NETFILE error codes: what the number in your tax software means
NETFILE error codes are the CRA's reasons for refusing a return sent from tax software. See what each common code means, which list defines it and how to resend.
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Read the full guide: NETFILE Error Codes: What Your Tax Software Error Means
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NETFILE error codes: what the number in your tax software means
NETFILE error codes are numbers the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) sends back to certified tax software when it refuses a return filed through NETFILE.
2026 NETFILE window: February 23, 2026 (6:00 a.m. ET) to January 29, 2027.
Initial returns NETFILE accepts in 2026: Tax years 2018 to 2025.
Official CRA code list: RC4018, Chapter 2 EFILE error messages (2018 to 2025).
Two different published lists explain the numbers people see, and they do not use the same numbering.
The table below lists the codes people search for most, the field each one points to and the source that defines it.
A NETFILE return is refused for one of four reasons: identity, formatting, return content or eligibility.
What is a NETFILE confirmation number? It is the code your software shows after the CRA receives your return.
