Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
The Canada Revenue Agency lives at canada.ca/cra, and anything that asks you to pay it through an e-transfer, gift card or cryptocurrency is not it. We’ve read “canada revenue ca” as a search for the agency’s official site, so this page is about getting in and getting things done: where the site is, how your first sign-in goes and what you can sort out without picking up a phone.
Where is the official Canada Revenue Agency site?
It sits inside the main Government of Canada website, under canada.ca. Type the address yourself or use a bookmark rather than following a link in a message. It costs nothing and takes a few seconds.
For anything personal, you’ll end up in CRA My Account. The CRA’s own sign-in page offers two routes: use an existing credential, meaning your bank’s sign-in through a participating partner or a CRA user ID and password, or register for a new account. Either way you’ll need your Social Insurance Number and a one-time code for multi-factor authentication.
One caution from the CRA itself: don’t use autofill on a shared device, because it can link your SIN to someone else’s banking details.
What does a first sign-in look like?
Take Léa in Gatineau, who has filed on paper for years and finally wants an account. She has her SIN and last year’s notice of assessment on the desk and her phone nearby for the one-time code. If her bank is a sign-in partner she can use that login, and if not she can register for a CRA user ID. The whole thing takes about as long as a coffee break.
Once she’s in, she sets a backup way to receive codes. That step feels fussy until the day her phone dies in April.
What can you do once you are signed in?
Quite a lot, and most of it saves a phone call. You can view your notice of assessment, carryover amounts and tax slips such as the T4. You can change your address, phone number and direct deposit details. You can see a balance owing or a refund amount.
Mistake on a filed return? Once you’ve got your notice of assessment, you can ask for a change online through your CRA account or your tax software. The CRA says these requests are usually processed within about two weeks, much faster than paper.
A missing slip is a different matter. The CRA doesn’t issue slips, it only posts what employers and banks send, so chase the issuer, not the agency.
Which numbers and rules are worth keeping on hand?
| Question | Answer from the CRA’s pages |
|---|---|
| Phone for individual tax questions | 1-800-959-8281 |
| Phone for business questions | 1-800-959-5525 |
| Will the CRA send a refund by e-transfer or text? | No |
| Will it demand payment by gift card or cryptocurrency? | No |
| Will it ask for personal details in an email or voicemail? | No |
| When does it email you? | When a new message is in your account, or when you asked for a link during a call |
How do you spot a fake CRA message?
By what it asks for. The agency says it will not use aggressive or threatening language, and it will not threaten arrest, deportation or prison. Text messages are out too, apart from multi-factor codes if you enrolled by phone.
A real call can still ask for your name, date of birth or SIN, since the agent has to confirm who you are. So a request for details doesn’t prove a scam, but a demand for immediate payment by prepaid card does. If in doubt, hang up and ring the number in the table yourself. For the longer walk-through of phone calls and scams, see our guide to dealing with the CRA.
We’ve left out call hours. The CRA’s own contact page lists different ones for each line, so check it before you plan your morning around a call.
What does a typical return look like?
Suppose you earned $75,000 at a job in Ontario and your T4 shows $14,000 of income tax withheld. Our engine, using 2026 federal and Ontario rates, puts the tax for the year at $12,704.65, so the estimate is a refund of about $1,295.35. Try your own figures in the tax refund calculator.
That number is an estimate. It leaves out credits and deductions you may have, such as an RRSP contribution or a child care claim. When your real notice arrives, hold the two side by side. A gap of a few bucks is normal. A gap of a few hundred is worth a look in My Account.
Which calculators go with these tasks?
If you’re self-employed or have other income with no tax withheld, the tax instalments calculator shows what you might owe in advance. The income tax calculator gives the whole-year picture for any province. Employers handling payroll can use the payroll remittance calculator.
And if the question is benefits, not tax, open the GST/HST credit calculator.
Sources, and how we checked them
Contact details, account features and scam guidance come from Canada Revenue Agency pages on canada.ca, read in 2026. The refund example uses the 2026 federal and Ontario brackets and the CPP and EI rates in our calculators. We aren’t a government service and we don’t speak for one.
Frequently asked questions
What is the official Canada Revenue Agency website?
It is part of canada.ca, under the CRA section. Type the address or use a bookmark instead of clicking links in messages.
How do I sign in to CRA My Account?
Use a participating bank's sign-in or a CRA user ID and password, or register for a new account. You need your SIN and a one-time code for multi-factor authentication.
Does the CRA send refunds by e-transfer?
No. The agency says it will not send refunds or payments by e-transfer or text message.
Who do I call about my personal taxes?
The CRA lists 1-800-959-8281 for individual tax enquiries and 1-800-959-5525 for businesses. Check its contact page for current hours.
What if my T4 is missing from My Account?
The CRA does not issue slips and cannot post them until the issuer sends them. Contact your employer or the bank that should have sent it.
All property and estate tax calculators
- How Canadian income tax works: brackets and credits
How federal and provincial Canadian income tax stack up, what marginal and average rates mean, and how credits and deductions change your bill