CRA My Account is the online service available on the Canada Revenue Agency’s website that gives you secure access to your personal or business income tax information.
The process for opening a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) My Account and getting your CRA security code is easy, and we show you how in this article.
Want to make your life easier with hassle-free access to your tax and benefits information? Consider registering for a CRA My Account today.
Benefits of a CRA My Account
Except for when the website is undergoing daily maintenance, the online My Account service is pretty much always available and can be accessed 21 hours a day, seven days a week.
It is a much easier way to get your information than calling CRA and waiting to speak (sometimes for very long) to a representative.
The information and benefits you can access directly via your account will vary depending on the type of account.
Benefits for Individual CRA My Accounts
- View/print your income tax returns and notice of assessments (current and prior years)
- View/print your tax information including T4, T4A, T4A(P), T4E, T4(OAS), T5, etc.
- Change your tax return
- Track your tax refund
- Apply for and view your child benefits, such as the Canada Child Benefit
- Check your RRSP deduction limit and TFSA contribution room
- View your Home Buyer’s Plan (HBP) and Lifelong Learning Plan statements of account
- View mails from CRA
- View your GST/HST credit, if applicable
- Update personal information, including your address, phone number, marital status, and banking information
- Use the “Auto-fill my return” service when filing your tax return
- Submit documents to CRA
- View your disability tax credit, if applicable
- Apply for direct deposit to your bank account
- View your account balance and statement of account
- Set up a payment plan, if owing taxes
- Authorize a representative, and much more!
Related: TurboTax: Filing Your Tax Return The Easy Way in Canada
Benefits for Business Accounts
If you have a business, the account can allow you to access lots of information relating to your business, including tax returns for GST/HST, payroll deductions, corporate income tax, excise duty, excise tax, information returns, and lots more.
Registering a CRA My Account for Individuals
Option 1
Setting up a CRA My Account is easy. To start, make sure you have the following information available:
- Your social insurance number
- Your date of birth
- Your postal code
- Your last two tax returns, i.e. for the current year and the previous one. It will require you to enter an amount you have entered on one of these returns.
After gathering the information above, proceed to the CRA My Account web page here.
⇒ Click on the “CRA register” button
⇒ Enter your social insurance number, and click on Next.
⇒ Validate your identity by completing all the required fields and then click Next.
⇒ Create a user ID and Password
After creating an acceptable user ID and password (may require a few tries!), you will be required to create security questions and answers on the next screen.
Your account is now created, and you can access limited tax information on your “My Account.”
For full and uninhibited access to your account, CRA will mail you via Canada Post a security code which you will need to enter online when prompted after log-in. Afterward, you will only need your CRA user ID and password to access your account.
Option 2
A second option for accessing CRA My Account is to use a Sign-in Partner.
For this option, you need to log in via one of the listed financial institutions using your normal log-in details.
As I mentioned for Option 1, you will also be required to have your social insurance number, date of birth, postal code, and last two tax returns readily available.
A CRA security code will be mailed to you as well to enable full access to My Account. Upon receipt of the security code, log in as usual through the Sign-in Partner and enter the security code when prompted. You should now have full access.
For a free CRA Business My Account, you need to follow similar steps, except that you will also be required to enter your business number.
So there you have it! You can now create your CRA My Account and enjoy its many benefits!
Also Read:
- 15 Best Budgeting and Personal Finance Apps
- 10 Ways To Get Free Starbucks
- Increase your Canada Child Benefit by making an RRSP contribution
- TFSA vs. RRSP: Factors to Consider
- RRSP Over-Contribution Penalty
- 77 Work From Home Jobs for Canadians
Are you planning to file your tax return electronically this tax season? Try TurboTax (discount link).
I work for myself and over the last few years my income has been on the low side, grossing around 15,000.00 a year. anyway I have all my paper work done but have not taken it in to my accountant because I know I will not owe any taxes for those years and cant afford to see my accountant. Anyway because I dont have my taxes done, by the sounds of it I will not be able to get the CERB benefits. Is there anyway I can still receive the CERB benefits without having my taxes done. At this point my accountant is not seeing anyone so I cant get them done at this point..I really do need the money . Please if you have any suggestion to help me I am very desperate and need the CERB assistance.
