How to Pay CRA Online in Canada

If you owe CRA money — from a balance owing on your tax return, an instalment payment, or another tax account — here are all the ways to pay, with step-by-step instructions for each.

Payment methods overview

Method 1: Online banking bill payment (most common)

Steps:

1. Log in to your bank’s online banking or mobile app
2. Go to “Bill Payments” or “Pay Bills”
3. Search for “CRA” or “Canada Revenue Agency” as the payee
   • You will see options like “CRA (Revenue Agency) Tax” — use the one that matches your payment type (personal income tax, HST, etc.)
4. The account number is your 9-digit SIN (for personal income tax payments)
5. Enter the amount and submit

Which payee to choose — common options:

When in doubt, call your bank and confirm which payee to use. The payee name differs slightly between TD, RBC, BMO, CIBC, and Scotiabank — but they all resolve to CRA.

Processing time: 1–3 business days. Do not pay on April 30 or October 31 (instalment deadlines) — pay 2–3 days early to avoid late interest.

Method 2: CRA My Payment (Interac Online)

CRA’s own payment portal accepts Interac Online from participating Canadian financial institutions.

Steps:

1. Go to canada.ca/cra-my-payment
2. Select your payment type (personal income tax, instalment, etc.)
3. Enter the payment amount and your SIN
4. Select your bank from the list
5. You are redirected to your bank’s secure portal to authorize the payment
6. Payment confirms immediately and is processed same day

Participating banks: Most major Canadian banks support Interac Online, including TD, RBC, BMO, CIBC, Scotiabank, National Bank, and others.

This method is best when you need same-day confirmation close to a deadline.

Method 3: PaySimply (credit card or PayPal)

PaySimply (paymentsimply.ca) is an authorized third-party payment processor that accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and PayPal.

Steps:

1. Go to paymentsimply.ca
2. Select “Federal taxes”
3. Choose your payment type
4. Enter your SIN, amount, and select your payment method
5. A convenience fee is charged by PaySimply (not by CRA):
   • Credit card: approximately 1.45% for Visa/Mastercard, higher for Amex
   • PayPal: varies

When this makes sense:

• You need to pay but do not have immediate bank funds (using a credit card gives you float time)
• You can earn enough credit card rewards to offset or exceed the processing fee
• Example: $2,000 payment × 1.45% = $29 fee. If your card earns $40+ in rewards on $2,000, you come out ahead.

Method 4: Pre-authorized debit (PAD)

Set up a scheduled payment directly from your bank account through CRA My Account:

1. Log in to CRA My Account
2. Under “Payments to CRA”, select “Pre-authorized debit”
3. Enter your bank account details, payment amount, and payment date
4. CRA will debit your account on the specified date

This is ideal for instalment payments (March 15, June 15, September 15, December 15 deadlines) — set up once and the payments happen automatically.

Method 5: In-person at your financial institution

Bring a remittance stub (from your tax software or CRA My Account → “Payments” → print a remittance form) to any major bank teller. Pay by cash or debit. The teller will process the payment on CRA’s behalf.

Processing time is the same as online banking (1–3 days). This option is useful for people who do not have online banking set up.

What reference information CRA needs

For all personal income tax payments, your reference number is your 9-digit SIN. Do not add spaces or dashes.

For other account types:

• GST/HST: Your business number (BN) followed by “RT0001”
• Payroll: Your BN followed by “RP0001”
• Corporate tax: Your BN followed by “RC0001”

Confirming payment was received

CRA payments take 1–5 business days to appear in your account. To verify:

1. Log in to CRA My Account
2. Go to “Account balance and activities”
3. Look for the payment under recent transactions

If a payment does not appear after 5 business days, contact your bank first (they can confirm the payment was sent), then call CRA at 1-800-959-8281.

If you cannot pay the full amount

If you owe but cannot pay in full by April 30:

• Pay as much as you can — interest accrues only on the unpaid amount
• Set up a payment arrangement — call CRA Collections at 1-888-863-8657 to arrange a payment plan
• Do not avoid CRA — ignoring a balance can lead to collection action including wage garnishment

See: How to Set Up a CRA Payment Plan for full details.

Related resources

• How to Set Up a CRA Payment Plan — When you cannot pay in full
• How to Use CRA My Account — Check your balance before paying
• CRA Collections Explained — What happens if you don’t pay
• How to Set Up CRA Direct Deposit — Set up refund payments to your account