# Disability tax credit application: a step-by-step plan

Source: https://canadataxdesk.com/disability-tax-credit/disability-tax-credit-application
Publisher: Canada Tax Desk (canadataxdesk.com), independent editorial site
Topic: Disability Tax Credit
Last updated: 2026-10-22

> A disability tax credit application is made on Form T2201: you complete Part A online in your CRA account, by phone or on paper, and an eligible medical practitioner completes Part B. Applying costs nothing, the CRA prefers you apply before filing your return, and approval can trigger adjustments for up to 10 past years.

## Key facts

- Application form: Form T2201, Disability Tax Credit Certificate
- Online route: CRA account, Benefits and credits, Apply for DTC
- Phone route for Part A: 1-800-959-8281 (agent) or 1-800-463-4421 (automated)
- Cost to apply: Free; any practitioner fee is paid by you
- Past years the CRA can adjust: Up to 10
- Deadline to object to a refusal: 90 days after the notice of determination

## How do I apply for the disability tax credit?

You apply for the disability tax credit by getting Form T2201 to the CRA with both parts complete: your part (Part A) and a medical practitioner's certification (Part B). There is no separate disability tax credit application form, no application fee and no deadline, but the credit cannot be claimed on any return until the CRA approves the form. Applying and claiming are two separate steps: you apply once, and after approval the disability amount is claimed on line 31600 of the return, or on line 31800 or 32600 when a relative or spouse claims it.

For what the credit is and who can claim it, start with our [disability tax credit](https://canadataxdesk.com/disability-tax-credit) overview. The application itself has five stages, shown below. The part that usually takes longest is not the CRA's review but the wait for a practitioner appointment and completed Part B.

## Before you apply: what to prepare

A little preparation makes the practitioner's job easier and reduces the chance the CRA writes back for more detail. Gather these before you book:

- The social insurance number and date of birth of the person with the impairment.
- Access to that person's CRA account, if you plan to apply online. New users can follow our [CRA My Account registration](https://canadataxdesk.com/cra-account/cra-my-account-register) steps.
- The name of a practitioner allowed to certify the area of impairment, such as a psychologist for mental functions or an audiologist for hearing.
- A one-page note describing a typical week: which activities are hard, how long they take, what help is needed and how often.
- The year the restriction started, as best you know it, since this drives how many past years can be adjusted.
- If someone else will claim the credit, that relative's name and SIN.

If you are unsure whether the impairment meets the CRA's tests, read our [DTC eligibility](https://canadataxdesk.com/disability-tax-credit/disability-tax-credit-eligibility) guide first. It is better to learn about the 90% and 3 times longer standards before the appointment than after a refusal.

## Disability tax credit apply online: step by step

Applying online means you submit Part A yourself and your practitioner submits Part B digitally, with no paper exchanged. Both halves are matched by a reference number.

1. Sign in to the CRA account of the person with the impairment, or your own account if you are a parent applying for a child.
2. Select Benefits and credits, then Apply for DTC, and complete Part A.
3. Save the reference number the CRA gives you. It is valid for up to 12 months and can be used once.
4. Give the practitioner the reference number, along with the last name and date of birth exactly as you entered them.
5. The practitioner completes Part B in the CRA's digital form, and it is submitted to the CRA automatically.
6. Watch the progress tracker in your CRA account once the CRA has both parts.

> **Both parts, one method:** If your practitioner will only complete a paper Part B, do not start online. Use the paper form for both parts, because the CRA cannot match a digital Part A with a paper Part B.

