Apply

To qualify for your Canada Pension Plan (CPP) retirement pension, you must:

• be at least 60 years old
• have made at least one valid contribution to the CPP

Valid contributions can be either from work you did in Canada, or as the result of receiving credits from a former spouse or former common-law partner at the end of the relationship.

If you live in Quebec and you have made contributions to both the CPP and the QPP, you must apply to the QPP to request your retirement pension.

Step 2: Decide when you want your pension to start

You’ll be asked to choose one of the following:

• start receiving your pension as soon as you qualify
• start receiving your pension at age 65 (your pension will start the month after your 65th birthday)
• start receiving your pension at a specific date that you choose

You’ll need to understand when is the best time for you to start receiving your pension.

Step 3: Decide how to apply

You must complete and send a paper application if:

• you have previously received a CPP disability benefit that stopped prior to your 65th birthday, or you have been denied a CPP disability benefit
• at any time between the ages of 18 to 25 you received a CPP children's benefit that was not paid directly to you
• at any time when you were under age 18 you received or were denied a CPP children's benefit and you did not receive a CPP children's benefit after age 18
• you're receiving a CPP survivor's pension that you qualified for through an International Social Security Agreement
• you live outside Canada
• you have an authorized third party such as a power of attorney or trustee that manages your CPP account

Apply Online

If you don’t have a MSCA, you can register for one. You’ll receive a personal access code to complete your registration.

Through MSCA, you can see an estimate of what you’ll receive. After you submit your application, you’ll be immediately notified that your application has been received and will be assessed.

Apply using a paper application

Remember to apply in advance to ensure that you start to receive your pension by the date you choose.

How to update your direct deposit, mailing address or telephone number

• complete the eServiceCanada form
• visit a Service Canada Office, or
• contact the call centre responsible for the benefits you have received

How long will it take to process your application

We begin to process your application once we receive your completed application form. You should receive a notice of our decision by mail within 120 days.

It could take longer to process your application if Service Canada does not have a complete application.

Providing Service Canada with your email address

Note: When you apply, you can provide your email address. We may send you an email to provide you with information or ask you to call us if we can’t reach you by phone. Please note that we won't ask you to send information such as SIN, banking, or other personal details by email.

Step 4: Submit your application

Submit online

Submit using a paper application

• If someone is helping you apply You can give permission to a person to contact Service Canada on your behalf by signing in to your My Service Canada Account or by completing the Consent to Communicate Information to an Authorized Person form (ISP-1603). This form does not give the person helping you authority to:
  • apply for benefits on your behalf
  • change your payment address
  • request or change the withholding of tax
  • If you are applying on someone’s behalf You can request to act as an administrator of CPP, OAS, and/or GIS benefits on behalf of someone who’s not able to manage his or her own affairs. To apply to administer benefits on someone’s behalf you need to:
    • have a medical professional complete the Certificate of Incapability form (ISP-3505)
    • Complete 1 of the following forms that applies to you:
      • Agreement to administer benefits under the Old Age Security Act and/or the Canada Pension Plan by a Private Trustee form (ISP-3506) (for administration by an individual)
      • Agreement to administer benefits under the Old Age Security Act and/or the Canada Pension Plan by an Agency or Institution form (ISP-3507) (for administration by an agency, charitable organization or municipality)

      Our goal is to pay your CPP retirement pension in the month of the start date you choose.

      Step 5: Review your application status

      You can view your application status using your My Service Canada Account (MSCA), and selecting the "Application Status" link.

      You can also contact Service Canada.

      Note: You could be fined if there is false, misleading, or omitted information on your CPP retirement pension application. Interest is also charged on penalties and overpayments that are subject to a penalty.

      You can also come forward to correct wrong or incomplete information or to give important information that you haven’t already shared with Service Canada. Learn about Penalties, Interest and Disclosure Policy.