Your Essential CRA Deadlines Checklist for 2025
Stay on top of critical filing dates and avoid penalties with this comprehensive guide tailored for Canadian businesses and individuals.
As we enter 2025, keeping track of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) deadlines is essential for individuals and businesses to ensure compliance and avoid unnecessary penalties. To help you navigate the year, we’ve created this ultimate checklist of important CRA deadlines for 2025.
1. Key Tax Deadlines for Individuals
RRSP Contribution Deadline: March 3, 2025. Maximize your retirement savings by contributing to your RRSP before this date to claim deductions on your 2024 tax return.
Filing Deadline for Individuals: April 30, 2025. Ensure your personal tax return is filed by this date to avoid late-filing penalties.
Payment Deadline for Balances Owing: April 30, 2025.
2. Deadlines for Self-Employed Individuals
Tax Return Filing Deadline: June 17, 2025. While self-employed individuals have until June 17 to file, any taxes owed must still be paid by April 30, 2025.
3. Corporate Tax Deadlines
Corporate Tax Return Deadline: Six months after your fiscal year-end. For example, if your fiscal year ended on December 31, 2024, the corporate return is due by June 30, 2025.
Corporate Tax Payment Deadline: Two months after your fiscal year-end. Most corporations must pay their taxes within two months after their year-end (e.g., by February 28, 2025, for a December 31, 2024, year-end).
Exceptions for Small CCPCs: If you’re a small Canadian-Controlled Private Corporation (CCPC), you may have up to three months after your fiscal year-end to pay taxes (e.g., March 31, 2025, for a December 31, 2024, year-end).
4. GST/HST Deadlines
Annual GST/HST Filers: Payment and filing are due by April 30, 2025, for most annual filers.
Quarterly Filers: Quarterly payments and returns vary by period:
Q1 (Jan-Mar): Due April 30, 2025.
Q2 (Apr-Jun): Due July 31, 2025.
Q3 (Jul-Sep): Due October 31, 2025.
Q4 (Oct-Dec): Due January 31, 2026.
Monthly Filers: Returns and payments are due on the last day of the following month (e.g., the January 2025 return is due by February 28, 2025).
5. Payroll Remittance Deadlines
Monthly Remitters: Payments are due by the 15th of the following month. For example, January 2025 remittances must be submitted by February 15, 2025.
Quarterly Remitters: Small employers may remit quarterly. Deadlines for quarterly remitters in 2025 are:
Q1 (Jan-Mar): Due April 15, 2025.
Q2 (Apr-Jun): Due July 15, 2025.
Q3 (Jul-Sep): Due October 15, 2025.
Q4 (Oct-Dec): Due January 15, 2026.
6. Other Important Deadlines
T4/T5 Slips: Issuance to employees and shareholders is due by February 29, 2025.
T3 Trust Returns: Due 90 days after the trust’s tax year-end. For trusts with a December 31, 2024, year-end, the deadline is March 31, 2025.
Instalment Payments: Quarterly instalments for individuals are due on:
March 15, 2025.
June 15, 2025.
September 15, 2025.
December 15, 2025.
Mistakes Happen: What If You Miss a Deadline?
Even with the best intentions, you might miss a CRA deadline. If this happens:
Act Quickly: File the required return as soon as possible to minimize penalties.
Understand the Penalties: CRA imposes interest on unpaid balances and late filing penalties ranging from 5% to 20%.
Consider Voluntary Disclosure: If your error is significant, the CRA’s Voluntary Disclosures Program (VDP) allows you to come forward without severe penalties.
