EFILE news and program updates

• What's new
• News and program updates

What's new

Important dates and changes for the upcoming filing season starting in February 2017

• The EFILE program will be open for transmissions on February 20, 2017, until January 19, 2018, for the electronic filing of your clients' 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 personal income tax and benefit return.
• EFILE transmission of 2014, 2015, and 2016 T1135 form – Foreign Income Verification Statement will be available until January 19, 2018.
• Corporation Internet Filing of T1135 form – Foreign Income Verification Statement will be available year-round, except for the occasional weekend when conversion activities are undertaken.

News and program updates

July 6, 2017

It’s a great time to update your EFILE account information

Keeping your EFILE account information updated is very important and updates should be made whenever changes occur. Has your mailing/email address, phone/fax numbers, or contact information changed? Perhaps there have been changes to the applicants registered on your EFILE account? Now that the filing season is winding down, it would be a great time to make any necessary changes to your EFILE account information.

We ask that you take a few moments to update your EFILE account to ensure the information we have on file is accurate. Taking the time now to make these updates may also expedite the suitability screening process when you renew your account in October for the next filing season!

Updating your account is as easy as following these easy steps:

• go to the cra.gc.ca/efile page and select “EFILE login”,
• enter your EFILE number and password,
• select the “Maintain account’’ option,
• review and update (if necessary) all information on 5 separate pages, and
• click “Submit maintenance” to receive confirmation of the account changes you just made.

Although you can update most fields yourself, some fields will need to be changed by an EFILE Helpdesk officer. Refer to the Account maintenance web page for a complete list of what you can do for yourself and what you may need help with. For any fields you are unable to update, please call your designated EFILE Helpdesk. We’re here to help!

You can contact us any time with questions relating to error clues, password issues, hours of service, etc.

June 8, 2017

Annual Processing Review Program

We will be starting our annual post-assessment review of individual income tax and benefit returns shortly. If your client's tax return has been selected for review, we will send our letters to your office if:

• you have been designated as your client's representative on Form T183; and

• you have indicated that our Processing Review Program letters should be sent to you.

We will not send a second letter to your client if we do not receive a response from you. EFILE representatives, who are authorized to receive CRA letters for a taxpayer, can sign up for online mail to receive Processing Review letters in Represent a Client. The electronic delivery of letters in Represent a Client gives representatives quick and convenient online access to letters.

It is possible that you will receive letters from tax centres other than those you have dealt with in the past. Please make sure to send the requested information to the originating tax centre.

All tax centres will start sending letters on June 8^th 2017.

June 7, 2017

Do you have returns that need to be retransmitted?

The Canada Revenue Agency has improved the transmission history display on our secure EFILE web service. You can log in to the secure site whenever it’s convenient for you!

Gone are the system-generated emails you may have received during previous tax-filing seasons with a list of returns needing correction. In June we will send you this reminder again to log on to the EFILE web service to check for any rejected transmissions and correct them before the filing deadline.

Go to the new "Rejected transmission(s) requiring correction(s)" link to quickly and easily access a list of your returns that were rejected with correctable errors and those that were rejected and need to be submitted on paper. Once your corrected and retransmitted returns are processed, they will be removed from this list and will display on the Accepted transmission(s) link.

It's easy!

• log into the secure site with your EFILE number and password
• click on the new "Rejected transmission(s) requiring correction(s)" link to display your rejected transmissions in reverse chronologic order
• click on the file name hyperlink to display the transmission information
• the error clue(s) displayed will help you identify the corrections you need to make to successfully re-transmit the return, or if the return must be paper filed
• Once your corrected and retransmitted returns are processed they will be removed from this list and be displayed on your Accepted transmission link.

Notes:

• If a paper return was filed after your rejected transmission, the rejected transmission will be removed from this list and will no longer be displayed.
• Any transmission that was previously rejected, but successfully received later from another efiler, or transmitted via NETFILE will be removed from your list of rejected transmissions and will no longer be displayed.

