Government Announces 2021 Automobile Deduction Limits and Expense Benefit Rates for Businesses and Temporary Adjustments

Today, the Department of Finance Canada announced the automobile income tax deduction limits and expense benefit rates that will apply in 2021.

Most of the limits and rates that applied in 2020 will continue to apply in 2021, with one change taking effect as of January 1, 2021:

• The general prescribed rate used to determine the taxable benefit of employees relating to the personal portion of automobile expenses paid by their employers will be decreased by one cent to 27 cents per kilometre. For people who are employed principally in selling or leasing automobiles, the rate used to determine the employee's taxable benefit will be decreased by one cent to 24 cents per kilometre.

The following limits from 2020 will remain in place for 2021:

• The limit on the deduction of tax-exempt allowances paid by employers to employees who use their personal vehicle for business purposes will remain at 59 cents per kilometre for the first 5,000 kilometres driven, and 53 cents per kilometre for each additional kilometre. For the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon the allowance is 4 cents higher, and will remain at 63 cents per kilometre for the first 5,000 kilometres driven, and 57 cents per kilometre for each additional kilometre.
• The ceiling for capital cost allowances (CCA) for passenger vehicles will remain at $30,000, before tax, for non zero-emission passenger vehicles, and at $55,000, before tax, for eligible zero-emission passenger vehicles. These ceilings restrict the cost of a vehicle on which CCA may be claimed for business purposes.
• The maximum allowable interest deduction for new automobile loans will remain at $300 per month.
• The limit on deductible leasing costs will remain at $800 per month, before tax for new leases entered into. For automobiles valued over $30,000, a separate restriction will continue to prorate deductible lease costs.