RDSP Visual Application Walkthrough
How a Registered Disability Savings Plan actually gets opened, one step at a time.
What this program is
A Registered Disability Savings Plan is a long-term savings plan for a person who qualifies for the Disability Tax Credit. The government can add Canada Disability Savings Grants and Bonds to the plan. An RDSP is opened by a financial institution, not by filling in a single government application form.
Who applies
A holder opens the plan. Depending on the beneficiary's age and their ability to enter into a contract, the holder is a legal parent, a guardian or other legally authorized person, a qualifying family member in the limited situation described below, or the beneficiary themselves.
How you can apply
Open it through a financial institution
Contact an RDSP issuer, book an appointment, and open the plan with them.
This is the only route. There is no federal form that opens an RDSP by itself, and Accessible Compass does not recommend one institution over another. Requirements differ between issuers, so ask yours what to bring.
You do not need an account. Nothing you type here is sent to the government, and this page never asks for a social insurance number, medical details or banking information.
Accessible Compass is an independent educational resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting for the government body named on this page. Always submit your application through the official channel.
Last verified: November 6, 2026
Checked against: CRA — Opening an RDSP · Application for Canada Disability Savings Grant and/or Bond (ESDC EMP5608)
This is general education, not legal, financial or medical advice. The government decides eligibility, and only the government can tell you whether your application is approved.
What we could not verify
Rather than guess, this guide leaves these items out and points you to the official instructions.
- Which institutions offer RDSPs, and what each one asks you to bring, is not listed here because it differs by institution and changes. Ask your issuer directly.
- The qualifying family member measure is described with the end date the CRA publishes (December 31, 2026). If that date passes, check the CRA page before relying on it.
- Grant, bond and contribution amounts and income thresholds are not shown: they change every year, and a number copied into a guide would go stale.