**Important information**

• Be sure to use the current date when searching any of these transmission links.
• If you do not have any transmissions to display, the system will bring you back to the EFILE login page.

You can also view any amended T1 transmissions you have made through the ReFILE service by clicking on the new "View ReFILE Service Transmission History" link. All accepted and rejected ReFILE transmissions will be displayed.

June 6, 2017

Disability Tax Credit

Taxpayers can file electronically and claim the disability tax credit for themselves, their dependants or their spouse without having valid disability information on their file at the time they submit their tax return.

More individuals are submitting returns with a claim for the disability tax credit, based on the fact that they receive a private company disability pension or the Canada Pension Plan disability payment. These pensions are not related to the disability tax credit, nor do they mean an individual qualifies for it.

Before you include the disability amount on an individual’s T1 return, please ask your client if they have applied for the credit before. Your client can give you their notice of assessment or the notice of determination that we sent them. These notices will indicate if the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has determined that your client is eligible for the credit.

If your client is not sure if they applied before, ask them to go to cra.gc.ca/disability. Videos and other information describe the simple application process.

Making a claim for the disability tax credit may delay our assessment of your client’s return. This is because the CRA still has to make sure an individual qualifies for the credit before we allow it. Individuals who claim the credit must still send us Form T2201, Disability Tax Credit Certificate, signed by their medical practitioner.

Thank you for your continued collaboration in offering electronic services to taxpayers.

May 11, 2017

EFILE monitoring

As part of its commitment to protect taxpayer information, from time to time the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) asks for a number of copies of Form T183, Information Return for Electronic Filing of an Individual's Income Tax and Benefit Return from electronic filers.

In addition, we may also ask for a written explanation of errors noted during the review. If we ask you for these forms, please do not reply by email since email is not a secure form of communication. We will give you a specific time frame to respond to our request. If you do not respond within that time frame to our request for forms and/or a written explanation on errors noted during the review, we may suspend your EFILE privileges.

Please do not submit T183 forms unless we ask you for them. If your client has to make a payment, do not ask them to send a copy of Form T183 with the payment. Instead, refer them to the Make a payment webpage for payment options.

Remember that Part D of Form T183 is similar to Form T1013, Authorizing or Cancelling a Representative, in that it allows the CRA to give you certain information about your client’s current-year tax return and it authorizes you to make changes to your client’s return and account. Alternatively, your client can use Form T1013 to cancel other representatives or to authorize you to be their representative for a specific tax year or all years. It can even allow you to access your client’s information online. However, the authorizations you are granted in Part D of Form T183 and on Form T1013 are not interchangeable. Even if you have authorization from Form T1013 at the CRA, regardless if it is already on file or you are electronically transmitting or paper-filing the form, the CRA will not contact you for pre- and post-assessment review unless you transmit the authorization from Part D of Form T183 with the return.

You may also send the requested forms to us electronically using the Submit documents option in the Represent a Client (RAC) portal. You must be registered in RAC in order to use this option. Please refer to the letter we may send you requesting T183 forms for additional information on how to use this service.

If you have questions about this message, please call your EFILE Helpdesk.

We thank you for your co-operation in this matter.

May 10, 2017

System Maintenance – Represent a Client (RAC) – May release impact

As a result of systems maintenance, the following online services will be temporarily unavailable from 8 p.m. on Friday, May 12, 2017, until 6 a.m. on Monday, May 15, 2017 (Eastern time):

• Represent a Client
  • Access to individual and business accounts
• My Account (View Notice of Assessment, View Mail, Authorize my Representative)
• My Business Account
• Auto-fill My Return service
• Express NOA service
• TRIS webservice

  • T1013 electronic transmission

The Pre-authorized Debit (PAD) webservice will be temporarily unavailable from 7 p.m. on Friday, May 12, 2017 until 6 a.m. on Saturday, May 13, 2017 (Eastern time).

