How to Register for CRA My Account
CRACanada Revenue Agency — Canada's tax agency. It administers income tax, benefits like the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST/HST credit), and CRA My Account.Click for official info ↗ My Account lets you see your Notice of Assessment. It also shows your RRSP and TFSA contribution room, and your benefit payments. Most important, it has Auto-fill My Return. This imports every slip the CRA already holds. Register with your SINSocial Insurance Number — Your 9-digit Canadian work and tax number. You need it to work, open accounts, and receive benefits.Click for official info ↗ and one of three ways to prove your identity. Full access needs a one-time code. The CRA mails it to your address.
At a glance
- Cost:
- Free
- Total time:
- 20 minutes + up to 2 weeks for the mailed security code
- Steps:
- 7 steps
- Where to apply:
- canada.ca
Last reviewed October 2026 against official sources. Re-checked every 6 months · next review due April 2027.
The Steps
Follow these in order
Each card shows the phase, expected time, and any cost. Data checked against official CAN sources(October 2026).
0 of 7 steps
- Before You Go 10 min
Confirm you have filed at least one return
The classic registration asks for line amounts from your most recent Notice of Assessment. For example, your income on line 15000. The CRA uses these to check your identity. Have you never filed a Canadian return? You must file one first. Even a nil return counts, for newcomers. Only then can the identity check pass.
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- Go 15 min
Choose a registration route
You have three options. (1) CRA sign-in with your SIN, your date of birth, and line amounts from your tax return. This is the fastest. (2) The CRA document verification service. You prove your identity with a photo of a government-issued ID. You take the photo with a phone or other device with a camera. Accepted ID includes a Canadian passport, a driver's licence, or a provincial or territorial photo ID. This gives you full access right away. You do not wait for a code by mail. (3) A provincial digital ID, where one is available. If the system cannot fully check who you are, you also need a personal access code. The CRA then mails one to you.
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- Fill / Prepare 10 min
Create your login (username and password)
Set up your CRA user ID and password directly. Or use a Sign-in Partner, which is your bank's login. Then you need no separate CRA login. Pick answers to the security questions that no one can guess from your social media. Your first pet and your first school are risky choices.
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- Wait 5–10 business days
Wait for the security code by mail
After you first register, you get partial access right away. You can view basic info. Full access needs the one-time security code. This includes auto-fill, notices, and changes to returns. The CRA mails the code to the address it has on file for you. Did it not arrive in 2 weeks? Call the CRA individual enquiries line. They can check your identity by phone.
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- Submit & Pay 5 min
Enter the code and get full access
Sign back in and enter the code. Your account is then open for good. Turn on multi-factor authentication. This sends a passcode to your phone. The CRA added it after a wave of account takeovers through phishing. The CRA now asks for it on new devices.
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- Follow Up Ongoing
Use it: auto-fill, track, and fix
At tax time, use Auto-fill My Return in your NETFILENETFILE — CRA's service for filing your own tax return online using certified software.Click for official info ↗ software. It imports every T4Statement of Remuneration Paid — The slip your Canadian employer issues each February showing your wages and deductions. You need it to file taxes.Click for official info ↗, T5, and T2202. All year round, you can do more. Track your benefit payments (CCB, CGEB). Check your RRSP and TFSA room before you put money in. View your Notice of Assessment for citizenship applications. Fix a return with ReFILE or a T1 adjustment.
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- Receive —
Stay secure
The CRA NEVER texts you links. The CRA never asks for prepaid cards. Fake texts about "CRA refunds" flood in every tax season. Report them to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at antifraudcentre.ca or 1-888-495-8501. Never enter your login details from a link in an email. Sign in only by typing canada.ca yourself, or by using your own bookmark.
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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
I am a brand-new resident with no tax history. How do I register?
In most cases, you need one filed return first. Newcomers can file a part-year return, or a nil return, for the year they arrived. This works even with zero income. It creates the CRA record you need to pass the identity check. It also opens benefit applications.
Can I use my bank login (Sign-in Partner)?
Yes. Most major banks take part. You sign in to CRA My Account with your online banking login. You skip a separate CRA user ID. The bank never sees your tax data. It only confirms who you are.
What if the security code never arrives?
Wait 10 business days. Then call CRA individual enquiries at 1-800-959-8281. They check your identity by phone and can send a new code. Make sure the CRA has your current address. If you moved, update it first. Codes that cannot be delivered are the top reason registration gets stuck.
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