CPP Disability Reconsideration: What to Do After a Denial

Who this guide applies to

This guide is for someone who received a decision about a Canada Pension Plan disability benefit or post-retirement disability benefit and wants Service Canada to review it. It explains the administrative steps, not whether a particular person meets the disability rules.

If you are still waiting for the first decision, this reconsideration process has not started. First follow Service Canada’s instructions for checking your application status.

The 90-day reconsideration deadline

Your request must be made within 90 days of receiving the decision letter. The important event is when you received the letter, so record that date and keep the envelope with your file if it helps you keep track.

Do not wait for the deadline before starting. Read the reasons in the letter, list the points you disagree with, and identify any new information that could affect those points. The official process page and your decision letter are the best places to confirm where the request must go. If you are waiting for a document or appointment, the official ISP-1145 form says to send your request now and note when you expect the remaining information.

If the 90 days have passed

Do not assume the door is automatically closed. Form ISP-1145 says Service Canada may accept a late request under special circumstances. You must ask for more time, explain why the request is late, and describe the steps you took that show you intended to seek reconsideration before the 90 days ended. This is a request for an extension, not a promise it will be granted. Use the late-request section of the official form and contact Service Canada if you need help with your situation.

What to include in the request

Service Canada says a written reconsideration request should include:

• Your name, address and telephone number.
• Your Social Insurance Number or Client Identification Number.
• A detailed explanation of why you do not agree with the decision.
• Any new information that could affect the decision.
• Your signature and the date.

Use the wording in the decision letter to organize your explanation. A simple numbered response can make it clear which reason you are answering and which attached document relates to it. Keep a copy of your request and any attachments.

Three ways to submit it

Choose the route you can complete and keep a record of what you sent. Service Canada lists these three options:

1. Online: Sign in to My Service Canada Account. In the CPP section, choose “Request a review of a decision,” then “Ask Service Canada to reconsider.”
2. Printable form: Use form ISP-1145 for a CPP disability or post-retirement disability decision. ISP-1238 is the general form for other CPP decisions.
3. Your own written request: Include all the required details, sign and date it, then mail it to the return address on the decision letter or submit it at a Service Canada office.

Whichever route you use, keep a copy of the request and every attachment. Also keep the submission confirmation or mailing record with your decision letter. On ISP-1145, check which decision you want reviewed—CPP disability, post-retirement disability, or both—and match that choice to the letter you received. The form says to send photocopies of new supporting information rather than original documents.

What happens after you submit

A Service Canada employee who was not involved in the original decision reviews the application, your explanation and any new information you submitted. The ISP-1145 form says Service Canada aims to decide a reconsideration request within 120 calendar days and that the review starts once it has all the information. This is a service aim, not a guaranteed deadline. Service Canada’s process page says reconsiderations can take several months, depending on the case.

Service Canada sends the new decision by mail. Read it carefully and keep it with the rest of the file because the next deadline, if you still disagree, runs from receiving that new decision.

Worked timeline: the sequence to follow

This example shows the order of events only. It does not calculate your personal deadline.

1. You receive the original decision letter and record the date it arrived.
2. You read the reasons and prepare a signed request with the required identifying information.
3. You add a clear explanation and any new information that could affect the decision.
4. You submit the request within 90 days and keep proof of submission.
5. Service Canada completes a fresh review and mails a new decision.
6. If you still disagree, you consider the Social Security Tribunal deadline described in the new letter.

Always count from the date you actually received your own letter. Do not use an example date from another person’s case.

How to make the file easier to follow

• Lead with the decision: Put the decision date and identifying number near the top of your request.
• Answer each reason separately: Use short headings or numbered paragraphs instead of one long block of text.
• Label attachments: Give each attachment a short name and refer to that name in your explanation.
• Keep dates visible: Make it easy to see when a document was created and what period it covers.
• Keep a complete copy: Save the final request exactly as submitted.

These steps do not guarantee a result. They simply make it easier to see what you are asking Service Canada to review.

Common mistakes

• Counting from the wrong event. The official rule refers to receiving the decision letter.
• Sending only “I disagree.” Include a detailed explanation tied to the reasons in the letter.
• Leaving out identification or contact details. Include the information Service Canada lists for a written request.
• Forgetting the signature or date. Check both before submitting a paper request.
• Using the general CPP form by mistake. ISP-1145 is the disability and post-retirement disability reconsideration form.
• Losing the submission record. Keep your confirmation, mailing record and a copy of every page.

If you still disagree with the new decision

You can appeal the reconsideration decision to the Social Security Tribunal of Canada. The Tribunal is independent from Service Canada. Its General Division is the first appeal level, and it must receive your appeal within 90 days after you receive the reconsideration decision. You need the reconsideration decision before the Tribunal can hear this kind of appeal.

To start, use the Tribunal’s Notice of Appeal — Income Security — General Division. The Tribunal sends an acknowledgement and then explains when supporting documents are due. This article stops at the first appeal step; the Tribunal’s own instructions control the process. The reconsideration and appeal deadlines are separate, so keep both letters and note when each one arrived.