What your NOA shows, how to read it, refund vs balance owing, RRSP room, and what to do if you disagree with the CRA's assessment.
The Notice of Assessment (NOA) is the official document the CRA sends after processing your income tax return. It confirms what the CRA calculated as your income, deductions, tax payable, and any refund or balance owing — and it may differ from what you reported. Every Canadian tax filer should understand how to read their NOA and know the deadlines for challenging it if necessary.
For returns filed electronically via NETFILE, the CRA typically processes the return and issues an NOA within 2 weeks. For paper returns, processing takes 8–12 weeks. If you've registered for online mail in CRA My Account, you'll receive an email notification when your NOA is ready — no waiting for Canada Post. For direct deposit filers, the refund usually deposits at the same time the NOA is issued.
The top of your NOA shows the tax year being assessed, the date of the notice, and a summary of key results. Look for your total income (Line 15000), net income (Line 23600), taxable income (Line 26000), total payable (Line 43500), total credits (Line 48200), and the result: refund (Line 48400) or balance owing (Line 48500). Also note your NETFILE access code in the top-right corner — you'll need this to file next year.
If the CRA changed anything from what you reported, this section explains what was changed and why. Common CRA adjustments include: correcting math errors, disallowing claimed deductions where documentation was lacking, adjusting RRSP deductions based on your actual contribution room, or applying federal programs you were eligible for but didn't claim (like the GST/HST credit). If the CRA made changes, review them carefully and compare to your original return.
This critical section shows your RRSP contribution room for the following year. It includes your 2025 RRSP deduction limit, any unused RRSP deduction room carried forward, and your pension adjustment (if applicable). The final "RRSP deduction limit" number at the bottom is the maximum you can contribute to your RRSP and deduct in 2026. Keep this number — it's essential for retirement planning.
If you've made withdrawals from your RRSP under the Home Buyers' Plan (HBP) or Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP), this section tracks your outstanding repayment obligations. It shows the total withdrawn, amounts repaid so far, and the minimum repayment required for the coming year. Failing to make the minimum repayment adds that amount back to your income.
A refund means you overpaid taxes during the year — either through payroll deductions, tax instalments, or source withholdings that exceeded your actual tax liability. The CRA will issue your refund by direct deposit (if set up) within 2 weeks of the NOA, or by cheque within 4–6 weeks. Refunds are not interest-bearing — the CRA does not pay you interest for overpayment unless you file a Taxpayer Relief request for an egregiously delayed refund.
A balance owing means your withholdings or instalments during the year fell short of your actual tax liability. Payment was due April 30, 2026 (for the 2025 tax year). If you're receiving your NOA after April 30 and owe taxes, interest at the prescribed rate has been accruing since May 1. Pay through your bank's bill payment (payee: "CRA") or through CRA My Account as soon as possible to minimize interest.
The CRA processes most returns as filed (called a "nil assessment" — the CRA accepts your return without changes). However, the CRA also conducts pre-assessment reviews and post-assessment reviews on a random and risk-based sample of returns. If your NOA shows changes from what you filed, the CRA will explain the adjustment.
Common adjustments include:
If you believe the CRA made an error in your assessment, you have the right to file a Notice of Objection. The deadline is the later of: 90 days from the date of the NOA, or one year after the normal filing deadline for that tax year (April 30 or June 15). For a 2025 NOA received in May 2026, your objection deadline is approximately August 2026 (90 days from the NOA date).
You can file a Notice of Objection:
After filing an objection, the CRA's Appeals division reviews your case independently of the original assessor. They may uphold the assessment, vary it, or vacate it entirely. If you're unsatisfied with the Appeals outcome, you can appeal to the Tax Court of Canada — though this is a formal legal proceeding and typically warrants professional representation.
If you made an error on your return (forgot to claim a deduction, entered a slip incorrectly), you can request a T1 adjustment rather than filing a formal objection. T1 adjustments can be filed for any of the past 10 years. You can request a T1 adjustment online through CRA My Account ("Change my return") or by submitting Form T1-ADJ. Include supporting documents. The CRA will issue an amended NOA (called a Notice of Reassessment) after processing.
The RRSP deduction limit statement on your NOA is the authoritative source for your contribution room. For the 2025 tax year assessed in 2026, the statement shows your room available for 2026 contributions. This includes:
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