The Canada Revenue Agency’s digital services make it possible for Canadian taxpayers to manage all of their personal tax filing, payment, and appeal rights and obligations online, on the Agency’s website.
Until recently, it was necessary to obtain a security code from the CRA in order to sign up for access to such services, and that security code was sent by regular mail, meaning a delay of up to 10 days. The CRA has announced changes to its procedures that will now allow taxpayers to sign up for access to digital services in a single online procedure, using government-issued photo identification documents, like a passport or a driver’s license.
This new identity validation option also applies to digital services for businesses and representatives, like My Business Account and Represent a client.
Currently, the registration process requires individuals to request a CRA security code by mail, which can take up to 10 business days. With the new identity validation option, users are able to get immediate access to their account without having to wait for their code in the mail. There is still, however, the option to request a CRA security code by mail.
To use this new identity validation option, the user must be 16 years of age or older and have a camera-enabled mobile device that will allow them to take a photo of their government-issued ID. Only the following pieces of identification are currently being accepted:
- Canadian passport
- Canadian driver’s licence
- Provincial/Territorial ID card
When registering for My Account, individuals will also need to provide their social insurance number (SIN), date of birth, and information from their most recently assessed tax return from either the current or previous year.
If you would like help with dealing with the CRA or would like to know more about taxable benefits, please feel free to call us at (905) 305-9722 or email us at info@eigenmachtcrackower.com and we will help you out!
