EFile Changes
Recently the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) made changes to its Efile systems. Last year they implemented a 2-step verification process for having an authorized person represent you and your business. In October 2022, that same process will apply to authorization requests submitted through the Business Consent Service in certified tax software (EFILE).
5 Things to know about this change
1. You will be able to, quickly and easily, confirm who is able to access your tax information by using the Confirm my Representative service in My Business Account.
2. Once you have registered for My Business Account with the CRA, you can enable email notifications to be notified each time a new representative requests access. Once you receive a request, you can confirm or deny access to My Business Account.
3. Authorization requests submitted through the Business Consent Service will be marked as pending for ten business days. If you, or your delegate, do not confirm the request within this timeframe, the request will be cancelled, and a new one will need to be submitted.
4. The process of confirming the authorization of a representative will be a one-time action for most business owners.
5. This only applies to new authorization requests, including those from a currently authorized representative if they choose to submit a new request. Please note that, on occasion, the CRA may still contact you by telephone to verify a representative’s authorization.
My business account
You will need to have a My Business account with the CRA. If you do not have one you will need to create one. In order to create a My Business Account you will need the following:
- Social insurance number
- Date of birth
- Current postal or zip code
- Personal income tax returns from the current and previous year
- Business number
Once you have successfully signed up you will need to add your business number to your account. Only the business owner will be able to do this, as long as their information matches what the CRA has on file. If you are lost or confused about any of this information, do not worry. Padgett staff is here to help you and answer questions you may have. Call us at 250-744-3854 or submit your questions on our contact form.