Form RC66 is the CRA's paper application for the Canada child benefit (CCB). The same application is used to check your eligibility for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, which replaced the GST/HST credit name, and related provincial and territorial programs. Only the person primarily responsible for the child's care should file it, and you shouldn't file it if you've already applied online or through the birth registration.
The details below come from the 2026 version of Form RC66 and its CRA form page, as of October 2026.
Should you use RC66 at all?
Many parents never need the paper form. Don't send RC66 if you already applied using My Account on the CRA website, or if you gave consent on your province or territory's birth registration form for the Automated Benefits Application. That service covers every province and territory except Nunavut. Applying twice can delay your payments.
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| New baby, consent given at birth registration (outside Nunavut) | Nothing more: don't file RC66 |
| Already applied in My Account | Don't file RC66 |
| Starting a shared-custody arrangement | RC66 can be used |
| Newcomer with children who meets the CCB rules | RC66, plus Form RC66SCH |
| Newcomer arriving with children | The CRA now points newcomers to Form RC151 for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit on arrival |
Who can sign the application
Only the person primarily responsible for the care and upbringing of the child can apply. That means supervising daily activities and needs, making sure medical needs are met and arranging child care when it's needed.
When a child lives with a female parent, she's usually considered primarily responsible. The CRA calls this the female presumption, and it's in the Income Tax Act. If the other parent in the home is in fact primarily responsible, they can apply, but they must attach a signed letter from the female parent saying so for all the children in the household. If the child lives with same-sex parents, only one parent applies for all the children in the home. Whichever parent receives the CCB, the amount is the same.
The six steps on the form
- Your information: your SIN, or a temporary tax number if you can't get one.
- Your address, including whether you moved from another province or territory in the last 12 months.
- Your marital status and the date it started, plus your spouse or partner's details.
- Citizenship: if you or your spouse haven't been Canadian citizens for the last 12 months, you also fill out Form RC66SCH.
- Newcomer or returning resident: if either of you became a newcomer, or came back after an absence of at least six months, in the last two years, you also fill out RC66SCH.
- Information about each child, including proof of birth if the CRA hasn't paid benefits for that child before.
The marital status definitions that change your payment
Your benefit is based on family net income, so the status you tick matters. Living common-law means living in a conjugal relationship with someone who isn't your married spouse where at least one condition applies, such as living together for at least 12 continuous months, or being the parent of your child. Separated means living apart because of a breakdown in the relationship for at least 90 days. An involuntary separation, such as a partner working away or in hospital, doesn't count as separated.
Shared custody and proof of care
If the child lives with you 40% to 60% of the time and with another individual at a different address the rest of the time, the CRA treats you as being in a shared-custody situation for that child. A week on, week off arrangement is the classic example.
To prove you're primarily responsible, the CRA asks for copies of three documents for the period of your application, such as:
- A letter from the daycare or school showing the child's home address.
- A signed copy of the school registration or emergency contact sheet.
- The child's report card showing their home address.
- A registration form or receipt for an activity or club.
- A signed court order, decree or separation agreement that shows the living arrangements.
After you send it
The CRA's goal is to issue your notice or payment within 11 weeks of receiving a complete paper application, but its form page warns that RC66 applications are currently taking longer, and you can check the status in your CRA account. To keep receiving the CCB you need to do your taxes on time every year, starting with your T1 General, even if you had no income. The same return keeps the old GST/HST credit, now under its new name, flowing too.
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What the CRA sends back
Once your application is processed, you get a CCB notice. It shows whether you're eligible, how much you'll get, if anything, and what information was used to work out the amount. The CRA may also review your situation later to confirm nothing has changed, which is where the proof-of-care documents matter again. For questions, the CRA's benefits line on the form is 1-800-387-1193, or 1-866-426-1527 from Yukon, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut.
The verdict
RC66 is the backup route, not the main one. If you ticked consent at birth registration or applied in My Account, leave it alone. If you do need it, get the marital status date right, attach RC66SCH if you're new to Canada, and send three proof-of-care documents rather than one. Missing documents are the reason the CRA gives for denials and delays.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form RC66 used for?
RC66 is the paper application for the Canada child benefit. The CRA also uses it to work out your eligibility for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit and related provincial and territorial programs.
Do I need RC66 if I applied at my baby's birth registration?
No. Don't fill out RC66 if you gave consent on your provincial or territorial birth registration form, except in Nunavut, or already applied in My Account.
Who should apply for the CCB in a two-parent home?
The person primarily responsible for the child. When the child lives with a female parent, she is usually considered primarily responsible, unless she signs a letter saying the other parent is.
When do I need Form RC66SCH?
When you or your spouse haven't been Canadian citizens for the last 12 months, or became a newcomer or returned after at least six months away in the last two years.
What counts as shared custody for the CCB?
The child lives with you 40% to 60% of the time and with another individual at a different address the rest of the time.
