“My Business Account” is your organization's account page with the CRA. If your organization has a Business Number, it will automatically have a Business account. However, it can sometimes be difficult for organizations (charities especially) to register for or get access to My Business Account.
For businesses that have owners, the owner's SIN is automatically linked to the BN, which simplifies the process. Charities, of course, do not have owners -- but CRA considers the board of directors to be the "owner." This creates complexity for charities because as board members change, the owners list in My Business Account must be updated. If the list falls out of date, charities can have difficulties getting access.
When your Business Number is first set up, the owner of your organization will have their SIN automatically linked to your BN, and will be able to access My Business Account. For charities, the owner of the organization is typically the board of directors. If the board changes and new board members aren’t added to the owners list in My Business Account, it can lead to difficulties getting access.
Having access to My Business Account is very important, as it allows you, your accountant, or your bookkeeper to perform essential tasks related to GST/HST, payroll, and the administration of your charitable status.
We’ve seen a number of organizations run into roadblocks when adding a representative to My Business Account, so we’ve created the following instructions to help you along the way.
We’ve also addressed a number of common issues at the bottom of this page.
Adding a Representative
Before you start, you will need the following:
Your organization’s Business Number
The RepID, GroupID, or Business Number of the person or entity you’re adding as a representative
Make sure you can log into My Business Account as an owner, or to Represent a Client as a level 3 delegated authority (see: What is a “Level 3 delegated authority?” below for more information)
If you don’t have all of the above, see the bottom of this article for tips on how to get the process started.
Step 1: Log in through My Business Account using your regular CRA credentials
Use whichever login information you use for your own CRA login. If you do not have a CRA login, follow the instructions through CRA sign-in services.
Note: Only business owners can authorize a representative through My Business Account. However, representatives with Level 3 delegated authority can also add new representatives through Represent a Client.
If you have Level 3 access, log in to Represent A Client and enter your organization’s Business Number to access the Business Account. Start at step 2 below to complete the process of adding a representative.
Step 2: Go to “Profile” at the top of the page:
Step 3: Find “Manage authorized representatives” partway down the page:
Step 4: Click the “Authorize a representative” button
Step 5: Enter the RepID, GroupID, or Business Number (BN) of the entity you wish to authorize
If you are a Young Associates client, you can use our Business Number: 818854564
Step 6: Click Next
Step 7: Select “Update and view (level 2)”. This allows your accountant or bookkeeper to view your information and submit filings on your behalf. For more information about the different levels of access, visit the CRA website.
Step 8: No expiry date is required
Step 9: Select “All accounts”
Step 10: Click Next
Step 11: Confirm and submit
Common Issues, Questions, and Next Steps
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If you're not already registered with the CRA, follow the instructions through CRA sign-in services.
If you already use your CRA “My Account”, you can use the same credentials to log into My Business Account and to Represent a Client.
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If you're already registered for “My Account” with the CRA, you will also have access to My Business Account and Represent a Client. Use the CRA user ID and password (or sign-in partner) that you use for your personal CRA account to sign in to My Business Account or to Represent a Client.
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Log in to My Business Account and navigate to “Manage profile – add BN to profile”.
Enter your organization’s Business Number (BN).
If your SIN or ITN is associated with the BN in the CRA’s records, you will now have access to My Business Account.
If you encounter an error message with ref. code: MBA-001 when entering your organization’s Business Number in My Business Account, it means that your SIN is not associated with the BN in the CRA’s records.
You will need to call the CRA at 1-800-959-5525 to request for your SIN to be associated with the BN. They will ask you to confirm your identity by responding to confidentiality questions that will require you to refer to recently filed tax documents and articles of incorporation. Have your files handy.
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You can gain access as a level 3 delegated authority. Ask whoever currently has access to authorize you as a level 3 representative using your RepID.
If you are an owner, partner, or director of the organization, you will want to be added to the CRA account as an owner. You will need to go through the process of adding yourself as an owner by following the instructions on this page of the CRA.
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Visit the Represent a Client page and log in using your CRA login credentials. Once logged in, you will be prompted to set up a Represent a Client account and will receive a RepID.
If you don’t have CRA login credentials, go to the Represent a Client page, scroll down to the link that says "CRA Register" and follow the instructions to log in.
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When an owner adds a representative to My Business Account, they can specify 3 levels of access (more information on this page of the CRA website). Level 1 is view-only. Level 2 can make certain changes to the account (this is the typical access you would grant your bookkeeper and accountant). Level 3 allows full access, including authorizing new representatives.
Level 3 access can only be granted to an individual with a RepID, not an organization, and would typically be used to give access to Executive Directors or other high-level staff at an organization.
If a delegated authority leaves their position, they should authorize another representative to fill their role. This ensures that owners or directors do not need to approve a new delegated authority.
This tip sheet was created by the Young Associates team based on the best information available as of the date of posting.
The contents of this tip sheet comprise Young Associates’ views. They do not constitute legal or other professional advice. You should consult your professional advisor for advice relevant to your situation.
Founded in 1993, Young Associates provides bookkeeping and financial management services in the charitable sector, with a focus on arts and culture. Young Associates also provides consulting services in the areas of data management, business planning and strategic planning. Heather Young published Finance for the Arts in Canada (2005, 2023), a textbook and self-study guide on accounting and financial management for not-for-profit arts organizations.
