π’ CRA My Business Account
My Business Account is the Canada Revenue Agency's secure online portal that allows business owners to manage tax accounts, file returns, make payments, receive CRA correspondence and update business information from a single location.
π₯ Who Can Use My Business Account?
- π’ Sole proprietors
- π€ Business partners
- π Corporate directors and officers
- π Incorporated businesses
- π Businesses with one or more CRA program accounts
Employees, accountants and bookkeepers normally access business information through Represent a Client after receiving authorization from the business owner.
π How to Add Your Business
- Sign in to your CRA account.
- Select + Add account β Business account.
- Choose Add an existing Business Number (BN) or register a new one.
- Accept the Terms and Conditions.
- Enter your 9-digit Business Number.
- If necessary, link your SIN to your BN.
- Complete identity validation.
After validation, your Business Number appears on the CRA welcome page and you can immediately access My Business Account.
β What You Can Do
The portal provides access to nearly all CRA business program accounts through a single secure interface.
π¬ Online Mail
Most CRA business correspondence is delivered online by default through My Business Account. Notices, statements, requests and letters are considered received on the day they are posted to your account. Enabling CRA email notifications helps ensure you never miss new correspondence.
Businesses may request paper correspondence in certain situations, although online delivery has become the standard method.
π Security Features
- π Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- π± Backup authentication method
- π¦ Sign-In Partner or CRA credentials
- π§ Email notifications
- π Secure encrypted sign-in
The CRA now encourages every user to configure a backup MFA option, such as an authenticator app or passcode grid, to simplify account recovery.
β Common Problems
- β Your SIN is not linked to your Business Number.
- β Incorrect Business Number entered.
- β Business ownership information cannot be validated.
- β Missing authorization for representatives.
- β Scheduled CRA maintenance temporarily limits some services.
If your SIN cannot be linked to your BN, you will not be able to add the business until the CRA updates its records.
π‘ Best Practices
- β Register before your first filing deadline.
- β Enable email notifications.
- β Configure a backup MFA method.
- β Review your online correspondence regularly.
- β Keep your business profile up to date.
- β Save copies of important CRA notices.
π¬ Community Experience
Business owners frequently recommend activating My Business Account immediately after receiving a Business Number instead of waiting until taxes are due. Many also advise checking the CRA service status before filing payroll or GST/HST returns because scheduled maintenance occasionally makes filing services temporarily unavailable.
π¨βπ» Expert Insight from dir.md
For most Canadian businesses, My Business Account has become the primary communication channel with the CRA. Setting it up early, linking your Business Number correctly and enabling email notifications can prevent missed deadlines, delayed notices and unnecessary phone calls. Since business correspondence is now primarily delivered online, regularly checking your account is just as important as reviewing your business email.
