How to set an automatic late penalty in Canvas

Updated October 30, 2026 · by the Course++ team

Short answer: click Grades, click the Settings icon (gear), open the Late Policies tab, tick Automatically apply deduction to late submissions, and set the percent and interval. Or open Course++ and type: “Set a late policy that takes 10% off per day, down to a 50% minimum.”

The problem

Late work gets 10% off a day, and you keep doing the math.

Without a late policy, every late paper means working out how many days late, then taking the points off yourself. It is easy to be inconsistent from one student to the next.

Late submission deduction10%per day

Lowest possible grade50%

Missing submissions grade0%

Apply Settings

math on every late paperuneven by hand

The fix

Tell it the rule. It sets the policy.

Set a late policy that takes 10% off per day, down to a 50% minimum.

Updated Late deduction on: 10% per day Lowest possible grade: 50% Asked you first, then confirmed saved in Canvas

A late policy is a course setting, so Course++ shows it and waits for your yes. Canvas applies the deduction when you grade. Course++ doesn’t grade.

1 sentenceasks first

Prompts you can copy

Open your Canvas course, open Course++ beside it, and paste one of these. Change the names and numbers to match your course.

Set a late policy that takes 10% off per day, down to a 50% minimum.A common per-day rule.
Turn on a late deduction of 5% per hour, with a lowest possible grade of 60%.For time-sensitive work.
Turn the late policy off.Stops new deductions. Ones already taken stay.
What is this course’s late policy set to right now?A check. It only reads; nothing changes.

How to set a late policy in Canvas by hand

In Course Navigation, click Grades.
Click the Settings icon (gear) to open Gradebook Settings.
Click the Late Policies tab.
Tick Automatically apply deduction to late submissions.
Enter a percent in Late submission deduction, choose Day or Hour in Deduction interval, and enter a Lowest possible grade.
Click Apply Settings.

Good to know

It reaches back. Turning it on also takes points off late work you already graded. Turning it off later doesn’t give those points back.
Some work is skipped. A submission needs a due date to be late, and the policy skips On Paper, No Submission and Complete/Incomplete assignments. See how to move due dates.
You can still override it. Changing a submission’s status from Late in the Grade Detail Tray removes its penalty.
Course++ asks first. It sets the policy only after you approve, and never grades or reads submissions.

Questions teachers ask

Can Canvas automatically deduct points for late work?

Yes. In Gradebook Settings, the Late Policies tab lets you set a percent to deduct per day or hour, with a lowest possible grade.

Does the late policy apply to work already graded?

Yes. Turning it on takes points off late work you already graded, not just new grades. Turning it off later doesn’t remove penalties already taken.

Can Course++ turn on a late policy for me?

Yes. It shows the policy and asks first, because it is a course setting. Canvas applies the deductions.

Does Course++ grade late work?

No. It sets up the policy only, and refuses to read submissions or grades.

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Canvas steps checked against Instructure’s own Canvas guides in October 2026. Canvas changes its screens from time to time, and schools turn features on and off, so a button may be named a little differently in yours.