April 21, 2017

Online Mail and EFILE clients

Have you ever asked your client for information and they couldn’t find it? Perhaps a benefit notice or a previous year’s notice of assessment? When your clients receive their CRA mail online, they will simply need to log in to My Account and their information will be in one secure location. It’s easy, convenient, and will save you time!

Online mail is:

Convenient – Provide the CRA with your client’s email address and we’ll notify them when they have tax and benefit information to view in their secure account - online, anytime, anywhere.

Secure – The CRA takes the protection of Canadians' tax information very seriously. For this reason, our emails will never ask your client to divulge personal or financial information or include a link. Help keep your client’s tax and benefit information safe.

Paperless – Instead of paper clutter around the home and/or the office, your client will have all of their correspondence in one location. The CRA will send your client an email notification when there is new mail, such as their notice of assessment or reassessment and benefit notices, in their secure online account, so they won't miss a thing.

Please share the benefits of online mail with your clients.

Signing up your client is easy. Simply include your client’s email address in your EFILE transmission once you have been authorized to do so with a completed Form T183, Information Return for Electronic Filing of an Individual's Income Tax and Benefit Return.

The CRA and tax preparers have an excellent history of successful collaboration. We know we can count on your support for this important initiative. For more information, go to cra.gc.ca/onlinemail

Thank you!

April 13, 2017

Do you have returns that need to be retransmitted?

The Canada Revenue Agency has improved the transmission history display on our secure EFILE web service. You can log in to the secure site whenever it’s convenient for you!

Gone are the system-generated emails you may have received during previous tax-filing seasons with a list of returns needing correction. In June we will send you this reminder again to log on to the EFILE web service to check for any rejected transmissions and correct them before the filing deadline.

Go to the new "Rejected transmission(s) requiring correction(s)" link to quickly and easily access a list of your returns that were rejected with correctable errors and those that were rejected and need to be submitted on paper. Once your corrected and retransmitted returns are processed, they will be removed from this list and will display on the Accepted transmission(s) link.

It's easy!

• log into the secure site with your EFILE number and password
• click on the new "Rejected transmission(s) requiring correction(s)" link to display your rejected transmissions in reverse chronologic order
• click on the file name hyperlink to display the transmission information
• the error clue(s) displayed will help you identify the corrections you need to make to successfully re-transmit the return, or if the return must be paper filed
• Once your corrected and retransmitted returns are processed they will be removed from this list and be displayed on your Accepted transmission link.

Notes:

• If a paper return was filed after your rejected transmission, the rejected transmission will be removed from this list and will no longer be displayed.
• Any transmission that was previously rejected, but successfully received later from another efiler, or transmitted via NETFILE will be removed from your list of rejected transmissions and will no longer be displayed.

**Important information**

• Be sure to use the current date when searching any of these transmission links.
• If you do not have any transmissions to display, the system will bring you back to the EFILE login page.

You can also view any amended T1 transmissions you have made through the ReFILE service by clicking on the new "View ReFILE Service Transmission History" link. All accepted and rejected ReFILE transmissions will be displayed.

April 10, 2017

Disability Tax Credit

Taxpayers can file electronically and claim the disability tax credit for themselves, their dependants or their spouse without having valid disability information on their file at the time they submit their tax return.

More individuals are submitting returns with a claim for the disability tax credit, based on the fact that they receive a private company disability pension or the Canada Pension Plan disability payment. These pensions are not related to the disability tax credit, nor do they mean an individual qualifies for it.

Before you include the disability amount on an individual’s T1 return, please ask your client if they have applied for the credit before. Your client can give you their notice of assessment or the notice of determination that we sent them. These notices will indicate if the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has determined that your client is eligible for the credit.

If your client is not sure if they applied before, ask them to go to cra.gc.ca/disability. Videos and other information describe the simple application process.

Making a claim for the disability tax credit may delay our assessment of your client’s return. This is because the CRA still has to make sure an individual qualifies for the credit before we allow it. Individuals who claim the credit must still send us Form T2201, Disability Tax Credit Certificate, signed by their medical practitioner.

