There is no official list of medical conditions that qualify for the Disability Tax Credit. The CRA looks at how a condition affects daily life, not the name of the diagnosis.
You never have to pay a percentage of your refund to apply. It is free and you can do it yourself.
The most important thing to understand: no diagnosis, on its own, guarantees approval or refusal. Two people with the same condition can get different results, because the form asks about effects, not labels. What matters is whether daily life is restricted, most or all of the time.
Form T2201 asks whether a person is "markedly restricted" in a basic activity of daily living, all or substantially all of the time, even with therapy, medication, or devices. That phrase, in plain words, means the effect is serious and it is happening most of the time, not just occasionally.
Walking. Needing a long time, a lot of extra effort, or help from a cane, walker, or another person to walk even a short distance, most of the time.
Mental functions necessary for everyday life. Real, ongoing difficulty with memory, problem-solving, judgment, or making everyday decisions safely. This can apply to some intellectual, developmental, or mental-health conditions, when the effect on daily function is significant.
Dressing. Needing a lot of extra time or help from another person to get dressed, most of the time.
Feeding. Needing a lot of extra time or physical help to feed yourself. This does not include needing help shopping for or cooking food, or following a special diet.
Eliminating (bowel or bladder functions). Needing a lot of extra time, help from another person, or a device, most of the time.
Hearing. Even with hearing aids, being unable to understand a familiar person in a quiet room most of the time.
Speaking. Even with help, being unable to be understood by a familiar person in a quiet room most of the time.
Vision. Even with glasses or contact lenses, seeing very little, or having a very narrow field of vision.
Life-sustaining therapy. Needing therapy, such as dialysis or insulin therapy, a set number of times a week just to keep a life-sustaining function working.
Cumulative effects. Sometimes no single category is severe enough on its own, but two or more together add up to a similar level of restriction. This is its own path to qualifying.
You do not need a rare or severe-sounding diagnosis. Common conditions like diabetes, arthritis, autism, depression, anxiety, and many others can qualify, if the day-to-day effect is serious and lasting. Equally, a serious-sounding diagnosis does not always qualify, if daily life is not markedly restricted.
The honest answer is: talk it through with your doctor using the categories above, and let Part B of the form describe your real, everyday experience.
We'll email you the plain-language guide to applying yourself: the T2201 form, what your doctor fills in, and how to ask the CRA for your back years. One email, no spam.
This guide is for information only and is not tax, legal, or medical advice. Only a qualified medical practitioner and the CRA can determine if a person qualifies for the Disability Tax Credit. Verified July 2026.