The T2 Corporation Income Tax Return must be filed within six months after the end of each fiscal period. If your fiscal year-end falls on the last day of a month, file by the last day of the sixth month. Otherwise, file by the same day of the sixth month. Filing your return and paying tax are separate deadlines. CRA — When to file.
Your corporate tax “clocks” in 2025: filing due date vs balance-due day vs instalment due dates
Canadian corporations operate on three separate tax deadlines:
| Obligation | General Deadline | Who/What |
| Filing (T2 return) | 6 months after the fiscal year-end | All corporations |
| Payment (balance-due day) | 2 months after year-end (3 months for eligible CCPCs) | Corporations with tax owing |
| Instalments | Monthly (or quarterly if eligible) | Corporations meeting instalment requirements |
Each deadline serves a different purpose. Missing instalment deadlines triggers daily interest charges.
T2 filing due date rule: file within six months after your fiscal year-end
The T2 return must be filed within six months after the end of each fiscal period. This applies to all corporations in Canada, whether they owe tax, are inactive, or qualify for exemptions. The fiscal period is your corporation’s tax year.
How CRA calculates your filing due date
CRA uses two rules:
Month-end rule: If your fiscal year-end falls on the last day of a month, file by the last day of the sixth month after year-end.
Same-day rule: If your fiscal year-end falls on any other day, file by the same calendar day of the sixth month.
When your calculated due date falls on a weekend or CRA holiday, your filing deadline moves to the next business day.
CRA examples
Four standard examples demonstrate both rules:
- March 31 year-end → September 30 deadline (month-end rule)
- August 31 year-end → February 28 deadline (month-end rule, adjusted for February)
- September 23 year-end → March 23 deadline (same-day rule)
- October 2 year-end → April 2 deadline (same-day rule)
Corporate tax filing deadlines that fall in 2025
Use this table to find your specific due date based on your fiscal year-end:
| Tax Year-End | T2 Filing Due Date |
| July 31, 2024 | January 31, 2025 |
| August 31, 2024 | February 28, 2025 |
| September 30, 2024 | March 31, 2025 |
| October 2, 2024 | April 2, 2025 |
| October 31, 2024 | April 30, 2025 |
| November 30, 2024 | May 31, 2025 |
| December 31, 2024 | June 30, 2025 |
| January 31, 2025 | July 31, 2025 |
| February 28, 2025 | August 31, 2025 |
| March 31, 2025 | September 30, 2025 |
Corporate tax payment deadline (balance-due day)
Balance-due day is when you must pay any remaining corporate income tax owing. This deadline is separate from your T2 filing deadline. CRA requires payment generally two months after year-end (or three months for eligible CCPCs) while allowing six months to file the T2 return. CRA — Balance-due day
Example: A corporation with a December 31, 2024, year-end has a balance-due day of February 28, 2025 (2 months). If the corporation is an eligible CCPC, the balance-due day extends to March 31, 2025 (3 months).
Balance-due day is the date by which you must pay the remainder of corporate income tax for the year. The balance due equals total tax payable minus instalments already paid and any amounts CRA is holding.
CCPC payment extension: 3 months instead of 2
CCPCs meeting specific conditions can pay their balance-due amount three months after year-end instead of two. Requirements:
- Claim the small business deduction in the current or preceding tax year
- Taxable income of $500,000 or less (corporation and associated corporations combined)
- Taxable capital employed in Canada of $10 million or less (corporation and associated corporations combined)
Verify CCPC eligibility annually. Changes in taxable income or capital disqualify the 3-month extension. The extension applies only to payment, not to the six-month T2 filing deadline.
Corporate tax instalments: monthly vs quarterly
Corporations required to make instalment payments generally pay monthly. Eligible CCPCs can pay quarterly if they meet four CRA criteria. Instalments are advance payments of corporate income tax made throughout the tax year. Missing instalment deadlines triggers daily interest charges.
Monthly instalments are due on the last day of each month. For a corporation with a December 31 year-end, 2025 instalment due dates are January 31, February 28, March 31, April 30, May 31, June 30, July 31, August 31, September 30, October 31, November 30, and December 31.
Quarterly instalment eligibility
CCPCs can pay instalments quarterly instead of monthly if they meet all four criteria:
| Criterion | Requirement |
| Corporation type | Canadian-controlled private corporation (CCPC) |
| Compliance history | Perfect compliance in the preceding 12 months |
| Taxable income | ≤ $500,000 (current and preceding tax year) |
| Taxable capital employed in Canada | ≤ $10 million (with associated corporations) |
Perfect compliance means all required instalments and balance-due payments were made on time for 12 months. A single late payment disqualifies the corporation.
