and the penalty rates from its late-filing page, both opened in October 2026. Benefit wording is from the CRA’s child benefit page. The refund and tax tools use the site’s 2026 federal and Ontario data. This site is not connected to any software company or government body, including the Canada Revenue Agency.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still file a 2022 tax return in Canada?
Yes. NETFILE accepts returns for 2018 to 2025 from software certified for that year, and it is open until January 29, 2027.
How do I know if a program supports 2022?
Open the CRA's list of certified tax software. Each provider's details page shows the years it covers.
Is there a penalty if I file 2022 late?
Only if you owe tax. It starts at 5% of the balance and grows 1% a month for up to a year.
What if I was penalized before?
If the CRA charged a late-filing penalty in any of the three earlier years, the rates rise to 10% and 2% a month, for up to 20 months.
Can the calculators on this site do a 2022 return?
No. They use 2026 tax data, so they give a sense of size but not a 2022 result.
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