CRA Notice of Assessment (NOA) 2026: Where to Find It in My Account + Why Lenders Ask (and What to Do If It’s Missing)

If your mortgage broker, landlord, or lender asked for your CRA Notice of Assessment (NOA) and you can’t find it in CRA My Account, this guide shows exactly where to download it, why lenders insist on it, and what to do if it’s missing in 2026.

Quick answer (most people only need this):
1) Sign in to CRA My Account
2) Go to Tax Returns (or “Returns” / “Tax information”)
3) Open your most recent year and select Notice of Assessment
4) Click PDF / Print / Save
If the NOA isn’t there yet, jump to the “Missing NOA” checklist below.

What a CRA Notice of Assessment (NOA) is — and what it proves

Your NOA is CRA’s official confirmation that your tax return has been assessed. It typically shows key figures lenders care about, such as reported income totals, taxable income, deductions/credits assessed, and whether you have a balance owing or refund.

Why this matters: A NOA is harder to “edit” than a pay stub or self-made statement. For self-employed borrowers, it’s often the fastest way for lenders to verify income consistency and confirm there’s no CRA issue that could affect repayment risk.

Where to find your NOA in CRA My Account (step-by-step)

1. Sign in to CRA My Account using CRA Sign-In Partner or CRA user ID.
2. Go to Tax Returns (wording may appear as “Returns” or “Tax information”).
3. Select the tax year you need (most lenders want the most recent year, sometimes 2 years).
4. Open Notice of Assessment (or “Notice of Reassessment” if a change was processed later).
5. Choose PDF / Print / Save, then download the document.

Pro tip (prevents future “missing” problems):
Turn on Online Mail and set up CRA email notifications so you’re alerted when a new NOA/letter is posted.

Why lenders ask for your NOA (even if you already gave a T4 or pay stub)

Lenders use NOAs to confirm your income is supported by filed tax data and that CRA has assessed it. In practice, they may use it to:

• Verify income stability across one or more tax years.
• Confirm self-employed/contract income (often required even if you provide bank statements).
• Check for CRA issues (balances owing, reassessments, or filing gaps that raise underwriting risk).
• Support rental applications where landlords want an official income proof in addition to employment letters.

Common lender request: “Most recent NOA” + sometimes the prior year as well.
If you’re self-employed, some lenders will also ask for T1 General / Statement of Business Activities — but NOA is usually the first gate.

NOA missing in My Account? Use this checklist (fastest fixes first)

1) Your return may not be assessed yet (timing matters)

If you filed recently, your NOA may not appear immediately. CRA guidance commonly suggests waiting before escalating for a status update. If you are in Canada, CRA’s general refund guidance says to wait 8 weeks before contacting them for an update. (Outside Canada: 16 weeks.)

2) You might be looking in the wrong area

• Check Tax Returns for the correct year.
• If a change was processed later, look for Notice of Reassessment.
• If you enabled Online Mail, also check the Mail / “Correspondence” area.

3) Identity / access issues can block what you see

If you can log in but can’t access certain tax documents, it may be an account security or authorization issue. Try signing out, clearing cache, and re-authenticating, then confirm you are in My Account (Individuals) (not Business Account or Rep a Client).

4) You need an older NOA than My Account displays by default

If you’re looking for a much older tax year (e.g., lenders requesting a historical year for underwriting), you may need to use alternative CRA document options or request copies directly.

5) When you should contact CRA

Contact CRA if: (a) it’s been long enough and your NOA still isn’t available, (b) My Account shows the return as assessed but the NOA link is missing, or (c) you cannot access your account and need a copy for a lender deadline.

Lender deadline workaround (if NOA is missing right now):
Ask your lender whether they will accept an interim alternative (for example, a CRA account screen capture showing assessment status, or the relevant tax-year summary) until the official PDF is available. Policies vary by lender.

FAQ (2026)

Is a Notice of Reassessment the same as a NOA?

It’s related but not identical. A reassessment is issued when CRA changes your return after the initial assessment. Some lenders will accept it if it’s the most recent official document for that year, but many still ask for the original NOA plus the reassessment.

Why would CRA show “assessed” but I can’t download the NOA?

Common reasons include: document posting delay, navigation to the wrong tax year area, or account access/authorization issues. Try checking again later and ensure you’re in the correct My Account section for Individuals.

Do lenders require NOA for salaried employees too?

Often yes—especially for higher loan amounts, variable income (bonuses/commissions), recent job changes, or when additional verification is needed.

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Sources (official / practical)

• Canada Revenue Agency — CRA sign-in services / My Account access
• CRA Tax filing season media kit — Express NOA / My Account + Online Mail requirements
• Canada.ca — Refund status guidance (wait times before contacting CRA)