Federal Annual Return (Corporations Canada): Deadline, $12 Fee and How to File

Every federal corporation must file an annual return with Corporations Canada each year. Filing online costs $12 and is due within 60 days after the anniversary of the corporation's incorporation, amalgamation or continuance. Since January 22, 2024, you also file your individuals with significant control (ISC) information at the same time. This guide covers who files the federal annual return, how to file it, and what happens if you don't.

The federal annual return at a glance

Who has to file a CBCA annual return?

Section 263 of the CBCA requires every corporation to send Corporations Canada an annual return. Corporations Canada says the rule applies "regardless of the size of your business," so a holding company, a dormant corporation and a corporation that earned no revenue all file the same return.

The return confirms the corporation's information on the public record as of your anniversary date. Your anniversary date is the date on your certificate of incorporation, amalgamation or continuance under the CBCA, not your fiscal year-end.

Federal not-for-profit corporations file under a different statute (the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act) with their own rules. This guide covers business corporations.

When is the federal annual return due?

You have 60 days after each anniversary date to file. Three timing rules matter:

• Not before the anniversary. Corporations Canada doesn't accept a return filed before the anniversary date, because it has to reflect the corporation as of that date.
• Not in the first year. No return is filed for the year the corporation was incorporated, amalgamated or continued. A corporation incorporated on March 10, 2026, files its first return between March 10 and early May 2027.
• Late is still better than never. A late return shows the corporation as "overdue" in the public database until you file it, so file as soon as you notice.

Individuals with significant control: now part of the annual filing

Since June 2019, CBCA corporations have had to keep a register of individuals with significant control. Since January 22, 2024, they must also send that information to Corporations Canada:

• when the corporation is incorporated;
• every year, at the same time as the annual return;
• within 15 days of recording a change in the ISC register;
• within 30 days of a certificate of amalgamation or continuance.

An ISC is generally an individual who owns, controls or directs 25% or more of the voting shares, or 25% or more of all shares by fair market value. Someone with "control in fact," such as the power to replace most of the board, is also an ISC even without owning shares. For a trust holding 25% or more of the shares, each individual who controls the trust can be an ISC.

What becomes public

Part of the ISC information is published on Corporations Canada's website. The public part is the ISC's full legal name, the dates they became (and ceased to be) an ISC, a description of their control, and an address. If you give an address for service, that address is published and the residential address stays private. Date of birth, citizenship and tax residence are never public. Information about ISCs under 18 stays private until they turn 18. Law enforcement and FINTRAC can see everything filed.

Before filing, check who should be listed and give an address for service for anyone who doesn't want their home address made public.

How to file your annual return with Corporations Canada

1. Sign in to My ISED Account. The Online Filing Centre uses My ISED Account, which you can create with a GCKey or a Sign-In Partner.
2. Get access to the corporation. You need to be the corporation's full access manager (a director or authorized officer or agent) or a filing collaborator, or have the corporation key. The corporation key is a password tied to the corporation that was issued at incorporation. If you lost it, request a new one from Corporations Canada.
3. Select "File annual return." Review the pre-filled information and confirm or update it as of the anniversary date.
4. Complete the ISC section. Enter or confirm each individual with significant control.
5. Pay $12 and save the confirmation.

A change of directors or of the registered office address within the same province can be filed online for free at any time, so you don't have to wait for the annual return. A move of the registered office to another province requires articles of amendment.

If you'd rather not deal with access roles and ISC forms, our annual return filing service handles the federal return and any provincial filings for you.

What happens if you don't file?

Missing the deadline has consequences that build over time:

Reviving a dissolved federal corporation

Any interested person can apply to revive a dissolved corporation under section 209 of the CBCA. Revival costs $250, is filed by mail (about 10 days), and requires bringing all missing annual returns up to date. A Nuans report is still mandatory for revival. If the old name is no longer available, the corporation is revived with a numbered name. Filing a $12 return on time is much cheaper.

Federal corporations operating in Ontario and other provinces

The federal annual return covers your obligations to Corporations Canada only. Each province where the corporation is registered extra-provincially has its own rules:

• Ontario: a federal corporation that starts carrying on business in Ontario files an Initial Return in the Ontario Business Registry within 60 days (no fee), then a notice of change within 15 days of any change. According to Corporations Canada, Ontario's yearly annual return applies to Ontario corporations and licensed foreign corporations, not to federal corporations. Your ongoing Ontario duty is to keep the registry current.
• Other provinces: most provinces charge an annual fee or require an annual filing to keep the extra-provincial registration active. New Brunswick's extra-provincial annual return is $200 e-filed, and Nova Scotia charges federal corporations $274.10 a year to renew.

Check each province on your list every year. See extra-provincial registration if you're expanding into a new province.

Annual return vs. T2 corporate tax return

They're often confused, but they go to different agencies:

Filing your T2 doesn't satisfy the Corporations Canada requirement, and filing the annual return doesn't replace the T2. For more on provincial annual filings, see our annual return guide for Canadian businesses.