Can I File a Nil T2 Late Without a Penalty?
$300.00 Plus HST Per Tax Year
We are a registered EFILE electronic filer. Your return is transmitted to the Canada Revenue Agency electronically.
Written and reviewed by Sharad Gondaliya, CPA (Ontario), CPA Ontario Membership 61040184.
A true nil return carries no percentage late-filing penalty, because that penalty is a percentage of tax owing and the corporation owes $0.00. The unfiled year still stays open forever, invites a demand to file, blocks dissolution, and costs a non-resident-owned corporation $25.00 per day.
Can I File a Nil T2 Late Without a Penalty?
| What applies | Figure |
|---|---|
| Percentage late-filing penalty on a true nil return | $0.00 |
| Tax owing on a true nil return | $0.00 |
| How long the unfiled year stays open | Until it is filed |
| Non-resident-owned corporation penalty | $25.00 per day, to $2,500.00 |
| Fee per tax year | $300.00 plus HST |
A true nil return carries no percentage late-filing penalty, because that penalty is a percentage of tax owing and the corporation owes $0.00. The unfiled year still stays open forever, invites a demand to file and an arbitrary assessment, blocks a clearance certificate and dissolution, and costs a non-resident-owned corporation $25.00 per day up to $2,500.00.
The distinction matters because the common late-filing charge is calculated on tax owing. Where there is no tax owing there is nothing for that percentage to apply to, which is not the same as the year being closed or the filing being optional.
Filing a Nil Return
This service is for a corporation with no activity in the tax year. A corporation with investment income, rental income, or dividends paid or received is not nil.
We are a registered EFILE electronic filer. Your return is transmitted to the Canada Revenue Agency electronically, and your CRA confirmation is emailed within 3 business days. You sign Form T183CORP before we transmit. The fee is $300.00 plus HST per tax year. See the full nil T2 filing cost, every T2 filing deadline, and catch-up nil T2 filing for outstanding years.
For the whole subject in one place, see the complete guide to the nil T2 return.
Related Questions
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- What happens if ignoring a demand
Last reviewed: October 19, 2026