# NETFILE error code 84: a character in your spouse's name

Source: https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/netfile-errors/netfile-error-code-84
Publisher: Tax Software Desk (taxsoftwaredesk.com), independent editorial site
Topic: NETFILE Error Codes
Last updated: 2026-09-19

> NETFILE error code 84 means the name of your spouse or common-law partner, as entered on your return, contains at least one character the CRA will not accept. The CRA's EFILE error list names three: a period as the first character, a slash (/ or \) and an ampersand (&). Remove the character from the partner's name field and resend.

## Key facts

- Code 84 applies to: Tax years 2018 to 2025 (CRA RC4018 Chapter 2)
- Field involved: Spouse or common-law partner's name
- Characters the CRA names: Leading period, / or \, and &
- Your own name: Same kind of problem is error 44
- 2025 returns NETFILE until: January 29, 2027

## What does NETFILE error code 84 mean?

NETFILE error code 84 is a formatting check on one field: your spouse's or common-law partner's name. The CRA's Electronic Filers Manual (RC4018, Chapter 2) lists error 84 for tax years 2018 to 2025 and says the name must not start with a period and must not contain a slash, whether forward (/) or backward (\), or an ampersand (&).

The problem is never your own return data, your income or your partner's income. It is a single typed string that the CRA's system cannot store. That makes code 84 one of the quickest NETFILE errors to clear once you know where the name sits in your software.

Because the CRA refused the return, it has not been filed. You can correct the name and send the same return again.

## Which characters in a spouse or partner name cause error 84?

Three characters are named by the CRA, and they tend to slip in for ordinary reasons. The examples below are illustrations of each rule, not real taxpayers.

| Entry in the partner name field | Problem | Corrected entry |
| --- | --- | --- |
| .Anne | First character is a period | Anne |
| Anne/Marie | Forward slash | Anne Marie, or the name as it appears on CRA records |
| Tremblay\Roy | Backslash | Tremblay Roy, or the name as recorded |
| J & K Nguyen | Ampersand, often from typing a couple's names together | The partner's own first name only |

Characters the CRA names in error 84, with typical causes

The ampersand case is the most common pattern. Someone copies a household name from a bill or a joint account, such as a line that reads both first names joined by &, into the partner name field. The field is meant for one person: your spouse or partner.

### Why the name field is the only thing that matters

The CRA uses the spouse or partner section to link two returns and to calculate credits and benefits that depend on family income. Enter the name the way the CRA knows your partner, which is normally how it appears on their own notice of assessment.

## How do I fix NETFILE error 84 in my software?

To fix NETFILE error 84, open the section about your marital status and spouse or partner, edit the first and last name fields, and resend.

1. Open the personal information section and go to marital status or spouse and common-law partner details.
2. Look at both the first name and last name fields. Delete any leading period, slash, backslash or ampersand.
3. Check for a stray character at the very start of the field, where a period is easy to miss.
4. If you and your partner file together in one coupled file, open your partner's own profile too, because the name may be stored there and copied into your return.
5. Run the software's review, then send again with NETFILE and keep the confirmation number.

### UFile error 84 and other products

UFile error 84 and the same number in any other certified program point to the same CRA rule, because the software passes along the code the CRA returns. Only the screen name differs. See our page on [UFile NETFILE errors](https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/netfile-errors/ufile-netfile-error) for UFile-specific messages, or the full [NETFILE error codes list](https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/netfile-errors) for other numbers.

If the name came into the return through [Auto-fill my return](https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/netfile-errors/auto-fill-my-return-not-working) or from last year's carried-forward file, edit it after the import. Imported data can be changed like anything you typed.

## Related name and address codes: 44 and 49 to 57

Code 84 belongs to a family of CRA formatting checks. If you fix the partner name and a new code appears, it usually points to your own name or to your mailing address.

| Code | Field | What the CRA says is wrong |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 44 | Your own name | Invalid characters, or the first or last character is not a letter or number |
| 49 | Care of line | At least one invalid character |
| 50 | Street address or US ZIP | Invalid characters, or an invalid US ZIP code |
| 51 | City | At least one invalid character |
| 53 | Province or territory | Not a valid province or territory |
| 57 | City | The city cannot be found in the CRA's database |
| 84 | Spouse or partner name | Leading period, slash or ampersand |

CRA RC4018 formatting errors near code 84

The fix follows the same pattern for each: go to the field, remove punctuation that does not belong, check spelling against official mail you have received, and resend. Error 57 is the exception, since it is about a city name the CRA does not recognize rather than a banned character.

## Resending after NETFILE error code 84

After correcting the name, resend straight away; there is no waiting period. The CRA accepts 2025 returns through NETFILE until January 29, 2027, except during its daily maintenance window from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. Eastern.

If code 84 returns with a name that has no period, slash or ampersand, compare the entry letter by letter with your partner's notice of assessment, and ask your software company's support team to check what the CRA received. When the name is correct and the return still will not go, the CRA says you can print it and mail it.

Other identity checks sometimes appear next, such as [NETFILE error code 21](https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/netfile-errors/netfile-error-code-21) for the access code or [NETFILE error N1](https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/netfile-errors/netfile-error-n1) when your own name and SIN fail authentication.

## Step by step

1. **Open the spouse details.** Go to marital status and spouse or common-law partner information.
2. **Remove banned characters.** Delete any leading period, slash, backslash or ampersand from the first and last name.
3. **Check coupled files.** If you prepare both returns together, fix the name in your partner's profile as well.
4. **Resend.** Run the review, send with NETFILE and save the confirmation number.

## Common questions

### Can a hyphen in my spouse's name cause error 84?

The CRA's description of error 84 names a leading period, slashes and the ampersand, not hyphens. If a hyphenated name is rejected, check for another character and ask your software's support team what the CRA received.

### Does error 84 mean my spouse's SIN is wrong?

No. Error 84 is only about characters in the name. A SIN or identity mismatch shows up under different codes.

### Do I have to fix my spouse's return too?

Only if the same name is stored in their return or in a coupled file you prepare together. Fix it wherever the name appears before resending either return.

### What if I entered 'and' instead of an ampersand?

That avoids the banned character but still puts two people in one field. Enter only your spouse or partner's own name.

### Is error 84 the same in every tax year?

The CRA lists error 84 for tax years 2018 to 2025 with the same meaning, so the fix is the same for any of those returns.

## Sources

- [RC4018 Chapter 2, EFILE error messages for 2018 to 2025](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/publications/rc4018/chapter-2.html)
- [Sending a tax return with certified software](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/income-tax/personal-income-tax/how-file/tax-software/send-return.html)
- [NETFILE eligibility and dates](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/e-services/e-services-individuals/netfile-overview/eligibility.html)