Fill Out Form ISP-1901 Online
Application for Canada Pension Plan Credit Split (upon separation or divorce)
Employment and Social Development Canada
Applies to divide CPP pensionable earnings between former spouses or partners after separation or divorce.
Reviewed July 2026
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Form ISP-1901 is the Application for a Canada Pension Plan Credit Split, formally the division of unadjusted pensionable earnings. After a divorce or separation, the CPP contributions that both partners made while living together can be added up and divided equally between them. The kit includes a guide, Form ISP-1901A, and an information sheet explaining how the division works.
You can complete the 7-page application in the Universal PDF editor. Enter the relationship dates and both parties' details on screen, then download the finished PDF to print, sign, and send to Service Canada.
What is Form ISP-1901 used for
The credit split equalizes the CPP record for the years a couple lived together. Each partner's pensionable earnings for those years are combined and split equally, which typically raises the future benefits of the lower-earning partner and lowers those of the higher earner. It recognizes that both partners contributed to the household even if only one had most of the paid earnings.
Unlike pension sharing, a credit split is a permanent change to both contribution records. It can affect the amount of retirement, disability, and survivor benefits calculated later, and in some cases it can help a partner qualify for a benefit they otherwise could not.
Who applies with Form ISP-1901
Either former spouse or former common-law partner can apply; consent from the other person is not required. Personal representatives of a deceased former partner and, in some situations, the other partner after a death can also apply, as the guide explains.
Timing rules differ by relationship type. Divorced or legally annulled couples generally face no deadline to apply. Separated common-law partners generally must apply within a set number of years after separating, unless both agree in writing to waive the limit, so check the current rules on canada.ca before assuming you have time.
How to fill out Form ISP-1901
Read the ISP-1901A guide first, then complete the application:
- Enter your Social Insurance Number, name, date of birth, and contact details.
- Provide the same identifying information for your former spouse or partner as fully as you can.
- Give the dates you began living together and the date you separated, plus the marriage and divorce dates if you were married.
- Attach the documents the form requests, such as the marriage certificate or divorce judgment where applicable.
- Sign and date the declaration.
How to submit it
Mail the signed application and documents to the Service Canada office for your province or territory, using the addresses on canada.ca, or bring the package to a Service Canada office. Service Canada notifies both former partners once the division is calculated, since the split changes both contribution records.
Frequently asked questions
No. Either person can apply on their own, and Service Canada carries out the division when the conditions are met. Both parties are notified of the result.
For divorces there is generally no time limit. Separated common-law partners face a limited window after separation unless both sign a waiver, and some provincial agreements can affect rights. Confirm the current time limits on canada.ca.
Not in the ordinary course. Once the division is processed it permanently changes both records, which is why the guide encourages reading the information sheet and, if needed, getting advice before applying.
Not necessarily. It raises the record of the lower earner for the shared years and lowers the higher earner's. How that translates into benefit amounts depends on each person's full contribution history.
Pension sharing, requested with Form ISP-1002, is a voluntary and reversible arrangement for couples who are together. The credit split is for relationships that have ended and permanently divides the credits earned while together.
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