CRA account help – About Represent a Client
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Represent a Client (RAC) is an online portal in your CRA account that gives authorized representatives secure, quick, and easy online access to tax-related information for the individuals, businesses, registered plan owners, and trusts they represent.
On this page
- Who can use Represent a Client
- How to access Represent a Client
- RAC identifiers to gain authorization
- Services in Represent a Client
- What's new
- Resources
Who can use Represent a Client
A representative can be anyone who would like to access information and services on behalf of individuals, businesses, registered plan owners, and trusts. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- An individual who is involved in the tax affairs of individuals, businesses, or trusts, including:
- A friend or family member
- An executor, power of attorney or legal guardian
- An employee who does payroll/GST/corporate etc. for their employer
- A bookkeeper
- A public trustee
- A lawyer
- A financial planner
- An owner or employee of a business that provides tax or payroll services for clients
- A non-resident representative living in the United States
- An authorized employee or service provider of a registered plan owner
Responsibilities of authorized representatives
A client is anyone who authorizes you to be their representative, including:
- A family member or friend
- A business
- Your employer
- A registered plan owner
How to access Represent a Client
To access Represent a Client for the first time, you will have to register yourself or your business as a representative:
- Sign in to your CRA account
- From the Welcome page, select Add account
- Select Representative account
- Select Register with Represent a Client
- Select Register your business or Register yourself
- After getting your confirmation, return to the Welcome page and select your Representative account to access Represent a Client
You will also have to request authorization to access someone else's tax information.
RAC identifiers to gain authorization
There are 3 different RAC identifiers you can use to gain authorization and access to someone else's information:
- RepID
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Everyone who registers with Represent a Client will receive a Rep ID.
Share this with your clients, family or friends to authorize you as their representative. You can also give your RepID to your employer to gain access to their clients' information.
If you lose your RepID
If you lose or forget your RepID, you do not need to register for another one. To view your RepID:
- Sign in to your CRA account
- Select your representative account on the Welcome page to access Represent a Client
- Select Review and update
- Select View and update my registration information
- Business number (BN)
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Register your business with Represent a Client to manage the access of employees to your client's information. Clients can authorize a business as an authorized representative, and only the employees associated to the business can access client information.
For help with setting up your business to use Represent a Client and associating employees to your business, go to: Manage how your business uses Represent a Client
- GroupID
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Any representative can sign in to Represent a Client and create a group that will be identified by a unique GroupID. Any representative associated to the GroupID will have online access to the tax information of taxpayers who have authorized the GroupID.
For more information, go to: Create and manage a GroupID in Represent a Client
Learn more about how to request authorization to access someone else's tax information.
Services in Represent a Client
The services in Represent a Client that are available to a representative are different depending on whether you are representing an individual, a business, a registered plan owner, or a trust.
You can access client information from the main menu, by entering your client's SIN, business number, trust number, non-resident tax account number, or registered plan number in the appropriate field.
Individuals: Services for representatives
Businesses: Services for representatives
Trusts: Services for representatives
Non-resident tax accounts: Services for representatives
Registered plans: Services for representatives
For details about our hours of service and browser requirements, go to CRA account availability.
What's new
Backup multi-factor authentication option
The CRA has introduced a backup multi-factor authentication (MFA) option requirement for your CRA account. If you don’t already have one, you will be asked to add a backup MFA option the next time you sign in. Backup options include either a passcode grid or a third-party authenticator app. You will be able to temporarily skip this step.