How to add or cancel an authorized representative with CRA for your business program account or for personal taxes?

Tax time
  • by admin
  • November 21, 2023

Authorizing a representative with CRA

You as a client, can authorize your accountant as your authorized representative for all or some of your program accounts with CRA. Once you authorize the representative (the accountant), your accountant will have access to your business tax information which are available on the CRA website. You can cancel this authorization at any time you want and the accountant will no longer have access to your business information at the CRA website.

 

How to authorize a representative

  1. By calling CRA – under this option your accountant may have only limited information by phone
  2. By mailing the signed copy of the authorization form to CRA – under this option your accountant may have only limited information by phone
  3. By logging on to your CRA My Business account – under this option based on your selections, you accountant may have the full access, i.e. phone access as well as log on to CRA wesite and access your business information

 

What is CRA My Business Account

  1. CRA my business account –  Under this option you can add as many businesses you have. For example you have two corporations and you are the shareholder/director in both the corporations, then you can add both the corporate’s CRA business number here and manage them at a time when you log on. You can not use this option if you do not a CRA business number associated with you.
  2. CRA my account – You only  create your logon id under this option with your Social Instance Number for your personal income tax matters.

 

How to create CRA My Business Account

  1. Click the link to go to the CRA Website > CRA My Business Account
  2. Option One > Sign-In Partner – You can log on here with your business banking ID and password. If you do not want to use your banking log on details go to Option Two
  3. Option Two > Click CRA register, fill out the required information, create your logon id and password, Now CRA will mail you an access/security code which you need to activate this account. Do not share you CRA logon ID and password with your accountant.
  4. Once your CRA MY Business Account is active – Add all your business number/numbers
  5. Authorize Representative – Click the “Business Number” for which you want to authorize then look for the PROFILE tab, click on the profile tab and then look for “Manage Authorized representatives” under “Authorized representatives”
  6. Enter the CRA Representative ID – This id is to be provided by your accountant. For your information, every accountant in Canada must pass through a screening test, register with CRA, and obtain a representative ID
  7.  Select the Levels of Authorization – Usually we ask our clients to select level 3. See below for further details
  8. Date of Expiry – leave it blank
  9. Let you accountant know that you have authorized him/her

 

Level of Authorizations

  • Level 1 – Under this option your accountant can only view the information
  • Level 2 – Under this option your accountant can view the information and he can also change the information. For example if you want, you can ask your accountant to update the address or close a program account, etc.
  • Level 3 – Under this option, your accountant can authorize another representative or delegate his/her authority. For example , his office staff

 

Who can be representative

  • Your accountant
  • Your bookkeeper
  • A Lawyer
  • An Executor
  • A Family member

 

How to Create CRA My Account

CRA My Account is for your personal income tax. You can see all income tax returns (T1) filed with CRA, you view or download your Notice of assessment, You can view your RRSP and TFSA limit and you can do many other things. You can also authorize your representative.

 

  1. Click the link to go to the CRA Website > CRA My Account
  2. Option One > Sign-In Partner – You can log on here with your business banking ID and password. If you do not want to use your banking log on details go to Option Two
  3. Option Two > Click CRA register, fill out the required information, create your logon id and password, Now CRA will mail you an access/security code which you need to activate this account. Do not share you CRA logon ID and password with your accountant.

If you need further help or while logging in you get an error message, you may please call CRA during the business hours. If you get an error message you may need to note down the error number.

For Individual Tax – 1-800-959-8281

For Business Tax – 1-800-959-5525

 

Disclaimer: Information in the blog/post/article has been presented for a broad and simple understanding. This is not legal advice. RKB Accounting & Tax Services does not accept any liability for its application in any real situations. You need to contact your accountant or us for further information.

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