Thank you for your continued collaboration in offering electronic services to taxpayers.

April 6, 2017

We’re here to help! - EFILE Helpdesk hours of service

The CRA has extended the service hours of its EFILE Helpdesks in advance of the T1 filing deadline. Go to our EFILE Helpdesk Support page for more information and remember to check the page from time to time for updates.

March 9, 2017

The CRA’s annual Office Audit Letter Campaign

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will soon be conducting its eighth annual Office Audit Letter Campaign.

The letter campaign is designed to encourage behavioural changes among a selected taxpayer population by providing relevant information about their current or past reporting requirements and guidance on how to correct any common errors.

In February and March 2017, the CRA will send approximately 30,000 "intent-to-audit" letters to selected groups of individual taxpayers and business owners claiming consecutive business or rental losses, and selected taxpayers who may have sold rental property. The objective of the campaign is to encourage letter recipients to review and correct their tax affairs where applicable. This can be done on-line through My Account or in paper format by submitting required changes using Form T1-ADJ - T1 Adjustment Request, or through the Voluntary Disclosures Program.

The CRA’s emphasis is on helping individuals and small businesses better understand their tax obligations, which in turn increases future voluntary compliance, protects the government’s tax base and uses resources within the CRA more effectively.

If you or your clients have questions about the CRA’s Office Audit Letter Campaign or need help making changes to previously filed returns, go to cra.gc.ca/lettercampaign. You can also call the individual income tax enquiries line at 1-800-959-8281 or the business enquiries line at 1-800-959-5525.

February 18, 2017

What’s New for the 2017 Filing Season?

Check out the new services being offered through select certified EFILE software for this coming tax filing season. We’re making electronic filing faster and easier for you and your clients!

Express Notice of Assessment (Express NOA)

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is launching the new Express NOA web service in February 2017. This new service is being offered in select certified EFILE software. It will deliver an instant assessment result message and provides the electronic notice of assessment or reassessment the next day directly to the software for initial T1 returns and amended T1 returns.

To use the service in certified EFILE software, you must:

• have your CRA credentials for Represent a Client
• complete Part C of Form T183

Once a return is filed through the certified tax software, you will receive a confirmation message containing a link to the Express NOA service. If you are not using the Auto-fill my return service, you will need to log into the Express NOA web service to access this information.

It’s fast, easy and secure!

Check the Express NOA webpage for full details.

ReFILE like you EFILE!

As an EFILE service provider, you can save time and postage costs by submitting T1 adjustments using the ReFILE service offered in select certified EFILE software. You can electronically submit adjustments to T1 returns for the 2015 and 2016 tax years with software products that include this service for both tax years.

You must have your client complete part C of Form T183. The new Form T183 will have the letter “R” adjacent to the tax year to indicate it is a ReFILE return.

Note: You can only submit T1 adjustments on behalf of clients who have previously filed electronically. Check the ReFILE webpage for more details.

Create a pre-authorized debit (PAD) agreement for your clients

You and your clients can now make a ‘one time’ payment using pre-authorized debit right from your office. Set it, and forget it.

This new service is available through select certified EFILE software products and provides your clients with a secure, worry-free way to pay their amount owing. Setting up a pre-authorized debit for your clients means they won't have to worry about forgetting deadlines and being penalized for late payments.

By completing Part C of Form T183 the software will generate the pre-authorized debit agreement. You will receive an instant confirmation for your clients and for your own records.

Stay tuned for more details on this service.

Changes to Form T183

Be sure to check out all the changes made to Form T183 to facilitate these new services!

*NEW* Part C – Optional sign up for new Canada Revenue Agency services

More options are now available for your clients!

Express Notice of Assessment

Clients can choose to allow the CRA to electronically provide you with their instant assessment result message and their electronic notice of assessment and reassessment the next day.

ReFILE service

Clients can authorize you to electronically file their amended T1 return.

