NETFILE rejected: why the CRA refused your return and how to resend

What does a NETFILE rejected message mean?

A rejection is different from a failed connection. When NETFILE is rejected, the transmission reached the CRA, the CRA ran its identity and format checks, and at least one check failed. Your software then shows a message, often with an error code, instead of the confirmation code you get for an accepted return.

The practical point is simple: a rejected return has not been filed. The deadline still applies, and a late-filing penalty can still build if you owe tax. You can correct the problem and send the return again.

If your software never reached the CRA at all, for example during the 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. Eastern maintenance window, that is a connection problem covered on our NETFILE not working page.

Why CRA NETFILE rejected your return

The CRA publishes its electronic filing error codes in chapter 2 of the RC4018 Electronic Filers Manual. Those codes are written for EFILE preparers, and the wording your NETFILE software shows can differ, but the underlying checks are the same kind. Codes 1 to 99 cover identification and format.

Codes in the 300, 400, 500 and 2000 ranges belong to the manual's error-detection stage, which checks the contents of the return rather than your identity. Your software's help pages explain its own messages; the CRA manual explains what the CRA was checking.

NETFILE error detected on an eligible return

Sometimes the return type is fine and the data is simply inconsistent, such as a spouse's SIN typed the same as your own (code 70 in the manual) or a marital status the CRA cannot read (code 65). Fix the field named in the message and resend.

NETFILE rejected for a first-time taxpayer

First-time filers face an extra check because the CRA has no earlier return to match against. Its manual describes a specific check: when CRA records show that a person is filing for the first time, the return must say so and include the first name, any second name and the last name.

• Select the option in your software that marks this as your first return to the CRA.
• Enter your full legal name, including any second name, the way it appears on your government records.
• Leave the access code blank. First-time filers do not have one, and entering anything else will not help.
• Newcomers should enter their date of entry to Canada where the software asks for it. Only newcomers can file electronically with a SIN that begins with 0.

Our first tax return guide covers the rest of the setup for students, young workers and newcomers.

How to correct and resend a rejected return

1. Write down the exact message and any code number the software shows.
2. Find the field it points to. For identity codes, compare against your latest notice of assessment rather than memory.
3. Correct the entry. If you entered an access code, confirm it came from your most recent notice, or clear it.
4. Run the software's review again so it catches anything else before you resend.
5. Transmit again. Rejections can repeat with a different code each time if more than one detail is wrong.
6. Save the confirmation code once the CRA accepts the return.

When to file on paper instead

Paper is the right choice when resending cannot work. That happens in two situations. First, the return is a type NETFILE excludes, such as a return for a deceased person or a bankruptcy return. Second, your details are correct but the CRA's record is wrong. For a birth date mismatch, the CRA's manual says the taxpayer will need to provide original or certified documents to resolve the discrepancy.

Correcting a CRA record can take longer than the time left before April 30. If the deadline is close, mail the return rather than waiting. Our paper tax return page explains how to print and send it, and the NETFILE Canada guide covers the service rules in full.