## Applying by mail with the paper form

The paper route suits people without a CRA account and practitioners who prefer forms. Download the fillable PDF, which must be the current version (23e in English, 23f in French), complete and sign Part A, and give the whole form to the practitioner, who completes Part B and signs it by hand. Either of you can mail the complete form to the tax centre closest to you, one of the three the CRA lists on the form. Do not upload a scanned T2201 through Submit documents in your own CRA account: the CRA's how-to-apply page says DTC forms are not accepted that way, so print and mail it. The one exception the CRA announced on March 5, 2026 is for a legal representative or a representative with level 2 authorization, who can upload a client's T2201.

| Tax centre | Mailing address |
| --- | --- |
| Jonquière Tax Centre | 2251 René-Lévesque Blvd, Jonquière QC G7S 5J2 |
| Sudbury Tax Centre | Post Office Box 20000, Station A, Sudbury ON P3A 5C1 |
| Winnipeg Tax Centre | Post Office Box 14000, Station Main, Winnipeg MB R3C 3M2 |

Where to mail a paper disability tax credit application

There is also a mixed route. Your practitioner can fill in Part B with the CRA's digital application for medical practitioners without a reference number, then print it, sign it and give it to you. You then complete and sign Part A on paper and mail the whole T2201 to one of the tax centres above. Whichever route you use, send the form only once: the CRA warns that a second copy sent another way can delay approval.

### Applying on behalf of someone else

Parents and legal guardians apply for a minor child and sign Part A for them. For an adult, the adult signs unless a legal representative, such as an attorney under a power of attorney or a court-appointed guardian, has been named. An adult child helping an elderly parent can fill in the form, but the parent still signs it.

Field-by-field help, including who can sign for an adult or a child, is on our [T2201 form](https://canadataxdesk.com/disability-tax-credit/t2201-form-dtc-certificate) page. Keep a copy of every page and note the mailing date.

## Should I apply before or after filing my tax return?

Before, if you can. The CRA advises sending the T2201 before you file the return on which you want the credit, to avoid delays. A return that claims line 31600 without an approved application on file can be assessed without the credit.

If the tax-filing deadline arrives first, file on time anyway so any balance and benefits are not held up. After approval, the CRA can adjust that return, or you can request the change through [Change my return](https://canadataxdesk.com/after-you-file/change-my-return-cra). Each change produces a [notice of reassessment](https://canadataxdesk.com/after-you-file/notice-of-reassessment).

## Asking for past-year adjustments

When you consent in Part A, the CRA uses the start date on Part B and its own decision to adjust your returns for every eligible year, up to 10 years back. You do not send separate requests for each year. If you did not consent, you can request the changes yourself after the notice of determination arrives.

A worked example: someone who applies in 2026 and whose restriction began in 2019 could see 2019 to 2025 reassessed, if they had tax payable in those years. Returns must already be filed for the CRA to adjust them, so file any missing years first. More detail is on [DTC retroactive claims](https://canadataxdesk.com/disability-tax-credit/disability-tax-credit-retroactive).

## Do I need a lawyer or company to apply for the DTC?

No. The CRA does not require a representative, and the steps above are the same ones a paid firm follows. Some companies charge a percentage of the refunds from past-year adjustments, which can be large when 10 years are reassessed.

The Disability Tax Credit Promoters Restrictions Act would limit those fees to $100 for help with the T2201 and $100 per year adjusted. However, the CRA reports that the regulations, in force since November 15, 2021, are suspended by a court injunction until further notice, so fees are not capped in practice ([CRA, promoters regulations](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/segments/tax-credits-deductions-persons-disabilities/disability-tax-credit/promoters-restrictions-regulation.html)).

If you do hire help, get the fee in writing, confirm whether it applies to refunds you would have received anyway, and never let a firm redirect your refund to its own bank account.

## What happens after a decision on your application?

The CRA sends a notice of determination, by mail or to your CRA account if you have chosen email notifications ([CRA, DTC decision](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/segments/tax-credits-deductions-persons-disabilities/disability-tax-credit/cra-decision-dtc.html)). It lists the years you are eligible and whether approval has an end date.

