How to apply for the Disability Tax Credit
The application is Form T2201, and it has two halves that are done by two different people. Understanding that split is most of what people get wrong.
The four steps
- You complete Part A. Online through your CRA account, or by phone. Part A is the applicant’s section. You do not need your practitioner for this step.
- You receive a reference number. A confirmation page gives you a reference number. You can also see it in your CRA account.
- You give the reference number to your medical practitioner. They use it to open and complete Part B. Only a medical practitioner may complete Part B.
- Your practitioner completes and submits Part B. Once they complete the digital form, it is submitted to the CRA automatically. You can then see the status of your application.
The trap worth knowing. The CRA states that Part A and Part B must be submitted using the same method, and that it cannot process an application where the entire thing is not in the same format. Do not start digitally and finish on paper. Pick one and stay with it.
Part B is your practitioner's, and only theirs
The CRA is unambiguous: Part B must only be completed by a medical practitioner, applicants cannot complete it themselves, and if an applicant does so it will not be processed.
Which impairments a practitioner may certify depends on their profession. A medical doctor or nurse practitioner may certify all of them; others are limited to their own area. The full scope table, and what to do if yours is hesitant.
Paper, if your practitioner prefers it
The paper form still exists and is a valid route. It is slower and it is on you to get both halves submitted in the same format. For a busy practitioner the digital route is often the lighter ask, because they never handle a physical package.
What the CRA is actually assessing
Not your diagnosis. How the impairment affects specific activities of daily living: how long things take, how often, what help you need, and whether that is the case substantially all of the time, assessed as you are with your usual medication, therapy and devices in place.
What that means for common conditions.
Timing
You can apply at any time of year. Submitting the application before you file your tax return avoids a delayed assessment. The credit can be claimed retroactively for up to ten years, so an approval often adjusts several past years at once. The amounts, by year.
Where to start
Before Part A, it helps to have the functional detail written down. The self-check walks through the CRA's categories and gives you an organized summary to take to your practitioner. Free, runs in your browser, sends us nothing unless you choose.
Source for the application process: CRA, How to apply for the DTC, read 2 August 2026. Free help is listed here. If you would rather we prepared the documentation it is a flat CAD 299 (what that includes). We do not determine eligibility, provide medical opinion, or guarantee approval.