Is an ADHD assessment tax deductible as a medical expense in Canada?

Yes, ADHD assessment fees can usually be claimed under the Medical Expense Tax Credit

In most cases, the fee you pay for a private or online ADHD assessment is an eligible medical expense under the Canada Revenue Agency's Medical Expense Tax Credit (METC). The METC lets you claim amounts you paid to an authorized medical practitioner for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, and ADHD assessment fees fall squarely into that category. The key requirement is *who* you paid: the practitioner has to belong to a profession the CRA recognizes in the province or territory where the service was delivered.

That list includes physicians and psychiatrists, registered psychologists, and, importantly for virtual care, nurse practitioners, who the CRA recognizes as authorized medical practitioners across Canada. Finding Focus assessments are led by licensed Canadian nurse practitioners and clinicians, so the fee is generally the type of expense the METC is designed to cover. You combine the assessment fee with your other eligible costs for the year (such as prescription ADHD medication and many forms of therapy) and claim the total on your return.

One nuance to understand: people often say "tax deductible," but the METC is a non-refundable tax credit, not a deduction from your income. It reduces the tax you owe rather than lowering your taxable income, and only the portion of your total eligible medical expenses above a minimum threshold counts, generally the lesser of a set dollar amount or 3% of your net income for the year. That structure means a single ADHD assessment may give you a larger benefit in a year when you also had other medical costs.

How to claim an ADHD assessment as a medical expense

Claiming an assessment is straightforward once you have the right paperwork. Because the METC is based on receipts you keep (you don't usually send them in, but you must be able to produce them if the CRA asks), good records matter more than anything. A typical path looks like this:

1. Get an itemized receipt for the assessment showing the clinician's name, their profession or registration, the date of service, and the amount paid.
2. Confirm the practitioner is authorized in the province or territory where the service happened, physicians, psychiatrists, registered psychologists, and nurse practitioners are commonly recognized, though the exact list varies by province.
3. Total your eligible medical expenses for any 12-month period ending in the tax year, assessment fees, prescription ADHD medication, eligible therapy, and more.
4. Enter the total on the medical-expenses line of your return (the CRA's eligible-medical-expenses line), where the credit is calculated automatically after the income threshold is applied.
5. Consider claiming on the lower-income partner's return, since the 3%-of-net-income threshold is usually smaller for them, an accountant can confirm what's optimal.
6. Keep every receipt and record for at least six years in case the CRA reviews your claim.

Because Finding Focus shows pricing up front, assessments start at $399, you'll know your out-of-pocket cost before you book, which makes records easy to keep. If you need documentation for the credit (or to submit to a workplace plan first), see can I get a receipt for insurance for an online ADHD assessment? and our transparent pricing page. Many people also coordinate the credit with their benefits, read does insurance cover an ADHD assessment in Canada? so you don't double-claim the same dollar.

The Disability Tax Credit (DTC) is a separate benefit, and ADHD may qualify

The METC and the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) are two different things, and it's worth knowing both. The METC is about the *costs* you paid in a year. The DTC is a larger, ongoing non-refundable credit for people with a severe and prolonged impairment in physical or mental functions, it isn't tied to any single fee. ADHD can qualify *some* people for the DTC, but a diagnosis alone is never enough on its own.

To apply for the DTC, a medical practitioner completes the CRA's Form T2201 (Disability Tax Credit Certificate), describing how ADHD markedly restricts daily functioning, and the CRA then decides whether you're approved. Because it's based on impairment rather than a label, outcomes vary from person to person. At Finding Focus, a confirmed diagnosis can flow into a personalized plan that includes help with DTC forms, alongside medication management, CBT/DBT and other psychotherapy, and work or school accommodations, see our ADHD services for what's included after diagnosis. For a deeper look at eligibility, read what is the Disability Tax Credit for ADHD?.

Medical Expense Tax Credit vs. Disability Tax Credit at a glance

These two credits answer different questions: "Can I claim what I spent?" versus "Do I qualify for an ongoing disability credit?" Both are non-refundable, and many people only ever use the first. Here's how they compare.

If you're weighing the cost of getting assessed, the tax side is one piece of a bigger picture, accessible and affordable ADHD care that skips long public wait lists. People who already have an ADHD diagnosis can also get 50% off their initial consultation, and affordable payment plans are available. When you're ready, learn how the process works on our ADHD testing and diagnosis page, and always run the numbers past the CRA or your accountant so you claim everything you're entitled to.