About Represent a Client

1. What is Represent a Client?
2. Who can use Represent a Client?
3. How do I register for Represent a Client?
4. Is there an overview available for Represent a Client?
5. How do I get authorized?

1. What is Represent a Client?

Represent a Client is a service that provides you with secure and controlled online access to both individual and business tax information.

2. Who can use Represent a Client?

Anyone who would like to access information and services on behalf of individuals and businesses. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• An owner, partner, director, or officer of a business that provides tax or payroll services for clients. This could include:
  • an accounting service
  • a payroll service
• An employee of a business that provides tax or payroll services. This could include:
  • Joe Accountant of Accounting firm
  • Mary Payroll specialist of Payroll company
• An individual who is involved in the tax affairs of individuals and/or businesses, including the business you work for. This could include:
  • an employee who does payroll /GST/corporate etc. for their employer
  • a bookkeeper
  • a public trustee
  • a lawyer
  • a financial planner
  • a friend or family member
  • an executor, power of attorney or legal guardian
• A non-resident representative living in the United States can use Represent a Client. For more information see, Represent a Client – non-resident representative.

3. How do I register for Represent a Client?

1. Go to Represent a Client.
2. Create a CRA user ID and password or sign in with a Sign-In Partner.
3. Register with this service
   Register your business (using your Business Number (BN)), yourself with this service and receive a representative identifier (RepID) or a group and receive a group identifier (GroupID).
4. Obtain authorization
   Give your Business Number (BN), GroupID or RepID to individuals, businesses, or your employer so they can authorize you.
5. Access individual or business information and services
   After you are authorized you can access information and services on behalf of individuals, businesses or your employer.

For additional information, view our Frequently asked questions.

4. Is there an overview available for Represent a Client?

Yes. This overview provides step-by-step instructions on how to use the features in Represent a Client. Since it is possible to grant different roles and accesses, some menus may slightly differ from one user to another.

For additional information, view the Represent a Client overview.

5. How do I get authorized?

For business clients:

Representatives are able to send business authorization requests electronically at their convenience. With an active RepID, you can log into Represent a Client to send an electronic authorization request. For a request to be completed, you must provide all required information during the electronic authorization process, as well as scan and send a signed and dated certification page from your client. After the CRA receives the electronic authorization request and certification page, the request will appear in a pending status for the client to approve within My Business Account. The client will need to review, validate, and either approve or deny the request within 10 business days or it will be cancelled.

Business owners can go to My Business Account and enter your RepID to authorize you as an individual, a GroupID to authorize a group of representatives, or a business number (BN) to authorize all employees of a business.

Business owners can also authorize you as a representative for access to their tax information over the phone, by mail, by fax, or in person by completing Form AUT-01 Authorize a Representative for Offline Access, and sending it to their tax centre. Note that Form AUT-01 will not give a representative access to taxpayer information in Represent a Client.

For individual clients:

Individuals can go to My Account and enter your RepID to authorize you as an individual, a GroupID to authorize a group of representatives, or a business number (BN) to authorize all employees of a business.

Representatives are able to send individual authorization requests electronically at their convenience. With an active RepID, you can sign in to Represent a Client to submit an electronic authorization request for your client’s approval or may have the option of providing the client’s tax information from the previous year. For a request to be completed, you must provide all required information during the electronic authorization process, as well as scan and send a signed and dated certification page from your client. After the CRA receives the electronic authorization request and certification page, the request will appear in a pending status for the client to approve within My Account. The client will need to review, validate, and either approve or deny the request within 10 business days or it will be cancelled. If the client’s tax information was provided with the original request, it will not be placed in a pending status for the client to confirm but it may be confirmed through other methods.

Individuals can also authorize you as a representative for access to their tax information over the phone, by mail, by fax, or in person by completing Form AUT-01 Authorize a Representative for Offline Access, and sending it to their tax centre. Note that Form AUT-01 will not give a representative access to taxpayer information in Represent a Client.