The personal tax deadline moves to May 15
One date for everyone: from the 2027 tax year, personal returns are filed and paid by May 15. Most people gain two weeks. The self-employed lose a month to file.
Quick answer: Budget 2026 proposes one personal tax deadline, May 15, for both filing and paying, starting with the 2027 tax year. The first May 15 deadline is May 15, 2028. Your 2026 return is unchanged: file and pay by April 30, 2027, or file by June 15, 2027 if you are self-employed (payment is still due April 30).
The dates, before and after
| Return | File by | Pay by |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 return (now) | April 30, 2027 (June 15, 2027 if self-employed) | April 30, 2027 |
| 2027 return (proposed) | May 15, 2028, for everyone | May 15, 2028 |
Who it affects
Employees and most individuals get two more weeks to file and pay. Self-employed people (sole proprietors and partners) currently have until June 15 to file. Under the proposal their filing date moves earlier, to May 15, although they get two more weeks to pay.
Example
Marco is a self-employed electrician. For 2026 he files by June 15, 2027 and pays by April 30, 2027, as before. For 2027 he must file and pay by May 15, 2028. If he usually files in early June, he needs his bookkeeping finished about a month sooner.
What to do. Nothing changes for the return you file in 2027. If you are self-employed, plan for your 2027 books to be done by April 2028, not May.
Every current due date is on the CRA tax deadlines page.
Whether this applies to you depends on your year-end and structure; ask about your own situation and a CPA replies by email, usually the same business day, free.
Common questions
When is the 2026 personal tax deadline?+
When does the May 15 deadline start?+
Do self-employed people still get June 15?+
Where this comes from
Budget 2026 was tabled on 5 November 2026. Figures on this page are from:
- Department of Finance Canada — Budget 2026: Key Measures
- BLG — Federal Budget 2026: tax measures
- RBC Wealth Management — Federal budget 2026 overview
General information, not tax advice. Budget measures are proposals until enacted and can change. Before deciding anything, send an enquiry.