π About CRA User ID and Password
A CRA User ID and password are secure credentials used to access Canada Revenue Agency online services. One credential allows access to My Account, My Business Account, Represent a Client and several other CRA portals.
π€ Who Can Register?
To create a CRA User ID and password, you generally must:
- π Have a Social Insurance Number (SIN) or another accepted CRA identifier.
- π Have filed an income tax return within the previous two years.
- π Complete identity verification during registration.
After registering once, you can use the same credential for all eligible CRA accounts linked to your profile.
π Setting Up Your CRA Credential
- Create a unique CRA User ID (8β16 characters).
- Create a strong password (8β64 characters).
- Select five security questions.
- Enroll in multi-factor authentication (MFA).
- Verify your identity using document verification or a CRA security code.
The CRA recommends avoiding personal information in your User ID or password and never reusing passwords from other websites.
π Password Requirements
- β 8β64 characters.
- β At least one uppercase letter.
- β At least one lowercase letter.
- β At least one number.
- β No spaces or accented characters.
- β No more than four identical consecutive characters.
- β Supported special characters include ., -, _ and '.
Each CRA User ID must also be unique across all CRA users.
π Recovering Your User ID or Password
If you forget your credentials, the recovery process is completed online.
- π Recover a forgotten User ID.
- π Reset a forgotten password.
- β Answer your security questions.
- π Verify information from a recent tax return.
If you completely lose access, many users can now regain access simply by completing the CRA registration process again instead of calling support.
π« Revoked or Locked Credentials
A CRA User ID may be revoked if suspicious activity is detected or your account requires additional protection.
- π‘ Sign in using another available method (Sign-In Partner or Provincial Partner).
- π Register for a new CRA User ID.
- π± Complete identity verification again.
- π Reuse your previously enrolled MFA method when prompted.
Entering an incorrect User ID or password too many times may temporarily lock your account.
β Manage Your Security Settings
All of these settings are available from your CRA account's Welcome page after signing in.
π Change Your Sign-In Method
If you originally registered with a CRA User ID and password, you can later switch to another supported sign-in option.
- π¦ Switch to a Sign-In Partner.
- π Switch from a Provincial Partner.
- π Create a new CRA credential if needed.
The CRA recommends continuing to use the same sign-in method unless you intentionally decide to change it.
π‘ Best Practices
- β Use a unique password.
- β Enable multiple MFA methods.
- β Choose security question answers that won't change over time.
- β Review recent sign-in activity regularly.
- β Never share your CRA credentials.
- β Store your User ID in a secure password manager.
π¬ Community Experience
Many Canadian taxpayers recommend enrolling both an authenticator app and another backup MFA method before changing phones or travelling. Users who receive a revoked credential notice also report that re-registering online is often much faster than waiting for telephone support, provided they can still complete identity verification.
π¨βπ» Expert Insight from dir.md
Your CRA User ID is the key to every major CRA online service. Spending a few minutes setting up strong securityβespecially multiple MFA methods and memorable security questionsβcan save hours if you ever need to recover your account. Since the CRA now supports online re-registration for many recovery scenarios, maintaining access to your identity verification methods is just as important as remembering your password.
