Can’t get into your CRA account or Revenu Québec My Account because you haven’t filed?

Short answer: both sign-ups check your identity against a recent tax return. The CRA asks for amounts from a return assessed in the last two years, and Revenu Québec asks for a notice of assessment number from a recent year. Without a recent return, you're often blocked. A representative you authorize, like us, can retrieve your slips and file the missing years.

What does each sign-up ask for?

CRA account (it includes My Account):

  • Your SIN and date of birth.
  • Amounts from your most recent assessed return, filed within the last two years, as you originally reported them.
  • Identity verification. Either a CRA security code mailed to the address on file within 10 business days, or the online document verification service, using your phone and photo ID, for immediate access.
  • Government Authentication Service. It replaced clicSÉQUR. The first time, Revenu Québec says you need your health insurance card and a notice of assessment it issued for 2023, 2024 or 2025.
  • Sign-in partner (your financial institution). Meant for people with no Government Authentication Service account, or with no recent notice in hand who filed at least one return in the last five years. You give your SIN, date of birth and either a temporary access code or the number on a notice of assessment for one of your two most recent tax years. The page doesn't say how to get that temporary code, so call and ask.

You can sign in with a CRA user ID or a Sign-In Partner (your online banking). The CRA says that if you haven't filed in the last two years, you can't register until you do.

Revenu Québec My Account for individuals (Mon dossier pour les citoyens) offers two ways in:

How can you get information without an account?

  • Call the CRA at 1-800-959-8281. Ask for a paper copy of your notice of assessment, with your SIN, date of birth and address in hand.
  • Call Revenu Québec at 514 864-6299 (Montréal), 418 659-6299 (Québec City) or 1 800 267-6299, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Have your SIN and two recent Revenu Québec documents ready (notice, statement of account or letter).
  • Ask the issuer for missing slips. The CRA doesn't issue slips; your employer or bank does.

How can a representative help?

With the CRA, individual authorizations go through Represent a Client (no longer EFILE since July 15, 2025). The representative sends a request, then it is confirmed in one of these ways:

  1. You approve it in your CRA account, within 10 business days.
  2. The representative gives tax information from a notice of assessment for a return processed at least six months ago.
  3. If you can't register or provide that information, the CRA says the representative may need your signed consent, and it may call you to check.

Once authorized online, a representative can view your slips (T4, T4A, T5 and others), notices of assessment and account balance. Form AUT-01, which you sign and mail to your tax centre within six months of signing, gives offline access only (phone, mail, fax, in person).

With Revenu Québec, an authorization lets a representative see the confidential information and documents on your file. A power of attorney (procuration) also lets them provide and change information on your behalf. We can create the request in My Account for professional representatives or send form MR-69, but Revenu Québec requires your signature either way.

Then file the missing years

Benefits depend on filed returns: the CRA says you and your spouse must file every year to keep receiving the Canada child benefit, and Revenu Québec's solidarity tax credit requires your Québec return. Once they're assessed, registering online usually becomes possible. See our guide on unfiled returns.

What should you bring us?

  • Photo ID, your SIN and your health insurance card.
  • Your addresses for each year you missed.
  • Every letter from the CRA or Revenu Québec.
  • Employers, banks and investments, with dates and any pay stubs.
  • Your spouse and children's details, and your relevé 31 if you rent.

Example: Nadia last filed in 2021, so neither sign-up works for her. She signs our authorization requests, we retrieve her slips and prepare 2022 to 2025. Timing depends on the governments.

Watch out for scams

Don't give your SIN or any personal information to a caller you can't confirm. The CRA says not to trust caller ID or a number the caller gives you: hang up and call back on an official number from canada.ca or revenuquebec.ca.

Want us to sort it out?

Book a free 30-minute session at soleraaccounting.ca/rendez-vous or call 450 612-7223. Tell us which years are missing and we'll tell you which authorization to sign. Service in French, English and Arabic.

This article is general information, not personalized tax advice.

Frequently asked questions

Why can’t I register for a CRA account?

Registration requires amounts from a return assessed in the last two years. Without a recent return, you have to file first.

Can someone else get my tax slips if I can’t log in?

Yes, a representative you authorize through Represent a Client can view your slips, notices of assessment and balance online. For Revenu Québec, you sign an authorization or power of attorney.

Does Form AUT-01 give my preparer online access?

No. AUT-01 gives offline access only. It must reach your tax centre within six months of the date you sign it.

Sources

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