Pre-authorized debit agreement

Clients can authorize you to create a personal pre-authorized debit on their behalf.

This new section must be completed and signed by your client to allow the CRA to automatically withdraw a pre-determined amount from their bank account to pay their taxes on a specific date.

Remember: You have to complete Form T183 for each T1 initial and amended return you transmit.

Take time to familiarize yourself with the new Form T183.

Provincial and Territorial Taxes – Multiple Jurisdictions (MJ)

New for the 2016 tax year and subsequent tax years!

EFILE has lifted the restriction on multiple jurisdictions and will now accept the electronic transmission of T2203 Provincial and Territorial Taxes – Multiple Jurisdictions.

Some certified EFILE software products will now allow you to prepare multi-jurisdictional T1 returns for clients, to allocate income to multiple provinces and territories.

Check the 2016 EFILE certified software webpage to see which products support this function.

Payment on Filing (PoF)

The Canada Revenue Agency has made several improvements to expedite the processing of personal income tax returns for you and your clients.

Electronically filed returns are now assessed so quickly that the process is usually completed before the payment can be processed!

This means that any payments made upon filing are unlikely to be reflected on your client’s Notice of Assessment and would not be displayed in the new Express NOA service.

Please share this information with your clients and let them know they can check their online banking to confirm their payment to the CRA or by using their My Account to verify their account balance.

New look for the EFILE Transmission History web pages

To help you track your transmissions, the Canada Revenue Agency has improved the transmission history display on our secure EFILE web service!

We're adding new links:

Accepted transmission(s)

• This link will display all of your accepted EFILE transmissions only.

Rejected transmission(s) requiring correction

• Now you can quickly access a list of your returns that were rejected with correctable errors, and those that were rejected and need to be submitted on paper. You will no longer have to go through pages of transmissions to see which returns need correction.

View ReFILE Service Transmission History

• With this new link you will be able to view any amended T1 returns you transmitted.

You can log in to the secure site whenever it’s convenient for you!

February 6, 2017

Information for discounters

To meet the needs of the discounting community and to prepare you for the upcoming tax filing season, we have revised the Guide T4163, Guide for Discounters, and discounting forms.

Remember that you are responsible for complying with the provisions of the Tax Rebate Discounting Act. To keep yourself informed of all changes to procedures and policies, please consult Information for discounters and the Guide T4163.

As a discounter, it is important that you update the information in your EFILE account with your current discounter code. Go to the EFILE Login and select Maintain Account to make the changes.

January 16, 2017

Attention: Last day to transmit T1 tax returns and T1 Form T1135

The CRA’s EFILE systems will stop accepting transmissions of your clients 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 (T1) personal income tax and benefit returns at midnight local time on Friday, January 20, 2017 in order to convert our systems to prepare for the next filing season.

Please ensure you transmit any T1 returns and T1135 forms before January 20, 2017 to avoid having to wait until the new program starts or having to paper file during this extended period.

The EFILE program will re-open on Monday, February 20, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern time) for the electronic filing of your clients 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 personal income tax and benefit returns. Thank you for your continued support and participation.

The following services will still be available after January 20, 2017:

• Corporation Internet Filing for Corporation Income Tax (T2) returns. Note: You must have renewed your EFILE number and password and passed suitability screening to continue to file T2 returns using your EFILE number and password. Or you will need to use a web access code. Go to cra.gc.ca/corporation-internet for more information.

• Electronic filing of Form T1013. Note: You must use the current-year version of the tax software to electronically submit the 2015 form through the T1013 transmission web service until 8:00 p.m. on Friday, February 10, 2017.

  When the T1013 web service re-opens at 8:30 a.m. Monday, February 13, 2017 it will only accept the 2016 version of this form.

January 12, 2017

Reminder - Have you renewed your access to our electronic services?

