Form T1213, Request to Reduce Tax Deductions at Source, asks the CRA to let your employer or payer deduct less income tax from your pay because you have deductions or credits that aren't on your TD1. Common reasons are RRSP contributions, child care expenses, support payments and employment expenses. If the CRA approves, your employer or payer is authorized to deduct less, so more of your refund arrives during the year instead of after you file.
It's the Canadian answer to the question, why wait a year for my refund? Everything below comes from the CRA's T1213 page and the 2026 version of the form, and it's current as of October 2026.
T1213 vs TD1: which one you need
The TD1 is the personal tax credits return your employer already uses to set your deductions. The T1213 covers everything the TD1 doesn't, and it goes to the CRA, not your employer, because the CRA has to check that the deduction will produce a refund based on your income for the year before it approves anything.
What you can ask the CRA to take into account
| Line | Deduction or credit | What to attach |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RRSP contributions | Details or a copy of the payment arrangement; not contributions your employer already deducts from your pay |
| 2 | Child care expenses | Details on a separate sheet or Form T778 |
| 3 | Support payments | Court order or written agreement, Form T1158 if not filed before, and the recipient's name and SIN |
| 4 | Employment expenses | Form T2200 and Form T777 |
| 5 | Carrying charges and interest on investment loans | Lender statements confirming the purpose, amount and interest |
| 6 | Medical expenses | A list of the expenses and amounts |
| 7 | Donations | A list of the registered charities or other qualified donees and amounts |
| 8 | Clergy residence | Form T1223 |
| 9 | RPP buy-back for past service | Past service pension adjustment certification where needed |
| 10 | Foreign tax credit | Form T2209 or a letter with the calculation |
| 11 | Other deductions or credits, such as moving expenses or carried-forward tuition | All supporting documents |
| 12 | Other income with no tax deducted, such as interest, net rental or self-employment income | Details |
Line 12 is the one people overlook. If you have other income with no tax taken off it, the CRA weighs it against your deductions, so the reduction you're approved for reflects your whole year, not just your job.
Before you send it
- You must have filed your returns for previous years and had them assessed by the CRA.
- You must have paid any amounts you owe in full.
- You have to make the request every year, because the CRA reviews each deduction against that year's income.
- The one exception: if your deductible support payments stay the same or go up, you can make the request every two years, by giving a form for each year.
- Don't use the T1213 for old age security recovery tax. That has its own form, T1213(OAS).
Working in a different province
Part 2 asks whether you're asking for a reduction because you work in a different province or territory from the one you live in. If the answer is yes, you enter the province or territory you worked in and go straight to the certification in Part 4, skipping the deductions in Part 3.
How to fill in and send the T1213
- Part 1: your name, SIN, address and phone, and your employer or payer's name and contact person.
- Part 2: whether the reduction is on salary or a lump sum, such as a bonus or vacation pay. For a lump-sum RRSP contribution of unknown size, enter what you expect to contribute, without going over your RRSP deduction limit.
- Part 3: the amounts on lines 1 to 12, with the supporting documents for each.
- Part 4: sign the certification.
- Send it online through My Account or Represent a Client using the submit documents service, or by mail or fax to the Sudbury Tax Centre. Keep the originals of your supporting documents.
Why T1213 requests get held up
- Incomplete forms. The CRA asks you to fill in all 4 parts and warns that gaps may cause processing delays.
- Missing attachments. Each line has its own paperwork, from the support order to Form T2209, and a line without it can't be approved.
- Last year's return isn't assessed yet, or there's a balance owing.
- Handing the form to your employer instead of sending it to the CRA. The form is a request for the CRA to authorize your employer or payer, so nothing changes in your pay until the CRA has approved it.
Is it worth it?
For a one-off deduction you'll claim anyway, the gain is only timing. For a regular commitment, such as monthly RRSP contributions, support payments or steady employment expenses, it's a real improvement to cash flow, because the refund you'd otherwise wait for shows up in each pay. The cost is a form and a bundle of documents each year.
The verdict
If you know you'll get a sizeable refund every year from the same deductions, file a T1213 early in the year and let your pay reflect it. Make sure last year's return is assessed and anything owed is paid first, attach the right paperwork for each line, and diarise it for next year, because approval doesn't roll over.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form T1213 used for?
It asks the CRA to authorize your employer or payer to deduct less tax at source because of deductions or credits that aren't on your TD1.
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What can I include on a T1213?
RRSP contributions, child care expenses, support payments, employment expenses, investment carrying charges, medical expenses, donations, clergy residence, RPP buy-backs, foreign tax credits and other deductions or credits.
Do I need to file a T1213 every year?
Yes, in general. If your deductible support payments stay the same or increase, you can make the request every two years by giving a form for each year.
Where do I send Form T1213?
Online through My Account or Represent a Client using the submit documents service, or by mail or fax to the Sudbury Tax Centre.
Can I use T1213 to reduce OAS recovery tax?
No. Use Form T1213(OAS) for old age security recovery tax.
What has to be true before I send a T1213?
Your returns for previous years must be filed and assessed, and any amounts you owe must be paid in full.
