Fill Out CRA Form AUT-01 Online
Authorize a Representative for Offline Access
Canada Revenue Agency
Authorizes a representative, such as an accountant, to communicate with the CRA on your behalf by phone and mail.
Reviewed July 2026
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CRA Form AUT-01, Authorize a Representative for Offline Access, gives a person or firm, such as an accountant, bookkeeper, lawyer, or family member, permission to communicate with the Canada Revenue Agency on your behalf by telephone and mail. It covers offline access only; representatives who want to work in your account through the CRA's online portals are authorized through a separate online process.
You can complete Form AUT-01 in the Universal PDF editor, entering your details, your representative's information, and the accounts covered, then download the signed PDF to send to the CRA. A typed authorization reduces the risk of the CRA rejecting the form over unclear names or account numbers.
What is Form AUT-01 used for
The form tells the CRA that a named representative may request and receive your tax information and discuss your affairs by phone and mail. It can cover individual tax accounts, business program accounts such as payroll and GST/HST, and non-resident accounts, depending on which sections you complete.
Authorization is about information access, not control. A representative authorized on this form can ask questions and receive documents for you, but the form does not transfer legal responsibility for your filings or payments, and it does not grant online access to your account.
Who files Form AUT-01
Individuals, businesses, trusts, and non-residents who want someone else to handle CRA communication for them use this form. It suits situations where online authorization is impractical, for example a representative who does not use the CRA's electronic services, or a taxpayer who cannot register for the online portals.
If you or your representative can use the CRA's online services, the online authorization route is usually faster and also provides online account access. The AUT-01 remains the paper path for offline-only arrangements.
How to fill out Form AUT-01
Before starting, confirm your representative's exact name and, for firms, the business name and identifier they use with the CRA:
- Identify yourself as the taxpayer, including your social insurance number, business number, or non-resident account number as applicable.
- Name the representative, either an individual or a firm, with the identifiers the form requests.
- Select the accounts and program areas the authorization covers, such as your individual income tax account or specific business program accounts.
- Review the conditions of the authorization so you understand what the representative can do.
- Sign and date the form. It must be signed by the taxpayer or a person with authority to act, such as a corporate officer, and sent to the CRA within the validity window stated in the instructions.
After you file
Mail the completed form to the CRA tax centre listed in the instructions and allow time for processing before your representative calls the CRA. The authorization stays in effect until you cancel it, the CRA is notified of a change, or, for individual accounts, it ends under the rules described in the form. You can cancel an authorization at any time using the CRA's cancellation form or online services, and it is good practice to review who holds authorizations on your accounts periodically.
Frequently asked questions
No. This form grants offline access only, meaning phone and mail. Online access for representatives is arranged through the CRA's electronic authorization process and its portals.
Yes, you can have multiple representatives on file. Each authorization is separate, so submit the appropriate paperwork for each person or firm you want to add.
No. Authorization lets the representative communicate with the CRA and receive your information, but legal responsibility for accurate returns and payments stays with you.
Use the CRA's cancellation process, either through its online services or the paper cancellation form, and the CRA will remove the representative's access once the request is processed.
Paper authorizations take time to arrive and be entered, so allow several weeks before your representative contacts the CRA. Online authorizations are typically activated faster where they are an option.
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