Thank you for using the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) electronic services! To maintain your EFILE access for the coming year, including receiving emails from the CRA, you have to renew your EFILE participation online. This will allow you to use the following electronic services:

• EFILE
• Auto-fill my return service
• Corporation Internet Filing
• T1135 transmission web service
• T1013 transmission web service
• Client Data Enquiry (CDE)
• Online Mail

Every year, the CRA conducts a suitability screening process before prospective and existing electronic filing applicants are allowed to electronically file income tax returns for their clients. This process may take up to 30 days. Please file your application or renewal as early as possible to avoid unnecessary delays.

How to renew:

• Make an online request at cra.gc.ca/efile.
• Click on "EFILE Login" and follow the instructions given.
• To log on, you will need your current EFILE number and password.
• Seconds after submitting your electronic renewal request, you will receive a confirmation page.
• The confirmation page will include your new password and the location of the EFILE Helpdesk responsible for your file.

You must update your tax preparation software with your newly assigned password to ensure any future transmissions are successful

• Once your renewal request has gone through the suitability screening process, you will receive an email or letter informing you of the result.

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On January 20, 2017 we will stop accepting T1 transmissions temporarily to convert our systems for the next filing season.

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Note: You only need one EFILE number to file all your clients' income tax returns. Only tax preparation businesses that operate more than one location are required to have multiple EFILE numbers. If your business has multiple locations remember to complete a separate renewal request for each EFILE number.

As an electronic filer, you have to follow the electronic filing procedures. These procedures are available at cra.gc.ca/efile. You should become familiar with the information on these pages before using EFILE.

Lost your EFILE number or password?

• Please do not file a new application using the "Register for EFILE" link.
• Simply contact your EFILE Helpdesk for assistance.

Discounter information:

• If you are also a discounter, you do not need to renew your discounter code.
• You have to file a revised Form RC76 when information previously given on Form RC75, Form RC76, or Form RC115 has changed.

Questions?

• Consult the CRA EFILE webpages for answers to your most frequently asked questions.
• If the answer is not on our webpages, call your EFILE Helpdesk.

NOTE: You have to complete a T183 form for each T1 return you transmit.

January 3, 2017

Service interruptions – System maintenance

The Canada Revenue Agency's systems will be undergoing annual maintenance. As a result, the following service interruptions will occur during the time frames noted below:

• The EFILE systems will stop accepting transmissions of your clients 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 (T1) personal income tax and benefit returns at midnight local time on Friday, January 20, 2017 and will re-open on Monday, February 20, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern time) for the electronic filing of your clients 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 personal income tax and benefit returns.

• The Auto-fill my return (AFR) service will no longer be available for the 2015 tax year as of 8:00 p.m. on Friday, January 6, 2017 (Eastern time). The service will re-open on Monday, February 20, 2017, at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern time), to provide 2015 and 2016 tax year data to allow you to automatically fill in parts of T1 income tax and benefit returns.

• T1135 transmission web service will be temporarily unavailable from 8:00 p.m. on Friday, January 20, 2017 until 8:30 a.m. on Monday, February 20, 2017 (Eastern time).

• T1013 transmission web service will be temporarily unavailable from 8:00 p.m. on Friday, February 10, 2017, until 8:30 a.m. on Monday, February 13, 2017 (Eastern time).

• The EFILE online service "Transmission history" will be unavailable from 8:00 p.m. on Friday, January 20, 2017, until 8:30 a.m. on Monday, February 20, 2017 (Eastern time).

• There will be no service interruptions to the following EFILE online applications: "Register for EFILE", "Yearly renewal" and "Account maintenance".

Canada Revenue Agency is modernizing its services to meet the needs of Canadians. As part of the CRA’s Service Renewal Initiative to streamline services, our current nine processing centres will be transitioned into seven specialized sites.

For any EFILE accounts affected by this initiative, the transitioning will be seamless and you will receive an email message from us, to provide you with all the details.

October 24, 2016

Electronic Services - 2017 Program

Thank you for using the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) electronic services!