Terry am in the same situation please let me know what you find out thanks
Peter
Hi Terry, you don’t need to see an accountant for your small annual income, on CRA website every year there is a FREE personal tax report, I have never been but I am sure there are points for you to follow. Unless you report your tax, the government wouldn’t know where to out you in rebates or supplement, of course also depending on your age. Please call CRA to get help.
Very useful site
@Tanbhir: Glad you found the information useful. Cheers.
I am unable to set up an account for “my account” as it says i need the last 2 notice of assessment t4s. That is why i am trying to register as i only have 2019 and need 2018. I am an essential worker and hrs have been cut due to covid 19. I need these documents for the bank. How do i obtain these documents?
Hello, I’m a student and this will be my first year filing taxes. Is there an alternative way to open a CRA account? Thank you!
Hello my name is Nathalie esperon this will be my first year filing income tax I had started school in januarary 2019 I wasn’t working my husband and I were filing income taxes because I was not working I have 7children I go to school I have to apply for the student benefit my husband cannot work right now do to health issues I’m going to be the only one supporting my children so how do I apply for this cra student benefit I need this to support my children thank you I am doing my income tax with makivik that’s where we do it thank you I need comment back
Our daughter is graduating from High school and hasn’t filed a tax return ever as she started working only last September. It says you have to have your last 2 tax returns?
So what do we do?
I received an initial cheque for $2,000, which was a huge help! My understanding is that I would receive four cheques over four months. Do I need to apply again, or would those now be sent automatically? Thank you.
@David: You need to apply for the CERB every four weeks if you are still eligible. See this post below for more details:
https://www.savvynewcanadians.com/how-to-apply-for-the-canada-emergency-response-benefit-cerb/
An obvious issue is that if, for whatever reason, you have not filed (or were not required to file) an income tax return, in the past two years, you will not be able to set up a CRA Account.
@Marc: Yes, that’s a challenge. If you are trying to set up a CRA account in order to apply for the CERB, you can also apply for the CERB via an automated phone number. Get more details in this article below:
https://www.savvynewcanadians.com/how-to-apply-for-the-canada-emergency-response-benefit-cerb/
Can one apply by phone for the CRB instead of having to setup a my CRA account?
@Kevin: You will need a CRA MyAccount for CRB.
My son is still currently working putting himself and his family at risk sometimes he makes more then 1000 sometimes less but why should he be penalized because he is working he too should be able to receive this benefit. He is in college and it should be offered regardless. He is one of the few working and will still have to pay for college in September. I do not understand how our system works. It has a lot of flaws and is very unfair.
My wife has spent three hours waiting for a cra representative to answer the phone
hi
i need $1600crb benefit please to be in roll of this benefit >
thank you
Who does the free basic income tax return for people on Aish
Hi Enoch,
I have collected last 28 weeks of CERB benefit. My CRA Account says nothing about CRB benefit going forward. I am self-employed on contract, so no can acess EI.Am I not eligible for CRB assistance? If so, where do I apply? Nothing in CRA My Account
@Mike: Unfortunately, the Sept 27 date for CRB application to commence did not happen. Bill C-2 was tabled in Parliament on September 24 and the newly created CRB should kick in soon with more info available.
Can someone apply for CRB over phone without online account with CRA
You can go to revenue Quebec to ask for it , or call them.They will give it to you but they will ask you a few questions thou( one is the notice number on your income tax starts with two letters and a whole bunch of numbers after that). Or you can call your accountant who did your income tax to ask for it . It is the employment income on line 101.
Good luck!!!!
I would like to receive news letter daily.
IS the CRB now available and how do you apply for it?
how do i apply for the new crb by phone thank you
Hi. I am a self-employed.
The CRB is finished. I don’t know can I apply CWLB. Can you show me?