T4, T4A and T5 Slips: The Last-Day-of-February Deadline
T4/T4A/T5 deadlines and the graduated late-filing penalty
T4, T4A and T5 slips and their summaries must be filed with the Canada Revenue Agency and distributed to recipients by the last day of February following the calendar year they cover. Late filing draws a graduated penalty based on slip count and days late, with a $100 minimum and a $7,500 maximum.
When are T4 and T5 slips due?
By the last day of February following the calendar year. The same date governs both filing with the CRA and delivering copies to employees and recipients — a firm that files on time but distributes late has still missed an obligation.
Where the last day of February falls on a weekend or public holiday, the next business day applies. Compute that date each year rather than carrying it forward.
| Filing | Applies to | Filing deadline | Payment | If it is late |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T4, T4A and T5 information returns | Every employer (T4), payers of pensions, annuities and fees for services (T4A), and payers of investment income (T5). | File the slips and summary with the CRA and distribute copies to recipients by the last day of February following the calendar year. Where that date falls on a weekend or public holiday, the next business day applies — compute the shifted date rather than assuming it. | Not applicable | A graduated late-filing penalty based on the number of slips and days late: a minimum of $100 and a maximum of $7,500, on a per-day scale that rises by tier. It is not a flat per-slip amount. |
What T4 preparation needs from December payroll
Everything that will appear on the slip has to be settled before the payroll year closes: taxable benefits, automobile standby charges, bonuses paid in the year, and any adjustments. January is reconciliation month, not data-entry month.
T5s: dividends and the paper trail
A T5 reports investment income including dividends paid by a private corporation to its shareholders. The slip should follow a directors' resolution declaring the dividend — the resolution is the documentation the slip rests on, and reconstructing it a year later is unpleasant.
What is the penalty for late slips?
A graduated penalty scaled by the number of slips and the number of days late, with a minimum of $100 and a maximum of $7,500. It is not a flat per-slip amount, and the tiers rise steeply — which is why a firm with several payroll clients should not treat February as a soft deadline.
Frequently asked questions
When are T4 slips due in Canada?
T4 slips and the T4 summary must be filed with the CRA and given to employees by the last day of February following the calendar year they cover. Where that date falls on a weekend or public holiday, the next business day is treated as on time.
Are T5 slips due on the same date as T4s?
Yes. T4, T4A and T5 information returns all share the last-day-of-February deadline for filing with the CRA and distributing copies to recipients.
What is the penalty for filing slips late?
The CRA applies a graduated late-filing penalty based on the number of slips and how many days late the return is, with a minimum of $100 and a maximum of $7,500. It is calculated on a per-day scale that rises by slip-count tier, not as a flat amount per slip.
Do I need to file slips electronically?
The CRA requires electronic filing above a specified number of information returns, and the threshold has been reduced in recent years. Confirm the current threshold on the CRA's information-returns page before slip season, because filing on paper above the threshold carries its own penalty.
What if a slip was wrong?
File an amended slip. Amending is routine and far better than leaving an incorrect slip on file, since the recipient's return will be matched against what the CRA holds. Keep a record of what changed and why, alongside the original.
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