Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
A tax agent, in the sense most people mean, is someone you authorize to deal with the CRA for you. That takes a few clicks in your CRA account or a signed Form AUT-01, and you decide whether they see your information only or can also make certain changes. We’re assuming that meaning here, since “tax agent near me” could also mean a preparer or a collector.
What can a tax agent do once I authorize them?
The level you choose sets the limits. Level 1 gives access to information only. Level 2 gives access to information and lets them make certain account changes.
Through the CRA’s Represent a Client service, an agent can look up your account, and view the notices of assessment and reassessment issued to you. What else they see follows the level you picked, and the CRA keeps a list of services for representatives of individuals if you want the detail.
Which level should you pick?
If you only want someone to find out why a refund is late, level 1 is enough. Level 2 is for the person who will actually correct things. Most people don’t need it on day one.
How do I authorize someone?
| Way to authorize | How it works |
|---|---|
| Your CRA account | Sign in, choose your individual account, open Profile and add an authorized representative |
| Form AUT-01 | Gives offline access, meaning by phone, mail, fax and in person |
| Agent sends a request | They ask through Represent a Client and you confirm or deny in your account |
| Notice of assessment details | An agent can get instant access with information from a notice issued at least six months ago |
One change trips up tax agents used to the old way. From July 15, 2025, they can’t request authorization for individual clients through EFILE. It all goes through Represent a Client now.
If your agent asks for your sign-in details instead of using these routes, say no. The routes exist so that you never have to hand over a password.
What is a tax agent responsible for?
The CRA sets out terms for authorized representatives. They must act in the interest of the people they represent, keep information confidential and follow tax law. They can’t pass on what the CRA tells them without your consent.
The CRA also warns that a representative who gives incorrect information can face third-party penalties, and it can suspend or revoke a representative’s privileges if the terms are broken. That protects you a little. It doesn’t change the fact that the return is yours.
A worked example, from the first call to the last
Say you earn $60,000 in Alberta and someone tells you the tax on your return will be around $12,000. Does that sound right? The income tax calculator gives $7,969.60 of federal and Alberta income tax, an average rate of 13.3%, with $4,339.75 more going to CPP and EI. So $12,000 is roughly the sum of both, and a fair answer would explain which one it means.
That’s the value of a quick check, because once you’ve authorized someone to speak for you, you’ll want to know the order of magnitude of what they’re telling you, and the calculator gives it in about ten seconds.
If the CRA asks you for instalments, the tax installments calculator shows a plan, and the self-employed tax calculator helps if the income comes from your own work. Note that the self-employed tool applies deductions to income tax only, not to CPP, and leaves out EI.
What couldn’t we confirm?
The CRA page on how to give authorization doesn’t say how long an authorization lasts or how to end it. We won’t guess. Look at the Profile section where you added the agent, and ask the CRA if the option isn’t there.
We also can’t tell you what an agent charges, or whether a named firm is good. The CRA’s tax preparer directory is a starting point for finding one, and a written fee before any work begins is a fair thing to ask for.
Where the numbers come from
Authorization levels, forms and the July 2025 change come from Canada Revenue Agency pages read in 2026. The tax figures come from our calculator using 2026 federal and Alberta rates, on employment income only.
Frequently asked questions
What is a tax agent in Canada?
In this guide it means someone you authorize to deal with the CRA for you. Other people use the term for a preparer or a collector.
How do I authorize a tax agent?
Add them in your CRA account under Profile, fill in Form AUT-01 for offline access, or confirm a request they send through Represent a Client.
What is the difference between level 1 and level 2?
Level 1 lets them see your information only. Level 2 also lets them make certain account changes.
Can my agent get access straight away?
The CRA says yes when they have information from a notice of assessment issued at least six months ago.
How do I end an authorization?
The CRA page we read doesn't say. Check the Profile section of your account or ask the CRA.
- 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
Information only. This page is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Tax-Services.ca is an independent publisher: we don't prepare or file tax returns or offer tax services, and we have no connection with the CRA, Revenu Québec, any government or any company named on this page. Check the figures that matter with an official source or a qualified professional.