NETFILE certified software: problems and fixes by product

What does NETFILE certified software mean?

NETFILE certified software is a tax program that has passed the CRA's yearly certification for NETFILE, the CRA service that lets individuals transmit their own T1 income tax and benefit return electronically. The CRA certifies third-party software every tax year and publishes a separate list for each year you can file.

Certification means the program produces a return file the CRA's systems will read. It does not mean the CRA recommends the product. The CRA states that companies whose products are certified are not its representatives, and that using the software is the responsibility of the user and the developer.

NETFILE is for people filing their own return or a family member's. EFILE is a different channel used by paid tax preparers and transmitters, and it has its own error list. Keep that split in mind when you look up a code, because the same number can mean different things on each list.

Which tax software is NETFILE certified for 2025 returns?

As of September 2026, the CRA's certified software page lists 17 products for the 2025 tax year, the returns people filed in spring 2026. Most developers on the list are also certified for earlier years back to 2018, but check the list for the year you are filing before you buy or install anything.

Is there NETFILE certified software that is free?

Yes. On the 2025 list the CRA marks Better Tax and GenuTax Standard as free, and Wealthsimple Tax as free with optional paid services. Most of the others are free only if you meet the developer's own conditions, such as modest income, a simple return or first-time filing. UFile, for example, says returns with total family income of $20,000 or less (line 15000) are free.

Why does NETFILE certification matter when your software fails?

Certification is tied to a specific tax year and a specific version. A program that was certified last spring cannot NETFILE this year's return until the developer ships the new edition and the CRA certifies it. That is why a desktop product often refuses to transmit until you install its latest update. UFile's own help notes that UFile for Windows users must download the latest update before they can NETFILE.

Certification can also be pulled back and restored mid-season. In the 2025 season, Wealthsimple reported that the CRA re-certified Wealthsimple Tax after changes to the CPP and QPP Schedule 8 forms, and that CRA errors 90308 and 95031 were fixed with those Schedule 8 updates on June 3, 2025. Several products showed the same codes at the time, which pointed to a CRA-side cause rather than a single app.

If your program is not on the current list at all, it cannot NETFILE. You can still print the return and mail it to the CRA.

Common problems by product

This site covers the certified products Canadians search for most. The table and the product notes below point to the page that deals with each symptom.

Wealthsimple Tax

Wealthsimple Tax runs only in a browser or the Wealthsimple app, so most failures are browser settings, blocked pop-ups or a CRA response at submission. Start with Wealthsimple Tax not working for loading, saving and submit errors. For missing slips or the CRA sign-in window, see Wealthsimple Tax Auto-fill not working. Moving over from Intuit's product is covered in importing from TurboTax into Wealthsimple Tax.

UFile

UFile comes as UFile ONLINE in the browser and UFile for Windows on your own computer, and the two fail in different ways. UFile not working covers sign-in, loading and CRA connection problems. Rejection messages and numbered codes are sorted on the UFile error codes page.

StudioTax and GenuTax

Both are downloadable Windows programs, so trouble usually starts with installing the new edition or with an outdated build that is no longer certified. See StudioTax not working. GenuTax users should confirm they have the edition for the right tax year before trying to transmit.

TurboTax Canada and H&R Block Canada

These have their own cluster on this site because of their activation codes, desktop installs and account sign-in steps. The NETFILE codes they display come from the same CRA systems as every other product.

When does each product's new edition come out?

No developer can NETFILE 2026 returns until the CRA opens NETFILE for the 2027 season, and as of September 2026 the CRA has not announced that date. It usually announces it in January or February. For comparison, NETFILE and ReFILE opened on Monday, February 23, 2026 at 6:00 a.m. Eastern for 2025 returns.

Most certified products release the new edition before NETFILE opens so you can prepare the return early, then enable transmission once certification is in place. Watch for product-specific release notes; our UFile release date page tracks UFile's timing.

Is the problem your software or the CRA?

A problem is almost certainly on the CRA side when the message quotes the CRA, when it appears in more than one product, or when it happens at the moment of transmission after the return passed the program's own review. A problem is on the software side when the program will not open, will not save, or flags errors before it lets you reach the submit screen.

• Busy or down CRA servers: Wealthsimple says its message There was a problem submitting your return usually means the CRA's servers are busy, and UFile says a closed-connection message may mean the CRA servers are down. Wait a few hours and try again.
• Identity mismatch: a code saying your details do not match CRA records, such as N1 in several products, means your name, SIN, date of birth or date of entry differs from what the CRA holds. Every certified program will get the same answer until the data matches.
• Locked NETFILE access: repeated rejected attempts can lock NETFILE for you in every program. UFile says this happens after five rejections. Only the CRA can lift that lock.
• Auto-fill gaps: slips the CRA has not yet processed will not import in any product, whatever the app.

Error numbers are another trap. The NETFILE code a program shows can differ from the numbering in the CRA's EFILE error chapter for tax preparers, so note which list defines the code before acting on it. The NETFILE error codes hub explains the codes the CRA returns to consumer software.

Where can I get help with my Canadian tax software?

Start with the developer, because only the developer can see your account, your payment and your software version. Wealthsimple runs a help centre at help.wealthsimple.com, and UFile's help centre is at ufile.ca/help. The CRA's certified software page links to each developer's site.

Go to the CRA instead when the issue is your CRA My Account, a locked NETFILE account, your NETFILE access code, or the status of a return already accepted. Software support cannot reset any of those.

1. Write down the exact message and any code number, and note whether it appeared before or after you pressed submit.
2. Check whether the program version matches the tax year you are filing.
3. Try one more submission at most. Repeated attempts on the same error can lock NETFILE.
4. If the fault is on the CRA side and the deadline is close, print the return and mail it rather than waiting.