Authorize a representative: Before you start

2. Before you start

Know your responsibilities

You're responsible for providing your tax information to your representative. They will require one or more of the following:

• your name, address, date of birth
• your social insurance number
• your business number
• your non-resident withholding tax account number
• the trust account number
• your notice of assessment or notice of reassessment
• your tax return
• other tax documents

When you authorize a representative, you're letting them represent you for your personal tax, business tax, non-resident tax, or trust tax matters.

Personal tax matters include topics related to information on your individual account.

Business tax matters include topics related to information on your program accounts. If you want to authorize a representative for your Canadian business, you'll first need a business number. To find out if you need a business number, go to When you need a business number or Canada Revenue Agency program accounts.

Non-resident tax matters include topics related to your non-resident withholding tax accounts. These accounts have account numbers beginning with the letters NR.

Trust tax matters include topics related to trust accounts. These accounts have account numbers beginning with the letter T.

You're responsible for choosing the level of access for your representative.

If your representative contacts the CRA, the CRA will ask them questions to confirm their identity and verify that they are listed as your representative on your account.

There are different requirements for authorizing a legal representative. For more information, go to Legal representative or Represent someone who died.