Use the checks below to confirm whether the answer fits the family, provider, and school situation.
Plan how unused CESG room may affect annual contribution goals.
The age 16 and 17 rule does not create a separate grant amount. It is a gatekeeper rule for regular CESG eligibility in the calendar years when the beneficiary is 16 or 17.
Canada.ca says a child aged 16 or 17 may still receive CESG only if at least one earlier contribution-history test was already met before the end of the calendar year the child turned 15. Families that wait too long can miss the last two grant years entirely.
The two tests are practical, not complicated. Either there was at least $2,000 of RESP contributions made for that beneficiary and not withdrawn before the end of the year they turned 15, or there were contributions of at least $100 in any four previous years before the end of that same year.
This rule matters most for late starters and catch-up plans. Unused CESG room can still carry forward until the end of the year the child turns 17, but the carry-forward only helps if the 16 and 17 rule has already been satisfied.
How to check this rule
Details that matter
Two ways to qualify
Official sources describe two separate paths: at least $2,000 contributed and not withdrawn before the end of the year the child turned 15, or at least $100 contributed and not withdrawn in any four earlier years.
Calendar-year cutoff
The deadline is December 31 of the year the beneficiary turns 15. Waiting until age 16 to start usually means the last two CESG years are no longer available.
Carry-forward is not enough by itself
Unused CESG room can accumulate, and up to $1,000 of basic CESG may be available in a catch-up year, but only if the beneficiary still qualifies for CESG at ages 16 or 17.
Withdrawals can matter
The official wording says the required contributions must be contributed and not withdrawn. Families should ask the promoter to confirm whether earlier withdrawals changed age-16/17 eligibility.
Example
Example: A beneficiary turns 16 in 2026. If the family had contributed at least $2,000 by December 31, 2025, or had made at least four separate earlier years with $100 contributions, CESG may still be available on eligible 2026 and 2027 contributions. If neither condition was met by December 31, 2025, a first contribution in 2026 will usually be too late for CESG purposes.
Questions to ask your provider
Can you confirm whether this beneficiary meets the age 16 and 17 CESG rule based on the full account history?
Do any past contribution withdrawals affect that eligibility?
How much unused CESG room is still available this year?
What contribution amount could receive grant this calendar year?
If the child is close to starting school, how quickly can withdrawals be processed later?
Read next
Get RESP grants explains the broader decision and links to related tools.
Tool next step
CESG Catch-Up Planner can help estimate the practical contribution choices before you confirm eligibility with the promoter.
Provider next step
RESP Provider Checklist helps you compare promoters on grant support, fees, and withdrawal process before opening or moving an RESP.