T1044: The Non-Profit Organization Information Return in Canada

Everything here comes from the T1044 form (T1044 E (23)), its CRA page and Guide T4117, as of October 2026.

Who has to file T1044

Test	File T1044 if
Investment income	Taxable dividends, interest, rentals or royalties received or receivable totalled more than $10,000 in the fiscal period
Assets	Total assets at book value were more than $200,000 at the end of the immediately preceding fiscal period
History	The organization filed a T1044 for any earlier fiscal period

Registered charities, registered Canadian amateur athletic associations and registered national arts service organizations don't file it. Nor do corporations operating only to provide low-cost housing for the aged, which are exempt under a different paragraph.

The once-filed, always-filed rule

This is the rule that surprises treasurers. Once an organization has filed a T1044 for a fiscal period, it must file for all later periods while it stays an NPO, regardless of its revenue or assets in those years. The guide's example: an NPO with $350,000 of assets and $7,000 of rent last year falls to $198,000 and $3,500 this year, and still has to file, now and in the future.

Why condo corporations end up filing

Guide T4117 notes that most residential condominium corporations qualify as non-profit organizations under paragraph 149(1)(l), because they're usually run for a purpose other than profit. With reserve funds and buildings, many cross the $200,000 assets test, which makes T1044 a routine annual filing for condo boards.

What counts as an NPO

An NPO under 149(1)(l) is a club, society or association that isn't a charity and is organized and operated solely for social welfare, civic improvement, pleasure or recreation, or any other purpose except profit. None of its income can be payable to or available for the personal benefit of a member, except where the member is a club promoting amateur athletics in Canada. It doesn't have to register to be tax-exempt, and it can't issue donation receipts.

What the return asks

• Part 1: identification, fiscal period, business number and any T3 trust number, and whether it's the final return.
• Part 2: amounts received, lines 100 to 107, from membership dues and government grants to investment income, sales, gifts and other receipts.
• Part 3: assets and liabilities at the end of the period, lines 108 to 119.
• Part 4: remuneration and benefits paid to all employees and officers on line 120, and to those who are members on line 121, including salaries, directors' fees, trips and housing loan benefits.
• Part 5: the organization's activities, whether any happen outside Canada, and a mission statement if it's the first T1044.
• Parts 6 and 7: where the books are kept and an authorized officer's certification.

Deadline and penalties

The return is due no later than six months after the end of the fiscal period. A late return costs $25 a day, with a minimum of $100 and a maximum of $2,500 for each failure, as of October 2026. The CRA can waive penalties for extraordinary circumstances beyond your control; include a letter with the late return explaining why. You'll only get a notice of assessment if a penalty is charged.

T1044 is often not the only return

• A corporation generally has to file a T2 corporation return even if it's an NPO.
• If the organization's main purpose is to provide dining, recreational or sporting facilities, its property is deemed held by a trust, and a T3 return must be filed for income from property and taxable capital gains.
• Keep the business number consistent across every return, and use My Business Account to track them.

Counting the $10,000 the CRA's way

The investment income test uses gross figures, and that's where organizations get it wrong. Guide T4117 works through a tennis association that received $2,000 of interest, $2,200 of Canadian dividends, $500 of foreign dividends with $120 withheld at source, $6,200 of rent and $3,350 of royalties. It reports $14,370 on line 102: foreign dividends go in before the tax withheld, at $620, and rent goes in at the full $6,200 even though the related expenses were $3,600. That's over $10,000, so it files, as of October 2026.

Agricultural organizations and chambers of commerce

Under 149(1)(e), an agricultural organization is one run to advance agriculture, improve the conditions of people in agriculture, raise the grade or quality of their work, or make their occupations more efficient. A board of trade or chamber of commerce is generally an association promoting local commercial interests. Both file T1044 under the same tests as an NPO.

The verdict

Check the two tests every year end: more than $10,000 of investment income, or more than $200,000 of assets at the end of last year. If either was ever met, assume you file every year from now on. Diarise six months after year end, because the $25 a day penalty runs whether or not any tax is due.

Frequently asked questions

Who has to file a T1044?

An NPO or 149(1)(e) organization with more than $10,000 of taxable dividends, interest, rentals or royalties, more than $200,000 of assets at the end of the previous year, or a T1044 filed for an earlier year.

When is the T1044 due?

No later than six months after the end of the organization's fiscal period.

What is the penalty for filing T1044 late?

$25 per day late, with a minimum of $100 and a maximum of $2,500 for each failure to file, as of October 2026.

Do condo corporations file T1044?

Most residential condominium corporations qualify as NPOs, so they file when they meet the income or assets test or have filed before.

Do registered charities file T1044?

No. Registered charities, registered Canadian amateur athletic associations and registered national arts service organizations don't have to file T1044.

Does rental income count at gross or net for T1044?

Gross. Guide T4117 reports the total rental receipts on line 102 without deducting the related rental expenses.