T2 corporate tax deadline 2026
Reviewed July 2026 by Sunny Dhillon, CPA (CPABC)
Corporate deadlines are not calendar dates — they run from your fiscal year-end. Here is how to find yours, and the payment date that comes first.
Quick answer: Your T2 return is due six months after your fiscal year-end. The tax owing is due earlier — three months after year-end for a CCPC claiming the small business deduction, two months for other corporations. A December 31 year-end means the balance is due March 31 and the return June 30.
Your dates depend entirely on your year-end.
Calculate my exact T2 dates →Two deadlines, and the expensive one comes first
This is the single most common corporate tax mistake we see: the owner marks the six-month filing date on the calendar and pays then. But interest on the balance started running months earlier, at the CRA's prescribed rate, compounded daily and not deductible. Filing on time and paying late still costs money.
| Fiscal year-end | Balance due (CCPC w/ SBD) | T2 filing due |
|---|---|---|
| December 31 | March 31 | June 30 |
| March 31 | June 30 | September 30 |
| June 30 | September 30 | December 31 |
| September 30 | December 31 | March 31 |
What late filing costs a corporation
The late-filing penalty is 5% of the unpaid balance plus 1% for every complete month the return is late, to a maximum of 12 months — so 17% at the one-year mark. For a corporation the CRA has already demanded a return from, and which filed late in any of the three preceding years, it doubles to 10% plus 2% per month for up to 20 months. Interest applies on top of both.
Filing a nil or loss-year return still matters: the CRA expects a T2 from every Canadian corporation every year, whether or not it earned anything.
Instalments run alongside all of this
If your net federal tax owing exceeded $3,000 in the current year or either of the two prior years, monthly or quarterly instalments are generally required. A corporation is exempt in its first tax year — which is exactly why year two feels like a cash-flow shock. Check whether instalments apply to you →
Related
The full penalty breakdown · Choosing your fiscal year-end · We file T2 returns at a fixed fee
Subscribe to our Canadian tax deadline calendar — the fixed CRA dates land in your calendar every year with a reminder a week ahead.
Add the deadline calendar →General information current as of July 2026, not advice for your situation. Dates that fall on a weekend or public holiday move to the next business day — always confirm the current year. Please speak with a CPA about your circumstances.
T2 corporate deadline FAQ
When is the T2 corporate tax return due?+
When is corporate tax actually due?+
What is the penalty for filing a T2 late?+
Do I have to file a T2 if the corporation had no income?+
Behind, or cutting it close?
We handle catch-up filings all the time — including several years at once. Book a free consult and we will tell you exactly where you stand.
