When you are doing business in Canada you may need a CRA program account business number. This is only applicable when you are a self-employed. If you are doing business as incorporated your corporation must have business number for the corporate income tax program account. If you are self-employed, you only need the CRA program account business number when you hire an employee or when you want to register for GST/HST or you want to import-export a taxable goods.
The most common CRA program accounts are:
Your 9 digit CRA business number remains the same for all program account, however at end of the business number an extension of “xx-001” is added for the different program account. For example your GST/HST program account number will look like – 9 digit Business Number and RT 0001, for payroll “RT” will change to “RP.”
Once you are registered with a particular program account with CRA, you need to file the applicable tax return on or before the due date. For example you need to file a GST/HST return if you are registered for GST/HST. You also have the option to close this program account, suppose you have closed your business. Once you close the particular program account with CRA you will not require to file any returns. Again in future if you want to register for the same program account then CRA will reinitiate this program account and last 4 digit extension which was originally “0001” will change to “0002.”
You need to contact CRA if you need a business number. You can also obtain the business number online. Please click the link below to get a business number or contact RKB Accounting.