Online mail is a simple to use service that allows businesses to receive most of their mail, like their notice of assessment or statements, from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) directly in My Business Account.

When you sign up for online mail, the CRA will send you an email letting you know when you have new mail to view in My Business Account. Once you are signed up for online mail, you will go paperless since your correspondence will no longer be printed and mailed. Don’t worry - if your bank or anyone else needs a paper copy, all you need to do is log in to My Business Account and print or download a copy.

Need multiple people to be informed when you have new online mail? Add up to 3 email addresses per program account in My Business Account. This will allow you to add your representative, accountant, bookkeeper, or whomever you need to be informed.

How to register for online mail

Signing up is easy – here are three ways you can register to receive online mail from the CRA:

1. log in to My Business Account and select “Manage online mail”
2. if you are an authorized representative, register or log in to Represent a Client to access My Business Account
3. provide your email address when using the Corporation Internet Filing service and GST/HST NETFILE service

When registering, you should provide the email address or addresses of account(s) that are regularly used. The email address or addresses you provide are the ones we will use to advise you that you have new mail available for viewing.

Correspondence that you can receive electronically

Some examples of correspondence currently available through online mail include:

• notices of assessment (NOA)
• notices of reassessment (NORA)
• PD7A – statement of account for current source deductions
• statements
• letters

The CRA continues to add more correspondence to our online mail service every year. Anything not currently eligible for online mail will continue to be printed and mailed.

After you register for online mail

Once you are registered, the CRA will send a registration confirmation email to the address or addresses you provided. Depending on the method you used to register, you should receive your confirmation email within the following timelines:

• immediately if you used the “Online mail” service in My Business Account
• within 8 business days if you filed your return electronically (Corporation Internet Filing Service or GST/HST NETFILE)

If you do not receive a registration confirmation email, log in to My Business Account and review the email address or addresses in your profile. If the email address is incorrect, update it. If it is correct, check your junk mail folder for an email from the CRA.

How to know if the email notification is from the CRA

The CRA will never use aggressive language or tone, ask for prepaid credit cards, threaten arrest or to send police in any correspondence. A CRA email notification will only advise you that you have correspondence to view in My Business Account. It will never ask for you to confirm information or click on a link. If you’re unsure, log into My Business Account and see if you have new mail to read.

For more information, find out how to protect yourself against fraud.

What to do if you need a paper copy of a CRA correspondence

If your bank or anyone else needs a paper copy of a notice of assessment after you sign up for online mail, all you need to do is log in to My Business Account and print or download a copy.

How to update your email address for online mail

As with your mailing address, it is your responsibility to ensure we have your correct email address at all times.

Need multiple people to be informed when you have new online mail? Add up to 3 email addresses per program account in My Business Account. This will allow you to add your representative, accountant, bookkeeper, or whoever you need to be informed.

There are three ways you can update your email address or add an extra one, for online mail:

1. log in to My Business Account and select “Manage online mail”
2. if you are an authorized representative, register or log in to Represent a Client to access My Business Account
3. enter your email address when you file your taxes online