Autism and the Disability Tax Credit

Autism can qualify for the Disability Tax Credit, for children and for adults, when it markedly restricts the mental functions needed for everyday life. The diagnosis isn’t enough on its own; the practitioner describes what daily life looks like. For families, approval is the start of several benefits that run from childhood to middle age.

• $6,032

  Child supplement, 2026

  On top of the $10,341 disability amount, under 18

• $2,292

  Federal credit a year for a child

  Before the provincial credit

• 18

  When the Canada Disability Benefit can start

  Apply up to six months before

• $3,500

  RDSP grant a year at most

  Matching contributions, on top of a bond of up to $1,000

How autistic children and adults qualify

Autism is usually assessed under mental functions necessary for everyday life: adaptive functioning, regulation of behaviour and emotions, verbal and non-verbal comprehension, judgment, problem-solving and the others CRA lists. A medical doctor, nurse practitioner or psychologist can certify it. For a child, the comparison is with children of the same age.

1. Mental functions, with examples

   Adaptive functioning, regulation of behaviour and emotions, verbal and non-verbal comprehension, judgment and problem-solving, as they apply.

2. How often, and despite what

   All or almost all of the time, despite therapy, supports and medication.

3. Other activities, if they apply

   Speaking, feeding, dressing or eliminating can be restricted too. Two significant limitations can add up through the cumulative effect.

4. When it began

   For autism this is often early childhood, which lets CRA adjust up to ten past years.

What approval is worth

Item	Bar	Per year
Child under 18		$2,292
Adult		$1,448

Under 18

credit and child supplement, Child Disability Benefit, RDSP on parents’ income

→

From 18

Canada Disability Benefit, RDSP on own income

→

Until 49

RDSP grants and bonds stop at the end of that year

Keep the approval current at every stage

An approval can be for a set period. Check the dates on your notice of determination before a birthday that changes what the family claims.

• The Child Disability Benefit is paid with the Canada Child Benefit for an eligible child under 18. See CRA’s page.
• An RDSP can be opened as soon as the child is approved, and grants are based on the parents’ income until the year the child turns 18. The RDSP, explained.
• The Canada Disability Benefit starts at 18. You can apply up to six months before the 18th birthday. What it pays.
• In Ontario, ODSP can also be applied for from six months before 18.

Estimate the credit and the past years for your province and the child’s birth year.

Questions people ask

Does autism qualify for the Disability Tax Credit?

It can, for children and adults, when it markedly restricts the mental functions needed for everyday life, or other activities, all or almost all of the time. A practitioner has to certify the effects.

How much is the Disability Tax Credit for an autistic child?

For 2026, 14% of the $10,341 disability amount plus the $6,032 child supplement: about $2,292 a year federally, plus the provincial credit.

Who can fill in the form for autism?

A medical doctor, a nurse practitioner or a psychologist for mental functions; others for specific activities, such as a speech-language pathologist for speaking.

What happens when my child turns 18?

The child supplement stops, the Canada Disability Benefit can start (apply up to six months before), and RDSP grants are based on the young person’s own income from the year they turn 19.

Sources

Checked against these on September 28, 2026. Amounts change every January or July; we recheck them each year.

• CRA Guide RC4064, Disability-Related Information for the mental functions list, life-sustaining therapy and who can certify
• CRA: DTC statistics 2015 to 2024, Table 8 for accepted certificates by category
• CRA: Indexation adjustment for personal income tax and benefit amounts for the $10,341 disability amount and $6,032 child supplement (2026)

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