T2 Corporation Income Tax Return is due 6 months after fiscal year-end (30 June for a 31 Dec year-end).

CCPCs with the Small Business Deduction must pay balances owing within 3 months of year-end; other corporations within 2 months.

Financial statements must be mapped to the CRA's GIFI coding system before filing.

E-filing is mandatory for tax years starting after 2023; late filing with tax owing triggers a 5% penalty plus 1%/month (up to 12 months).

Business

Canada — Business: Accounting

All resident Canadian corporations (except tax-exempt Crown corporations, Hutterite colonies, and registered charities) must file a T2 Corporation Income Tax Return every tax year, even with no tax payable. The T2 is due 6 months after fiscal year-end (30 June for a 31 December year-end). Most CCPCs eligible for the Small Business Deduction must pay any balance owing within 3 months of year-end; all other corporations must pay within 2 months. A T2 cannot be filed without properly formalized financial statements (Balance Sheet, Income Statement), mapped to the CRA's GIFI (General Index of Financial Information) coding system so the data can be processed electronically. Electronic filing has been mandatory for tax years starting after 2023, and failing to e-file adds penalties on top of any late-filing charge. Late filing with tax owing triggers a penalty of 5% of unpaid tax plus 1% per full month late (up to 12 months).

VerifiedGovernment / official sourceCanada Revenue Agency (CRA)Last reviewed: 2026-07-18

Key facts

T2 Corporation Income Tax Return is due 6 months after fiscal year-end (30 June for a 31 Dec year-end).
CCPCs with the Small Business Deduction must pay balances owing within 3 months of year-end; other corporations within 2 months.
Financial statements must be mapped to the CRA's GIFI coding system before filing.
E-filing is mandatory for tax years starting after 2023; late filing with tax owing triggers a 5% penalty plus 1%/month (up to 12 months).

Steps

1. Prepare financial statements — Balance Sheet and Income Statement, mapped to CRA's GIFI coding system.
2. File the T2 return — Due 6 months after fiscal year-end; e-filing is mandatory for tax years starting after 2023.
3. Pay any balance owing — Within 3 months of year-end for SBD-eligible CCPCs; within 2 months for other corporations.

Timelines

T2 filing deadline: 6 months after fiscal year-end
Balance-owing payment deadline (CCPC with SBD): 3 months after fiscal year-end
Balance-owing payment deadline (other corporations): 2 months after fiscal year-end

Required documents

Balance Sheet
Income Statement (GIFI-mapped)

Common mistakes

Confusing the T2 filing deadline (6 months) with the earlier balance-owing payment deadline (2-3 months) — missing the payment deadline accrues interest even if the return itself is filed on time.
Failing to e-file for tax years starting after 2023, triggering an additional penalty.