As of July 15, 2025, the Canada Revenue Agency changed how tax representatives access their clients’ accounts. If you’re working with a tax preparer — including PC Tax Solutions — there’s one important step you now need to complete before we can file on your behalf. Here’s exactly what changed and how to do it.
⚠️ Important Change — Effective July 15, 2025
The CRA no longer accepts authorization requests submitted through T1 tax software. All new authorizations must now be completed directly through the CRA’s Represent a Client portal by the client themselves.
What Changed and Why It Matters
Before July 15, 2025, your tax preparer could submit an authorization request on your behalf through their tax software (such as TaxCycle or other CRA-certified programs). You would receive a confirmation, and that was it.
The CRA has now closed that method entirely. The reason is security — this new process ensures that you personally authorize who can access your CRA account, rather than relying on a software request that could potentially be submitted without your full knowledge.
What this means practically: before we can view your tax information, file your return, or contact the CRA on your behalf, you need to log into your own CRA account and grant us access. This is a one-time setup per tax year.
What You Need Before You Start
To complete the authorization you will need:
- A CRA My Account — if you don’t have one, see the section below on how to register
- Our RepID — contact us at 604-872-3234 or via our contact form and we’ll provide it
- About 5 minutes — the process is straightforward once you’re logged in
Step-by-Step: How to Authorize PC Tax Solutions
- Go to CRA My Account and sign in using your CRA login, or through your bank (Sign-In Partner)
- Once logged in, click on Profile in the top right corner of the screen
- Scroll down and click Authorize my representative
- Click Start authorization and enter our RepID when prompted
- Select the level of access you want to grant (see below for guidance)
- Review the summary and click Submit — you’ll receive a confirmation immediately
✅ Done — That’s all we need
Once you’ve submitted the authorization, we can see your tax information and file on your behalf. You’ll receive a confirmation by mail from the CRA as well.
Level 1 vs Level 2 Access — Which Should You Choose?
The CRA offers two levels of representative access. Here’s what each one allows:
| Access Level | What Your Rep Can Do | What They Cannot Do |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | View your tax information, account balances, and correspondence from CRA | Cannot make changes, update banking info, or submit forms on your behalf |
| Level 2 | Everything in Level 1, plus: file returns, respond to CRA, update your information, and manage your account | Cannot change your SIN or access certain restricted personal information |
📌 Our Recommendation
For us to prepare and file your return, you need to grant Level 2 access. This allows us to view your information, file your T1, and communicate with the CRA on your behalf. You can revoke access at any time through your CRA My Account.
Don’t Have a CRA My Account Yet? Here’s How to Register
If you’ve never set up a CRA My Account, here’s how to get started:
Option A — Register Directly with CRA
- Go to CRA My Account and click Register
- Enter your SIN, date of birth, and information from your most recent tax return or notice of assessment
- Create a CRA user ID and password
- CRA will mail you a security code (arrives within 10 business days) — enter it to fully activate your account
Option B — Sign In Through Your Bank (Faster)
If you bank with one of the major Canadian banks (RBC, TD, Scotiabank, BMO, CIBC, and others), you can access CRA My Account immediately using your online banking credentials — no waiting for a mailed code. Look for the Sign-In Partner option on the CRA My Account login page.
Business Owners — My Business Account
If you’re a business owner and want us to handle your corporate taxes, GST/HST filings, or payroll, you’ll need to authorize us through My Business Account instead.
The process is the same — log into My Business Account, go to Manage Authorized Representatives, and enter our RepID with Level 2 access for your business number.
Cancelling or Changing Access
You are always in control. You can revoke or change a representative’s access at any time by logging into CRA My Account and going to Authorize my representative → View and manage authorized representatives. Changes take effect immediately.
Need help with the authorization?
We know this process is new and can feel confusing. Call us at 604-872-3234 or book a free consultation — we’ll walk you through every step at no extra charge before your appointment.
Book a Free ConsultationFrequently Asked Questions
Do I need to do this every year?
Authorization through Represent a Client is typically valid for up to three years, or until you cancel it. Your preparer will let you know if you need to renew it for the current tax year.
Is it safe to grant Level 2 access?
Yes — Level 2 access allows your representative to work with the CRA on your behalf, but it does not give them access to your online banking, SIN, or ability to change your personal login information. You can revoke access at any time.
What if I don’t have a computer?
You can complete the authorization on a smartphone through the CRA MyBenefits CRA app, or call us and we’ll help you find another way to complete it. In some cases, a paper Form T1013 can still be submitted by mail, though this takes significantly longer to process.
Can my tax preparer do this for me?
No — that’s exactly what changed. The authorization must be initiated and submitted by you, the client, through your own CRA My Account. This is a security measure to ensure only you can grant access to your tax information.