federal · Canada-wide
Disability Tax Credit (T2201)
The Disability Tax Credit (DTC) is a federal tax credit that lowers the tax you owe. It is "non-refundable," which means it cuts your tax bill but the government does not pay out any unused part. You may qualify if you have a severe and prolonged impairment — a serious condition in how your body or mind works that lasts a long time. Once you are approved, this credit also opens the door to other benefits, such as the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) and the Child Disability Benefit.
- Verified Aug 22, 2026
- federal program · Canada-wide
At a glance
- Worth:
- credit up to $10,138/yr · retroactive 10 yrs
- Who:
- You have a severe and prolonged impairment — it lasts, or is expected to last, at least 12 months in a row.
- Apply:
- Official program page
What it could be worth
Amount
credit up to $10,138/yr · retroactive 10 yrs
- Disability amount: $10,138 (2025 tax year) — worth about $1,521/yr in federal credits.
- Under-18 supplement: up to $5,914 extra per year (2025).
- Money from past years: once you are approved, the CRA can revise up to 10 years of past tax returns.
- Also opens up: RDSP grants and bonds (up to $90,000 over a lifetime) and the Child Disability Benefit (up to $3,480/yr for July 2026–June 2027).
Example: An Ontario adult approved for the DTC could claim about $1,521 in federal credits, plus roughly $500–$600 in Ontario credits, each year. If the CRA backdates your approval, you can ask it to adjust up to 10 past years of returns. What you actually get depends on your taxes and your eligibility period.
Estimate your refund in about 1 minute
Rough federal + provincial credit range based on your province and years to claim — not an exact CRA calculation.
How it benefits you
- It lowers the federal tax you owe. For the 2025 tax year, the disability amount is $10,138. At a 15% rate, that is worth up to about $1,521 in credits.
- Approval also opens other doors. It unlocks the RDSP (government grants and bonds of up to $90,000 over a lifetime) and the Child Disability Benefit for children.
- You claim it on the tax return you file in the year you are approved. You can also ask the CRA to adjust up to 10 years of past returns.
- If you cannot use the full credit, you can transfer the rest to a spouse, a common-law partner, or another family member who supports you.
- For children under 18, there is an extra supplement worth up to $5,914 (2025).
What you need to qualify or apply
Eligibility
- You have a severe and prolonged impairment — it lasts, or is expected to last, at least 12 months in a row.
- The impairment markedly restricts you (limits you seriously, most of the time) in at least one basic activity of daily living: seeing, speaking, hearing, walking, dressing, feeding, eliminating (bowel or bladder), or the mental functions you need for everyday life.
- Or it significantly restricts you in two or more of those activities when added together (the cumulative effect).
- Or you need life-sustaining therapy (treatment you need to stay alive, such as kidney dialysis) at least 2–3 times per week.
- A qualified medical practitioner must certify the impairment in Part B of Form T2201.
How to apply
- Work out your eligibility period. The form asks when your impairment began, which lets you claim past years.
- Fill in Part A of Form T2201 — online in CRA My Account, or on paper.
- Have a qualified medical practitioner fill in Part B. For most categories this is a medical doctor or nurse practitioner. For specific areas it is a psychologist (mental functions), an optometrist (vision), an audiologist (hearing), a speech-language pathologist (speaking), or an occupational or physical therapist (walking, feeding, dressing).
- Send the form digitally in My Account, or mail it to the CRA tax centre.
- Check the box that lets the CRA adjust your past returns automatically if you are approved.
- Once you are approved, claim the disability amount on line 31600 of your return each year.
Documents you may need
- Form T2201 — Disability Tax Credit Certificate (you complete Part A).
- Medical certification in Part B from an eligible practitioner for the specific impairment category.
- Details of your eligibility period, including the approximate date your impairment began.
- For life-sustaining therapy claims: a description of the therapy, how often you need it, and who prescribes it.
Read more from the official source
Checked CRA — Line 31600, Disability amount for self · Sep 13, 2026
Amounts and rules can change — always confirm on the official source before applying.
This page is general information, not a CRA or provincial determination — amounts and rules can change. Not sure where you stand? The free benefits check walks you through it, or a Registered Social Worker can review your full situation.