Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
To call the Canada Revenue Agency about your personal taxes, dial 1-800-959-8281. Businesses use 1-800-959-5525, and benefit and credit questions have their own number, 1-800-387-1193. Have your Social Insurance Number and last notice of assessment in front of you before you dial.
Which number should you call?
Dial the wrong line and you’ll lose a good chunk of your morning. Some older web pages, including the text that used to sit on this page, list 1-800-387-1193 as a business line. The CRA’s own contact page shows it for benefits and credits, and shows 1-800-959-5525 for business enquiries.
| Your question | Number |
|---|---|
| Personal income tax, returns, refunds | 1-800-959-8281 |
| Benefits and credits | 1-800-387-1193 |
| Business enquiries | 1-800-959-5525 |
People in Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut have separate numbers, which are on the CRA contact page. We couldn’t confirm today’s opening hours, since two CRA pages gave different ones. Check the hours on the contact page before you plan your morning.
What should you have ready when you call?
Agents must confirm who you are before they discuss anything. Gather these first:
- Your Social Insurance Number, or the business number for a company
- Your full name, date of birth and address
- A notice of assessment or a copy of the return you filed
Add a pen, the letter you’re calling about and any slips. If you want someone else, such as an accountant, to speak for you, they need authorization first. Set that up with the CRA first, or your call will end with a lot of “I can’t discuss that.”
Do you need to call at all?
Often not. Sign in to My Account and you’ll see your return status, your balance and your RRSP and TFSA room. The CRA also runs an online chat in business hours, which beats sitting on hold for a small question.
A few calls can’t be dodged: a payment plan, an audit letter, an error on your notice of assessment. Phone for those, then confirm in writing. Our page on dealing with the CRA covers letters, audits and payments if you want the background first.
What does the call actually sound like?
Picture Nadia in Moncton, calling about a missing benefit payment. She hears an automated menu first, and some questions, like a refund status, can be answered there without ever speaking to a person. If she needs an agent, she waits, gives her SIN and a couple of identity details, and then states her question in one sentence. Be patient and friendly with whoever picks up. You’ll get further with a calm, clear question than with a long story, and a pot of coffee on the desk doesn’t hurt.
A worked example before you dial
Say you’re an Ontario employee who earned $60,000 and you believe the refund on your notice looks low. Our income tax calculator shows federal and Ontario tax of $8,320.50 on that pay, using only the basic credits. If your slips show $9,500 withheld, you’d expect roughly $1,180 back. If the notice says $400, you have something concrete to ask about, and a list of claims you may have missed.
The tax refund calculator does the same job for a different mix of slips. If the gap is your child benefit, run the Canada Child Benefit calculator and compare it with your payments. The tax credits calculator covers federal credits you might have skipped, and the tax instalments calculator helps if you’re being asked for regular payments. Those tools give estimates, not the CRA’s answer, and they leave out claims like deductions and refundable credits.
When is the best time to call?
Mornings and the days after a deadline tend to be the busiest, so if your question can wait, try a quieter midweek slot. Pick a time when you can stay on the line without a meeting looming, because hanging up and redialling puts you back at the end of the queue. Block out an hour at lunch or after the kids are in bed, put the phone on speaker and do something useful with your hands, like sorting this year’s slips, while you wait. It’s a small thing, but nobody enjoys hold music at tax time.
Mistakes that make calls go badly
Calling with half the paperwork is the first one. If the agent asks for a figure from your return and you don’t have it, you’ll be calling again.
The second is asking three questions at once. Start with the one that matters most, write down the date, the agent’s name or ID and what they said. If you get a different answer next time, that note helps.
The third is trusting a caller who contacts you. If someone phones you claiming to be from the CRA and pushes you to pay fast, hang up and call the numbers above yourself. We didn’t check the CRA’s scam guidance for this page, so treat that as common sense, not a rule.
Where this information comes from
Phone numbers and the list of what to have ready come from the Canada Revenue Agency‘s contact page, read in September 2026; the numbers were re-checked on the contact page in October 2026. No government body has reviewed or endorsed what you read here.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CRA phone number for personal taxes?
The CRA contact page lists 1-800-959-8281 for personal income tax and trust enquiries.
What number do I call for the Canada Child Benefit?
Benefit and credit questions go to 1-800-387-1193.
What number do I call about my business?
The business enquiries line is 1-800-959-5525.
What do I need before I call?
Your Social Insurance Number or business number, full name, date of birth, address, and a recent notice of assessment or return.
Can I skip the phone call?
Often. My Account shows your return status and balance, and the CRA runs an online chat during business hours.
- Dealing with the CRA: letters, audits and payments
Dealing with the CRA: what to do when a letter arrives, how a review differs from an audit, how My Account helps, and what to do if you can't pay