Did you know that the collaborative efforts of EFILERs and the CRA accounted for 56% of T1 returns filed in Canada last year?

We are proud to work with you to continue to build on this success story, and are grateful for your hard work and dedication as we embark on another filing season.

To maintain your access for the coming year, including receiving emails from the CRA, you must renew your participation online. This will allow you to use the following electronic services:

• EFILE
• Corporation Internet Filing
• T1135 transmission web service
• T1013 transmission web service
• Client Data Enquiry (CDE)
• Auto-fill my return service
• Online Mail

If you renew between October 24, 2016 and January 20, 2017

• Update your tax preparation software with your newly assigned password to continue transmitting T1013 and T1135 forms, file T2 returns, and transmit 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 T1 returns, even though your EFILE Helpdesk may not have fully completed the suitability screening process.
• Any transactions during this time period will fail if your software has not been updated with your newly assigned password.

If you DO NOT renew your account between October 24, 2016 and January 20, 2017

• Continue to use your current password to transmit T1013 and T1135 forms, transmit T2 returns, and transmit 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 T1 returns until January 20, 2017 when we stop accepting T1 transmissions temporarily to convert our systems for the next filing season.
• To continue to transmit T1013 forms, transmit T1135 forms and file T2 returns after January 20, 2017, you will need to have renewed your EFILE account, passed suitability screening, and updated your tax preparation software with your newly assigned password.

As an electronic filer, you have to comply with the electronic filing procedures that are available at cra.gc.ca/efile. Please familiarize yourself with the information on these pages before using EFILE.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You have to complete a T183 form for each T1 return you transmit.

As you know, the CRA conducts a suitability screening process each year before prospective and existing electronic filing applicants are permitted to electronically file income tax returns on behalf of their clients. This process may take up to 30 days. Please submit your application or renewal as early as possible to avoid unnecessary delays.

How to renew

• Make an online request at cra.gc.ca/efile.
• Click on the "EFILE Login" button located in the right side menu bar
• To log on, you will need your current EFILE number and password.
• Seconds after submitting your online renewal request, it will be validated and you will receive a confirmation page.
• The confirmation will include your new password and the EFILE Helpdesk responsible for your file.
• Once your renewal request has undergone the suitability screening process, you will receive an email or letter to advise you of the result.

Note:

You only need one EFILE number to file all your clients' income tax returns. Only tax preparation businesses that operate more than one location are required to have multiple EFILE numbers.

If you operate more than one location, remember to complete a separate renewal request for each EFILE number.

Lost your EFILE number or password?

• Please DO NOT file a new application using the "Register for EFILE" link.
• Simply contact your EFILE Helpdesk for assistance.

Discounter Information

• If you are also a discounter, you do not need to renew your discounter code.
• A revised application Form RC76 is required when information previously provided on Form RC75, Form RC76, or Form RC115 has changed.

Questions?

• Consult the CRA EFILE webpages for answers to your most frequently asked questions.
• If the answer is not available on our webpages, call your EFILE Helpdesk.

October 20, 2016

Important information and service interruptions for annual conversion

Prior to opening for the upcoming program, the Canada Revenue Agency's EFILER Information System will undergo its annual conversion process.

The following services will be temporarily unavailable from Friday, October 21 at 8:00 p.m. eastern (Ottawa) time until Monday, October 24 at 8:30 a.m. eastern (Ottawa) time:

• Transmission of T1 and T2 returns
• EFILE Online services (Register for EFILE, Yearly renewals, Account maintenance activities and Transmission history)

• T1135 transmission web service

The following services will be temporarily unavailable from Friday, October 21 at 8:00 p.m. eastern (Ottawa) time until Monday, October 24 at 6:00 a.m. eastern (Ottawa) time:

• T1013 transmission web service
• Client Data Enquiry service (CDE)

• Auto-fill my return service (AFR)

On October 24, 2016, you will receive a Lyris message inviting you to renew your participation for the 2017 EFILE program.

Date modified:

2017-07-07