If you become ineligible mid-year
CRA example (2025): A corporation ceases to meet eligibility requirements on May 31, 2025. The next quarterly instalment (June 30, 2025) is still due. Starting July 31, 2025, the corporation switches to monthly instalments.
Corporations that lose quarterly eligibility mid-year must switch to monthly instalments starting with the month after their next quarterly payment. CRA — Making instalment payments
Mandatory electronic filing ($1,000 penalty)
The mandatory electronic filing requirement applies to corporations with tax years starting after December 31, 2023. CRA charges a $1,000 penalty for non-compliance.
Four exception categories are exempt: insurance corporations, non-resident corporations, corporations reporting in functional currency, and corporations exempt under section 149 of the Income Tax Act. The $1,000 penalty applies each time a corporation fails to file electronically when required. CRA — File electronically
Who must file a T2 (even if inactive)
All resident corporations in Canada must file a T2 return every tax year, even if the corporation is inactive or has no tax payable. CRA requires T2 filing to maintain corporate records and track compliance regardless of profitability.
The filing requirement includes inactive corporations, tax-exempt corporations under section 149, and corporations with zero taxable income. One narrow exception: a corporation that was dormant throughout the entire tax year and did not file a request for loss determination, capital gains refund, or SR&ED tax credit.
Non-resident corporations must file a T2 return if they carried on business in Canada, disposed of taxable Canadian property, or had other filing obligations under the Income Tax Act. CRA — Do you have to file?
2025 update: CRA tariff-related tax relief
CRA’s 2025 tariff relief defers corporate tax payments due April 2–June 30, 2025, and waives interest. This applies to payment deadlines only, not T2 filing deadlines.
The relief program covers corporate income tax payments and GST/HST remittances originally due during the April 2 to June 30, 2025 window. CRA will not charge interest on deferred amounts during the relief period.
The six-month T2 filing deadline remains unchanged. Corporations with filing deadlines between April 2 and June 30, 2025, must still file their T2 returns by those original dates. CRA — Tax relief for businesses
FAQ: Corporate tax filing deadline for 2025 (Canada)
Is there one corporate tax deadline in 2025?
No. Corporate tax filing deadlines in 2025 vary by corporation because the T2 due date is calculated as six months after each corporation’s fiscal year-end. A corporation with a July 31, 2024, year-end files by January 31, 2025. A corporation with a March 31, 2025, year-end must file by September 30, 2025.
What’s the difference between the filing due date and the balance-due day?
The filing due date is when you submit your T2 return (6 months after year-end). Balance-due day is when you pay any tax owing (generally 2 months after year-end). These are separate obligations with different deadlines. You must pay your estimated tax liability by the balance-due day, even though you have four additional months to complete your T2 return.
Do I still need to file if my corporation is inactive?
Yes. Inactive corporations must file a T2 return unless the corporation was dormant throughout the entire tax year and did not file a disposition request. CRA requires filing to maintain corporate records regardless of activity level.
Do I have to e-file my T2 in 2025?
Yes, if your corporation’s tax year started after December 31, 2023. Exceptions: insurance corporations, non-residents, functional currency reporters, or section 149 tax-exempt entities. CRA charges a $1,000 penalty for failing to file electronically when required.
What happens if I file my T2 late?
CRA charges a late filing penalty of 5% of unpaid tax plus 1% for each complete month the return is late, up to 12 months. If CRA issued a demand to file and you had a failure-to-file penalty in the preceding three years, the penalty increases to 10% plus 2% per month, up to 20 months. Interest applies to unpaid tax from the balance-due day forward. CRA — Penalties
What if I change my fiscal year-end?
Changing your fiscal year-end requires CRA approval in most cases. CRA evaluates each request based on business reasons and tax compliance history. A fiscal year-end change shifts the six-month filing deadline calculation to a new reference date, potentially moving your filing obligation into a different calendar year.
How does provincial corporate tax fit with the T2 return?
Ontario corporations file a single T2 return using federal Schedule 5 for provincial tax calculations. CRA administers Ontario corporate tax. Only Quebec and Alberta maintain separate provincial systems. CRA — Provincial and territorial corporation tax
Conclusion
Calculate your T2 deadline using CRA’s 6-month rule to avoid late-filing penalties. Your deadline depends on your corporation’s fiscal year-end. Calculate six months from that date using the month-end or same-day rule.
Filing your T2 return and paying your balance-due amount are separate obligations with different deadlines. Corporations with tax years starting after December 31, 2023, must file electronically or face a $1,000 penalty.
