CRA refund delay: why your refund is held and how to get it moving

Why is the CRA holding my refund? The common reasons for a delay

A refund that has not arrived weeks after filing is rarely lost. In most cases the CRA is either waiting for something from you or has used the money for something else. Knowing which one saves you a long phone call.

Start by signing in to your CRA account. If the status is received or in process and there is a letter in Mail, the delay is almost certainly a review. If the status is assessed and your notice shows a refund but no money came, look for an offset. If the status is not received, the problem is with delivery of the return itself.

Why is my tax return still being processed?

A return stays in process when the CRA picks it for a check before issuing the notice of assessment. This is routine and is not an audit. The CRA runs several review programs, and three of them can act before assessment is complete.

When the CRA needs more, it contacts you or your representative by phone or in writing. Reply within the time the letter gives, include the reference number from the upper right corner, and send every receipt it lists. The quickest way is Submit documents in your CRA account. Our pre-assessment review page covers that specific letter.

Refunds kept to pay debts

Yes, the CRA can keep your refund for a debt. Your notice of assessment may show a refund, but the CRA can apply all or part of it before any money reaches you. It does this for:

• An amount you owe to the CRA, or one that is pending, such as a balance from another year.
• A garnishment order under the Family Orders and Agreements Enforcement Assistance Act for family support.
• Other federal, provincial or territorial debts, such as student loans, EI or social assistance overpayments, immigration loans or training allowance overpayments.
• Outstanding GST/HST returns from a sole proprietorship or partnership.

For the GST/HST case, filing the missing returns removes the reason for the hold. For a CRA balance, the offset simply reduces what you owe; our CRA balance owing page explains how to see what remains. For another department's debt, the CRA pays that department, and questions about the debt itself go to that department.

Why is my tax return less than what I filed?

A smaller refund is a different problem from a late one. Compare three numbers: what your software estimated, what the notice of assessment says, and what reached your bank.

• Software higher than NOA: the CRA changed something during assessment. The explanation of changes names the line, often a missed slip or a claim the CRA reduced.
• NOA higher than the deposit: part of the refund went to one of the debts above.
• Refund of $2 or less: the CRA does not pay these at all.

Worked example: software showed a $1,200 refund. The NOA shows Refund: $1,050 because a charitable donation receipt was reduced. Only $650 arrives, because $400 was applied to a balance from an earlier tax year. The first gap is a tax change you can challenge with documents; the second is an offset, and your CRA account shows which debt it paid down.

Why is my CRA refund taking so long when nothing is wrong?

Sometimes there is no review and no debt, and the refund is simply on a slower track. Paper returns have a 12-week standard compared with 2 weeks online. Late returns, several years filed together, and non-resident, deceased or bankruptcy returns are outside the regular standards entirely.

A mailed cheque also takes longer than a deposit, and a cheque sent to an old address may never arrive. Update your address and set up direct deposit so the next refund does not depend on the post.

Does the CRA pay interest on a late refund?

In some cases, yes. The CRA pays compound daily interest starting on the latest of 30 days after the balance-due date, 30 days after you filed, or the day you overpaid. The overpayment rate for individuals was 5% for July 1 to September 30, 2026. As an illustration, a $1,500 refund earning interest for 60 days entirely within that quarter would earn about $12.38.

Steps to take if your refund is late

1. Check the status and your Mail page in your CRA account. Most answers are already there.
2. If there is a letter, send the requested documents through Submit documents before the deadline.
3. If the notice shows an offset, contact the department or lender that holds the debt.
4. If you are a sole proprietor, file any missing GST/HST returns.
5. Confirm your address and banking details in your account.
6. If 12 weeks (16 outside Canada) have passed with no result and no letter, contact the CRA.
7. If the CRA changed a claim and you have proof, ask for it to be looked at again or use Change my return.

For how a normal return moves through the system, see the CRA tax return timeline, and for letters that pause assessment, the CRA review letter page.