Eligibility
To get the Disability Tax Credit, you must be disabled in at least 1 of these ways:
- You are blind. (vision video and alternative formats and transcript)
- You are markedly restricted in at least 1 of the basic activities of daily living:
- You are significantly restricted in 2 or more or the basic activities of daily living (can include a vision impairment).
- You need life-sustaining therapy.
To get the Disability Tax Credit, the impairment from your disability must be both:
- ‘prolonged’, which means it has lasted, or is expected to last, for a continuous period of at least 12 months and
- present all, or substantially all (90%) of the time.
You may qualify if your symptoms are recurring or episodic if they are present all or substantially all of the time.
Q & A
How old do I have to be to get the Disability Tax Credit?
There is no age requirement. Children, adults, and seniors can all qualify if they have a severe, prolonged disability. However, there are age requirements for some programs connected to the Disability Tax Credit, such as the Registered Disability Savings Plan.
Tips
Get money back for past years that you were eligible
If you did not know about the Disability Tax Credit in previous ten tax years, you may be able to get some money back. Sometimes this can be as much as $15,000. Approval can take a few months. Start now and get the ball rolling.
Getting the Disability Tax Credit can take time
Your application may take a few months to be approved. Some people with disabilities receive the tax credit easily — others have a harder time. We will go over the process in the ‘How to apply’ section
File your taxes
To get government benefits and credits on your taxes, you must keep your tax filing up to date.