DTC: responding to a CRA request for more information
What to check before you send anything to the CRA
The CRA asked for more information while your DTC application is under review? Here is who receives the letter and how to respond.
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A letter from the CRA while your Disability Tax Credit application is still under review is not a refusal. It is a request for something the agency needs before it can decide. This guide covers that specific moment: an application already filed, still open, and waiting on information. It is not about applying for the first time or challenging a decision.
What does a CRA request for more information actually mean?
It means the CRA cannot finish assessing your file with what it has. The agency bases its decision on the information provided by the medical practitioner, so a gap in that record stops the review. The letter carries a reference number and instructions telling you what to do next.
Most gaps are narrow. A question about how an impairment affects daily activities, how long the effects have lasted, or which period the application covers can be enough to hold up an assessment. Rather than deciding on an incomplete file, the agency asks.
The CRA page on review and decision also sets out what comes after: a notice of determination, sent by mail, carries the actual decision. Until that notice arrives, nothing has been decided either way.
Who gets the letter, you or your medical practitioner?
Both happen. The CRA may send the medical practitioner a letter asking for more information, such as documents supporting your application. It may also contact you directly through your CRA account or by mail. Read the letter to confirm who it addresses before you gather anything.
That difference decides your role. When the request goes to a clinic, your job is mostly to confirm it arrived and agree on who prepares the response. When it comes to you, you are the one assembling and sending what was asked for. Our guide to the role of medical practitioners in a DTC application covers that side of the file in more detail.
| Who the letter reaches | What is usually requested | Useful first move |
|---|---|---|
| The medical practitioner | Clarification of the certified information, or documents supporting the application | Contact the clinic, confirm receipt and agree on who drafts the reply |
| You, through your CRA account or by mail | Information or documents you hold yourself | Read the instructions and note the reference number before collecting anything |
| A representative on file | The same, within whatever authorization actually exists | Check the scope of that authorization before they answer on your behalf |
What should you check in the letter first?
Find the reference number, the exact questions asked, the submission instructions and any deadline the letter states. Then collect only what was requested. Anything that calls for clinical judgment belongs with the medical practitioner, not with you, and a partial answer usually costs more time than it saves.
It also helps to place the letter correctly. A request for information, a notice of determination and a refusal you want to challenge are three different stages, and mixing them up leads people to prepare the wrong response.
| What arrived | What it means | What it asks of you |
|---|---|---|
| Request for more information | The review is open and something is missing | Answer the specific questions through the channel named in the letter |
| Notice of determination | The CRA has decided and is telling you the outcome | Read which years are covered before doing anything else |
| A decision you disagree with | The file has been assessed and refused | A different process applies, described in our guide to appealing a denied DTC application |
How do you send the requested documents?
Follow the instructions in the letter. Since July 14, 2026, the submit documents section of a CRA account is no longer the route for DTC applications, with one exception: information the CRA specifically requested on an existing case. A clarification letter puts you inside that exception.
The CRA notice on speeding up DTC applications describes that change and confirms that the letter itself supplies the instructions and the case reference number to use when sending documents.
Inside submit documents online, you enter that case number, attach the requested files, add a short description and confirm. Each file needs a unique name. PDF and JPG are among the accepted formats, and the limits shown on screen are the ones that govern. Size and file-count ceilings published for other CRA review programs do not carry over to the DTC.
| Channel | When it applies | What to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Submit documents, inside your CRA account | When the letter requested information and gave you a case number | The confirmation number shown after the upload |
| Mail, to the address named in the letter | When paper is requested, or the online service is not available to you | A complete copy of everything mailed |
| Telephone | To clarify a question or check status, not to transmit documents | The date of the call and what was discussed |
After you send: tracking and timelines
Keep the confirmation number. The CRA states that a submission appears in the history table within 24 hours. That confirms delivery and nothing more. It says nothing about whether the answer satisfied the reviewer or whether you qualify.
You can follow progress in your CRA account or through the processing times tool. The agency warns that missing information can make the review take longer, which is the practical argument for answering every question in the letter the first time.
For questions about the request itself, the CRA directs you to the official who asked for the documents. The DTC contact page covers account, telephone and mail. Do not assume email or fax will be accepted.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to respond to a CRA request?
No single published deadline applies to every DTC information request. Your letter governs. If it states a date, work to that date. If it states none, or you cannot meet it, contact the CRA official who made the request instead of waiting silently. Any extension is at the agency's discretion.
Does a request for information mean my application will be denied?
No. It is a step in the review, not a decision. The CRA communicates decisions through a notice of determination sent by mail. Until that notice arrives, the file remains open, and answering the questions completely is the most direct way to move it forward.
Can I still use submit documents for the DTC?
Yes, when the CRA specifically requested information on a case already open. Since July 14, 2026, that section is no longer the way to send a new DTC application or unsolicited supporting documents. Use the case reference number printed in your letter when you upload the requested material.
What if the letter went to my doctor instead of me?
The CRA may write to the medical practitioner for clarification or supporting documents. In that case, confirm the clinic received it and agree on who prepares and sends the response. Clinical questions belong to the practitioner. You should not answer them yourself or suggest wording for the certified information.
What file types and sizes does the CRA accept?
Each file needs a unique name and a short description, and PDF and JPG are among the accepted formats. Follow the limits displayed in the service when you upload. Size and file-count rules published for other CRA review programs are not DTC rules and should not be applied here.
How do I confirm the CRA received my documents?
Keep the confirmation number displayed after you submit. The CRA states that the submission appears in the history table within 24 hours. To check whether anything is still outstanding after that, follow the file in your CRA account or contact the official who requested the documents.
Where REEI.ca fits around a DTC file
An information request is settled directly with the CRA, following the instructions in your letter. REEI.ca does not send documents on your behalf and does not take part in a review that is already underway.
Our resources are useful on either side of that decision: understanding the Disability Tax Credit itself, then deciding whether a Registered Disability Savings Plan makes sense once eligibility is confirmed. For a child, you can view REEI.ca's eligibility questionnaire.
