Renewed your EFILE account? Enter your password now.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) EFILE service closes on January 26, 2024, at 11 p.m. ET for annual system maintenance. You will not be able to file most types of returns and forms until the service reopens on Monday, February 19, 2024.

You can still transmit forms to authorize or cancel a representative, foreign reporting forms for corporations (T1135, T1134, and T106) and partnerships (T1135), and T2 returns during the closure if you have renewed your EFILE account, have passed CRA suitability screening, AND have entered your new password in TaxCycle options.

1. Renew your EFILE account or apply NOW

Renewing or applying for an EFILE account can take up to 30 days so don’t delay if you want to be ready for the system opening in late February. If you do not renew your account before the CRA closes the EFILE system on January 26, 2024, at 11 p.m. ET, you will not be able to transmit forms to authorize or cancel a representative or file T2 returns until you pass suitability screening and receive your new password.

The only way to renew your account is online. Go to the CRA’s Account Renewal page and click on Sign In. You will need your current EFILE number and password. Follow the instructions and click Submit when done. A new password will be provided in the response you’ll receive for completing the instructions. Enter it into TaxCycle’s options right away (see below). Until the system closes on January 26, 2024, this new password will continue to work for the prior-year EFILE services. After the system closes, you will only be able to transmit forms to authorize or cancel a representative, foreign reporting forms for corporations (T1135, T1134, and T106) and partnerships (T1135), and T2 return once you pass CRA suitability screening.

If you’re requesting an account for the first time, go to the CRA’s New Registration page and click on EFILE Registration Online form under How can I apply. Follow the instructions and click Submit when done.

2. Enter your EFILE credentials in TaxCycle Options

1. If you have a file open, go to the File menu, then click Options. To open Options from the Start screen, click Options in the blue bar on the left side. (You can also access these EFILE options any time by clicking on the wrench icon in the Transmit sidebar.)
2. On the left side of the screen, expand Transmission and then click on EFILE Accounts.
3. If you are a new registrant or new to TaxCycle, enter your CRA EFILE Number. If you have renewed your EFILE account, your EFILE Number remains the same as last year.
4. Enter your EFILE Password. This password changes every year. You must enter your newly assigned password in TaxCycle (and have passed suitability screening) to transmit forms to authorize or cancel a representative, foreign reporting forms for corporations (T1135, T1134, and T106) and partnerships (T1135), and T2 returns during the EFILE service scheduled closure.
5. Click OK to save the options.

3. Mark February in your calendar

The CRA EFILE service will stop accepting transmissions of 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 initial T1 personal income tax and benefit returns, as well as ReFILE adjustments returns at 11 p.m. ET on Friday, January 26, 2024.

To continue to transmit forms to authorize or cancel a representative, foreign reporting forms for corporations (T1135, T1134, and T106) and partnerships (T1135), and file T2 returns after January 26, 2024, you will need to have renewed your EFILE account, passed suitability screening, and update your tax preparation software with your newly assigned password (see above).

EFILE systems will open again on Monday, February 19, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. ET.