What Is CRA My Account?

CRA My Account is a secure online portal provided by the Canada Revenue Agency that gives individual Canadians direct access to their tax and benefit information. Think of it as your personal dashboard for all things CRA — from viewing your Notice of Assessment to updating your direct deposit details.

It's free, available 24/7, and one of the most useful tools available to Canadian taxpayers.

What Can You Do in My Account?

The portal covers a wide range of tax and benefit tasks:

  • View and print tax documents – Access T4s, T5s, and other slips filed by your employer or financial institution
  • Check your refund status – See exactly where your return is in the processing queue
  • View your Notice of Assessment (NOA) – Review the CRA's official response to your filed return
  • Track RRSP contribution room – Know exactly how much you can contribute without over-contributing
  • Manage direct deposit – Set up or update your banking info for faster refunds and benefit payments
  • View benefit payments – See upcoming Canada Child Benefit (CCB), GST/HST credit, and other benefit amounts
  • Update personal information – Change your address, marital status, or phone number
  • Respond to CRA letters – Reply to reviews or audits online without mailing documents
  • View your carryforward amounts – Check unused tuition credits, capital losses, and more

How to Register for CRA My Account

There are two main ways to sign up:

Option 1: Sign In with a Partner (Fastest)

If you already have online banking with a major Canadian financial institution, you can log in using your bank credentials. Participating banks include RBC, TD, Scotiabank, BMO, CIBC, and others. This method provides instant access with no waiting period.

Option 2: Register Directly with the CRA

  1. Visit the CRA My Account page at canada.ca/my-cra-account
  2. Click "CRA register" and enter your SIN
  3. Verify your identity using information from your current or previous year's tax return (e.g., your net income or an amount from your NOA)
  4. Create a CRA user ID and password
  5. The CRA will mail you a security code within 5–10 business days
  6. Enter the code to fully activate your account

Is CRA My Account Secure?

The CRA uses multi-factor authentication (MFA), meaning you'll need to verify your identity with a code sent to your phone or email each time you log in from a new device. The portal is encrypted and meets federal government security standards.

That said, you should:

  • Use a strong, unique password
  • Never share your login credentials
  • Always log out when finished, especially on shared computers
  • Regularly check your account for unauthorized changes

My Account vs. Auto-fill My Return (AFR)

One of the biggest advantages of having a registered My Account is access to Auto-fill My Return (AFR). This feature, available in NETFILE-certified software, automatically imports your tax slips and carryforward amounts directly from the CRA into your return. It saves time and reduces the risk of data-entry errors.

Final Thought

CRA My Account is genuinely one of the most powerful tools available to Canadian taxpayers. Setting it up takes less than 15 minutes and gives you year-round visibility into your tax situation. If you haven't registered yet, it's worth doing before your next tax season arrives.