The T5008 slip, Statement of Securities Transactions, is the slip a trader, dealer or financial institution sends you after you sell, redeem or otherwise dispose of securities. It shows what you received in box 21 and, usually, a cost or book value in box 20. You use it to work out your capital gain or loss, but box 20 may not be your adjusted cost base, so check it before you file.
The slip lands in early spring, and it's easy to copy straight onto a return without a second look. Everything below comes from the CRA's T5008 pages for filers, which also show what each box means for you, and it's current as of October 2026.
The boxes that matter most
| Box | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Box 13 | Foreign currency code, if amounts are reported in a foreign currency rather than Canadian dollars |
| Box 14 | Settlement date (month and day); 1231 if transactions are aggregated for the year |
| Box 15 | Type code of the securities |
| Box 16 | Quantity of securities |
| Box 17 | Description, for example shares of a named corporation or a treasury bill |
| Box 18 | ISIN or CUSIP number |
| Box 19 | Face amount, for bonds and other debt |
| Box 20 | Cost or book value of the securities |
| Box 21 | Proceeds of disposition or settlement amount |
| Boxes 22 to 24 | Securities received on settlement, used only when their value can't readily be determined |
Why box 20 isn't always your ACB
This is the insight that saves people from paying tax twice. The CRA defines cost or book value as the total paid to buy a security, including transaction charges, adjusted for reinvested distributions, returns of capital and corporate reorganizations. The filer is expected to take reasonable measures to get it right, but the CRA says plainly that the figure may or may not reflect your adjusted cost base.
So if you moved shares between brokers, bought the same security in more than one account, or received shares in a reorganization, box 20 can be wrong or blank. Your return needs your ACB, worked out across all your identical holdings, not just the number on the slip.
What box 21 includes and leaves out
- Box 21 is the total proceeds received or credited to you. Expenses aren't deducted from it.
- Accrued interest on a bond sold before maturity isn't in box 21. It's reported on a T5 slip instead.
- Box 21 can be negative only for futures and option contracts.
- The CRA example: a $10,000 treasury bill sold before maturity for $9,500 shows 9,500 in box 21 and 10,000 in box 19.
Selling costs such as commissions can be deducted as outlays and expenses on Schedule 3 when you work out the gain, which is why the slip shows proceeds without them.
How to use your T5008 on your return
- Gather every T5008 for the year, and check whether your broker also sent a summary with the same trades.
- For each sale, confirm the proceeds in box 21 and the settlement date in box 14.
- Replace box 20 with your own adjusted cost base where it differs.
- Report each disposition on Schedule 3 with proceeds, ACB and outlays and expenses to arrive at the gain or loss.
- Report any interest from the same securities from your T5 slip, not from the T5008.
Deadlines and the Quebec twist
Filers must send you two copies of the slip on or before the last day of February following the year, and can send it electronically only if you've consented in writing or by email. Since the 2021 tax year, institutions can send Quebec residents a combined T5008/RL-18 slip, and the CRA notes the transactions to report start from page 3, so read past the cover pages.
If you hold securities abroad with a total cost above the reporting threshold, the T5008 doesn't replace Form T1135, which reports specified foreign property separately.
Share exchanges and section 85 rollovers
Sometimes you receive securities rather than cash, for example in an exchange or conversion. Filers use boxes 22 to 24 only when they can't reasonably determine the fair market value of what you received; otherwise the value goes in box 21. For section 85 and 85.1 transactions, box 21 is left blank, box 22 shows SHS, box 23 the number of shares received, and box 24 says Section 85 or Section 85.1.
If you see those codes, the slip isn't telling you about a sale for cash. It's flagging an exchange of property for shares, so check the transaction details before you report anything from it.
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Things filers do that confuse investors
- Joint accounts: only one T5008 is issued per transaction, with both owners' names on lines 1 and 2, and the SIN of the first-named owner only.
- Registered plans: when a transaction is made in trust for an individual, such as a self-directed RRSP, the individual's SIN doesn't go in box 12.
- Foreign currency: if box 13 is blank on a paper return, the CRA treats the amounts as Canadian dollars.
- A missing SIN can cost the filer a $100 penalty each time, which is why brokers chase you for it.
The verdict
Treat the T5008 as a record of what you sold and what you received, and treat box 20 as a hint, not a fact. Work out your own ACB, especially for anything bought in pieces, moved between brokers or caught up in a merger. Get that right and the slip does its job; copy box 20 blindly and you may report a gain you never made.
Frequently asked questions
What is a T5008 slip?
It's the Statement of Securities Transactions, issued by traders, dealers and financial institutions to report securities you disposed of in the year.
Is box 20 on the T5008 the same as my ACB?
Not necessarily. The CRA says the cost or book value in box 20 may or may not reflect your ACB, so you may need to adjust it.
When should I receive my T5008?
Filers must send it on or before the last day of February following the calendar year.
Where do I report a T5008 on my return?
You use the proceeds, your adjusted cost base and any outlays to report each disposition on Schedule 3.
Does box 21 include accrued interest?
No. Accrued interest on a debt obligation is reported on a T5 slip, not in box 21.
Why did I get a T5008/RL-18 slip?
Since the 2021 tax year, institutions can send Quebec residents one consolidated T5008/RL-18 slip, with transactions starting from page 3.
