How Long does it Take to Get Your Tax Refund?

The time it takes to get your tax refund depends on how and when you filed your income tax return.  

​According to the CRA when you file your tax return on or before your filing due date, they will issue you with a Notice of Assessment and any refund that they owe you as follows: 

• Within two weeks of receiving your return if you file it electronically
• Within eight weeks of receiving your paper return
• Within sixteen weeks of receiving your non-resident paper filed return

Tax returns that are filed electronically are processed faster than paper returns, often within as few as eight business days. The CRA also says that if you use direct deposit into your bank account then you could get your refund faster.  However, it is realistic to expect your tax refund after the end of February because even if you filed in January the CRA does not begin processing income tax returns until mid-February.

How to Check the Status of your Tax Refund or Return 

There are several ways to check on your personal tax return.

• You can use My Account for individual returns including partnerships and sole proprietorships.  You will be able to see the status of your return, set up direct debit information, make payments, get information on your RRSP and TFSA as well as submit documents and update your contact information.
• From mobile devices you can use the MyCRA app for individual tax returns that allows you to view the status of your return and your notice of assessment, your TSFA/RRSP contribution limits, manage direct deposits and update your contact information.
• You can call the CRA Telerefund line at 1-800-959-1956 or the Tax Information Phone Service (TIPS) line at 1-800-267-6999.  To be able to access your tax information you need to be able to provide the following to identify yourself.
  • Social insurance number
  • Full Name
  • Date of Birth
  • Details from your account or a previous assessed return

The earliest you can expect information to be available via Telerefund or TIPS is mid-March if you filed before mid-February.  Otherwise you need to wait four weeks after filing between mid- February and mid-April and at least six weeks after mid-April.

Your Return/Refund May be Delayed:

• If your contact information has changed and you do not update the CRA.  If they need to verify information, it will take longer to process your return.
• If there are errors on your return. Misreporting income or expenses can delay your return and put you at risk of an audit.
• You have large changes in your deduction claims year over year
• Your tax history, if you have previously been reassessed or penalized
• Your return has been randomly selected for review 

You May not get the Refund you are Expecting if the CRA keeps some of it: 

• To cover a balance owing from previous years.
• You have a garnishment order under the Family Orders and Agreements Enforcement Assistance Act
• You owe other federal, provincial or territorial government debts such as student loans, employment insurance and social assistance benefit overpayments, immigration loans and training allowance repayments.
• You have an outstanding GST/HST payments from a sole proprietorship or partnership
• Your refund is $2 or less.