CRA's online chat services

Access online support from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) with a generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) chatbot or online chat with a live agent.

Types of online chat services

The CRA offers two types of online chat support:

Virtual assistant (GenAI chatbot)

CRA web pages on Canada.ca

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Can answer general tax-related questions

My Account

Available during the CRA account hours of service
Can answer general tax-related questions and direct you on how to self-serve in My Account
Acts as the first point of contact for live agent chat services

Live agent (human chat)

Only available inside My Account
Available Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm ET
Can answer account-specific questions

Access the chat services

The virtual assistant is available on various Canada.ca webpages and in My Account. Live agent chat is only available in My Account.

Chat with the virtual assistant

You will find the virtual assistant icon in the bottom right corner of various CRA webpages on Canada.ca, including this one, as well as inside My Account. To start, select the icon to open a chat session.

Chat with a live agent

If you are unable to obtain the information you need through the virtual assistant or if you have an account specific issue, you may request to chat online with a live agent.

Sign in to your CRA account and select your Individual account to access My Account
Select the virtual assistant icon in the bottom right corner of the page
Ask the virtual assistant your tax-related question
If you are unable to obtain the information you need, or if you have an account-specific issue, you may request to chat online with a live agent during the hours of service
The virtual assistant will assign you to the appropriate live agent and provide them with a summary of your conversation

Live agents will be available to chat in My Account Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm ET (except on public holidays).

If you can't access your account

If you have lost access to your CRA account, going through the registration process again may help you get your access back.

For details: If you can't access your account

How to use the chat services

Understanding how the chat services function will help you know where and how to get the information you need.

Asking the virtual assistant good questions

The virtual assistant can answer general tax-related questions, for example, questions about filing deadlines. It cannot answer questions that are specific to your account.

To help the virtual assistant find the information you need, do the following:

Ask your questions in complete sentences
Focus on one topic per question
Be specific and clear, for example, ask “When are individual taxes due?” not, “When are taxes due?”
Avoid using slang or jargon

Even if you are signed in to your CRA account, do not share personal information with the virtual assistant (for example your name, social insurance number (SIN), bank account, passwords, etc.).

Important Information

This virtual assistant is a generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tool that uses Canada.ca website content and should not be taken as professional tax or legal advice. Information from the virtual assistant may not be fully accurate or meet your specific needs. Always use your best judgment and consult human professionals or other online sources before making decisions based on this information. Use this information at your own risk.

Available topics for live agent chat

Live agents in My Account can answer both account-specific and general questions about:

Personal income taxes and benefits
Savings and Pension Plans
Payments and instalments to the CRA

Unavailable topics for live agent chat

Live agents in My Account are unable to assist with questions about:

Business income or expenses
Rental Income
Estates and Trusts
Non-resident returns or enquiries
Foreign income reporting
Capital Gains
Crypto-assets
Deceased individuals
My Business Account or Represent a Client

Questions regarding these topics must continue to be directed towards our phone lines.

Protecting your privacy

Whether chatting with the virtual assistant or a live agent, privacy is a priority for the CRA.

Virtual assistant

Personal information will not be collected or stored when interacting with the virtual assistant inside My Account.

Virtual Assistant Privacy Disclaimer

Do not share personal information (including your name, address, social insurance number, date of birth, or financial details) while using the virtual assistant. The virtual assistant is not designed to securely handle personal or sensitive information. Your personal information and chat history are not stored or used. During your interaction with the virtual assistant, your questions and other interactions will be temporarily retained to improve your experience.

For more information about privacy, view the Privacy Statement.

Live agent

Transcripts of online chats will be stored for quality assurance, verification, and security purposes.

Live Agent Privacy Disclaimer

Personal information (including social insurance numbers and/or business numbers) is collected and used to administer or enforce the Income Tax Act, Excise Tax Act, other federal statutes, and related programs and activities including administering tax, benefits, audit, compliance, and collection and verification activities.