ISP-1000: applying for the CPP retirement pension
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ISP-1000 is the Application for a Canada Pension Plan Retirement Pension, the paper route for applying. Most applicants use My Service Canada Account instead.
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Who uses the paper form
Open this section ↓Apply online through My Service Canada Account for most cases. A paper application is required in certain cases, including living outside Canada or where a third party (power of attorney or trustee) manages the account.
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The advance-application window
You can apply up to 12 months before your chosen start date.Open this section ↓You can apply up to 12 months before your chosen start date. This is about how early you can submit the application, and it is a different fact from retroactivity below: do not treat the two as the same rule.
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Retroactivity after your 65th birthday
If you apply after your 65th birthday, retroactive payment goes back as early as 11 months before the month your application was received, but no earlier than the month after your 65th birthday.Open this section ↓If you apply after your 65th birthday, retroactive payment goes back as early as 11 months before the month your application was received, but no earlier than the month after your 65th birthday. If you apply the month of your 65th birthday or earlier, there is no retroactivity.
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Where to get it
Download the current form from the Service Canada forms catalogue:Open this section ↓Download the current form from the Service Canada forms catalogue:
ISP-1000.pdf →Companion forms are named on the apply page, including ISP-1603 (consent) and ISP-3505/3506/3507. See the apply page for what each covers.
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Common mistakes
Blending the 12-month advance-application window with the 11-month retroactivity rule: they are two different facts about two different questions (how early can I apply vs.Open this section ↓- ✗Blending the 12-month advance-application window with the 11-month retroactivity rule: they are two different facts about two different questions (how early can I apply vs. how far back do payments go).
- ✗Using the paper route when the online My Service Canada Account route applies and would be faster.
- ✗Applying at or before the month of your 65th birthday and expecting retroactive payment: there is none in that case.
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Common Questions
ISP-1000 is the Application for a Canada Pension Plan Retirement Pension, the paper route for applying.Open this section ↓↑ Close this sectionWhat is ISP-1000?
ISP-1000 is the Application for a Canada Pension Plan Retirement Pension, the paper route for applying. Most people apply online through My Service Canada Account instead; the paper form is required in certain cases, including living outside Canada or where a third party (power of attorney or trustee) manages the account.
How far in advance can I apply?
You can apply up to 12 months before your chosen start date. This is a separate rule from retroactivity: it is about how early you can submit the application, not about back payments.
What if I apply after my 65th birthday, do I get back payments?
Retroactive payment goes back as early as 11 months before the month Service Canada received your application, but no earlier than the month after your 65th birthday. If you apply the month of your 65th birthday or earlier, there is no retroactivity.
Who has to use the paper application?
The online route through My Service Canada Account works for most applicants. The paper form is required in certain cases, including living outside Canada or where a third party (power of attorney or trustee) manages the account.
Turning 65?
The full guide covers CPP, OAS, GIS, and the Allowances together, plus a free personalized checklist.
Guidepost is not a law firm. This is general information, not financial or legal advice, verify current requirements with Service Canada. Full disclaimer.