CRA refund status: how to check it and what each status means
Short answer
To check your CRA refund status, sign in to your CRA account and open the progress tracker under Tax returns. It shows whether your return is received, in process or assessed; once assessed, your notice of assessment shows the refund and whether it goes by direct deposit or cheque. The CRA asks you to wait 12 weeks after filing (16 weeks outside Canada) before calling.
- 01Best place to check
- Progress tracker in your CRA account
- 02Status labels
- Received, In process, Assessed, Not received
- 03Wait before contacting the CRA
- 12 weeks in Canada, 16 weeks outside Canada
- 04Refunds not paid
- $2 or less
- 05Other option
- The CRA's automated phone service, listed on its refunds page
Ways to check your CRA refund status
The fastest way to check your CRA refund status is the progress tracker in your CRA account. It updates as your return moves through processing and is the same information a CRA agent sees in the first weeks after you file. Your tax software only confirms that the return was sent; it does not follow the assessment.
| Option | What you need | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| CRA account (My Account) | CRA user ID, Sign-In Partner or provincial partner | Real-time status, NOA, refund method |
| CRA automated phone line | SIN, full name, date of birth, address, line 15000 from your latest NOA | People without an account |
| CRA contact centre agent | The same identity details, or be signed in to your account | After the 12-week wait, or a problem the tracker does not explain |
Phone numbers and hours for both phone options are published on the CRA's official tax refunds page, which is linked in the sources below. We do not list them here because the CRA changes hours and options from time to time.
What each tax return status means in Canada
The tracker uses four labels. Each one points to a different next step.
Why does My Account say in process?
In process means the CRA has picked up your return and is assessing it. Online returns have a 2-week target for the whole assessment. If it stays there well past the 2-week online standard, the return may be in a pre-assessment review, and a letter asking for receipts usually follows in your account mail. See why the CRA holds a refund for the common causes.
Not received after sending online
If you have a NETFILE confirmation number but the tracker says not received, give it a few days; the status can lag behind. If it still shows not received well after filing, check that the software actually transmitted the return rather than just saving it, and keep your confirmation number ready when you call.
How long to wait before contacting the CRA about a refund
The CRA asks people living in Canada to wait 12 weeks after filing before contacting it about a refund, and people living outside Canada to wait 16 weeks. That is longer than the 2-week online standard because it covers paper returns and returns that need extra checks.
In practice, use the tracker in between. If it says assessed and your NOA shows a refund, the money is on its way and there is nothing for an agent to speed up. If it says in process for a long time with no letter, calling after the waiting period is reasonable. For the full set of processing targets, see how long the CRA takes to process a tax return.
- Note the date you filed and your confirmation number.
- Check the tracker weekly rather than daily.
- Read every item in your CRA account Mail page.
- If a letter asks for documents, reply before anything else.
- After 12 weeks (16 outside Canada) with no result, contact the CRA.
When the refund is issued
A refund is released after assessment. Your notice of assessment says Direct deposit if you are enrolled, or Refund if a cheque is being mailed separately to the address on file. A mailed cheque adds postal time, and a wrong address can send it astray, so check your address in your account before you file.
You can enrol in direct deposit through your CRA account or through your Canadian bank or credit union. Our CRA direct deposit page walks through both routes. If you pay instalments, you can also ask the CRA to transfer your refund to your instalment account for the following year when you file online, or by attaching a note to a paper return.
Refund smaller than expected
If the refund on the NOA is lower than your software showed, read the explanation of changes. If it is correct on the NOA but less money arrived, the CRA may have kept part of it for an amount owing, a support garnishment or another government debt. Refunds of $2 or less are not paid at all.
If your CRA status of refund has not changed
A status stuck in one place for weeks has a limited number of explanations. Match your situation to the table, then act on the row that fits.
| What you see | Likely reason | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Received for more than 2 weeks (online) | Queued, or selected for a check before assessment | Watch Mail for a letter; wait out the 12-week window |
| In process with a letter in Mail | Pre-assessment review | Upload the documents through Submit documents |
| Assessed, NOA shows refund, no money | Cheque in the mail or deposit pending | Confirm bank and address details in your account |
| Assessed, NOA shows smaller refund | Change during assessment or offset | Read the explanation of changes |
| Not received after 12 weeks (paper) | Return lost or not yet keyed in | Contact the CRA before re-sending anything |
For the bigger picture of what happens between filing and payment, see the CRA tax return timeline.
Step by step
Sign in
Sign in to your CRA account on canada.ca.
Open Tax returns
Go to My Account and select Tax returns to see the progress tracker.
Read the status
Note whether the return is received, in process, assessed or not received.
Check Mail
Open any CRA letters, especially requests for documents.
Open the NOA
When assessed, open the notice to see the refund amount and payment method.
Common questions
How do I check my CRA refund status without an account?
Use the CRA's automated phone service listed on its refunds page. You need your SIN, full name, date of birth, complete address and the line 15000 amount from your most recent notice of assessment.
What does assessed mean on my CRA account?
It means the CRA has finished processing your return and issued your notice of assessment. Open the notice to see the refund amount and whether it will be deposited or mailed.
Can a CRA agent speed up my refund?
Usually not during the normal processing period, because agents see the same status you do. The CRA asks you to wait 12 weeks after filing (16 outside Canada) before calling.
Why does my tax software say accepted but my CRA account says received?
The software only confirms the CRA received the transmission. Assessment is a separate step, and the tracker changes to in process and then assessed as it happens.
My refund status says not received but I filed on paper. Should I send another return?
Not straight away. Paper returns have a 12-week standard and the tracker may not update until the return is entered. Contact the CRA before sending a second copy to avoid a duplicate.
Sources
- CRA: Tax refunds canada.ca
- CRA: Check CRA processing times canada.ca
- CRA: Notices of assessment - NOA or NOR canada.ca
- CRA: Direct deposit canada.ca
We check figures against these official pages. Rules change; confirm anything that affects a deadline or payment with the agency before you act.
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