### If you are approved

1. Check the years listed against when the restriction began.
2. Claim the disability amount on your next return: line 31600 for yourself, line 31800 or 32600 if a relative or spouse claims it.
3. Watch for notices of reassessment for past years, and refunds by direct deposit or cheque.
4. If the person is 18 to 64, DTC approval is also a condition of the Canada Disability Benefit, a separate monthly payment with its own application. Its next payments are November 19 and December 17, 2026.
5. Note any end year, and reapply before it passes.

### If you are refused

Read the reason first. You can ask the CRA to review the decision by mailing new or updated medical reports, or a letter from a practitioner, to the tax centre that processed your application. You also have the right to file a formal income tax objection within 90 days of the date on the notice of determination. Typical timelines are on [DTC processing time](https://canadataxdesk.com/disability-tax-credit/disability-tax-credit-processing-time).

## Step by step

1. **Check the eligibility tests.** Confirm the impairment is expected to last 12 months and markedly restricts an activity, or meets the cumulative effect or life-sustaining therapy tests.
2. **Choose the method.** Decide with your practitioner whether both parts will go online or both on paper.
3. **Complete Part A.** In your CRA account under Benefits and credits, or on the T2201 PDF, and sign it.
4. **Get Part B certified.** An eligible practitioner completes Part B digitally with your reference number, or on paper with a handwritten signature.
5. **Submit and track.** Mail the paper form to one of the three DTC tax centres, or let the digital form submit, then follow the progress tracker in your CRA account.
6. **Act on the decision.** Claim the credit and check past-year reassessments if approved; request a review or object within 90 days if refused.

## Common questions

### Can I apply for the disability tax credit by phone?

Yes, for Part A. After confirming your identity, you can complete Part A with a CRA agent at 1-800-959-8281 (1-800-959-7383 for service in French) or through the automated voice service at 1-800-463-4421. Part B still has to come from a medical practitioner through the CRA's digital form for practitioners.

### How do I renew the disability tax credit when it expires?

Only an approval with an end date needs renewing. If your notice of determination shows one, send a new T2201 at the end of that period, or sooner if the CRA asks. The CRA reminds you on your notice of assessment one year before and again in the year it ends, and you can reapply any time that year to avoid a gap. Without an end date you do not reapply unless the CRA asks, but you must tell the CRA in writing if your condition improves and you no longer qualify.

### Can a parent apply for the disability tax credit for a child online?

Yes. A parent or legal guardian completes Part A for a child under the age of majority and signs it. The child's practitioner then completes Part B using the same method.

### Is there a deadline to apply for the DTC?

No deadline applies to the application itself. The practical limit is on past years: the CRA adjusts up to 10 previous years, so a long delay can mean older years fall outside that window.

### Can I reapply for the DTC after being denied?

Yes. You can send new medical information for a review, file an objection within 90 days, or submit a new T2201 later if your condition or the evidence changes.

### What should I do if my doctor refuses to complete the DTC form?

Ask why. If the practitioner does not think you meet the tests, consider whether another eligible practitioner who treats the affected area, such as an occupational therapist for walking or dressing, knows your limitations better.

### Will applying for the DTC delay my tax refund?

Applying does not stop your return from being assessed. If the approval comes after assessment, the credit is added later through a reassessment.

## Sources

- [How to apply for the disability tax credit](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/segments/tax-credits-deductions-persons-disabilities/disability-tax-credit/how-apply-dtc.html)
- [Claiming the credit: Disability tax credit](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/segments/tax-credits-deductions-persons-disabilities/disability-tax-credit/claiming-dtc.html)
- [CRA's decision: Disability tax credit](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/segments/tax-credits-deductions-persons-disabilities/disability-tax-credit/cra-decision-dtc.html)
- [Questions and answers on the Disability Tax Credit Promoters Restrictions Regulations](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/segments/tax-credits-deductions-persons-disabilities/disability-tax-credit/promoters-restrictions-regulation.html)
- [Form T2201, Disability Tax Credit Certificate](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/forms/t2201.html)