If you owe money to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), it’s important to pay it on time to avoid interest and penalties. Whether it’s personal income tax (T1), corporate tax (T2), or HST/GST, the CRA provides several easy ways to make payments.
Below is a simple guide to help you choose the best option and pay correctly.
💳 Option 1: Pay Online Through Your Bank (Most Common)
You can pay the CRA the same way you pay a bill.
Steps:
- Log in to your online banking
- Go to “Pay Bills”
- Add a new payee:
- Search for “CRA” or “Canada Revenue Agency”
- Choose the correct account:
- CRA Personal Income Tax (T1)
- CRA Corporation Tax (T2)
- CRA GST/HST Payment
- Enter your account number:
- SIN (for personal taxes)
- Business Number (BN) for HST or corporate taxes
- Enter the amount and submit payment
👉 Official CRA guide:
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/payments-cra/individual-payments/make-payment.html
🏦 Option 2: CRA My Payment (Direct Payment from Bank)
This is a direct payment option using your debit card.
Steps:
- Go to:
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/e-services/payment-save-time-pay-online.html
- Click “Pay now with My Payment”
- Select the payment type (Income tax, HST, etc.)
- Enter your details
- Confirm payment through your bank
📌 Note: Only works with certain Canadian debit cards.
💼 Option 3: Pay Through CRA My Account or CRA My Business Account
If you are registered:
Steps:
- Log in to your CRA account
- Go to “Accounts and payments”
- Select “Make a payment”
- Choose:
- Income tax balance
- HST balance
- Follow the instructions
👉 Login here:
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/e-services/e-services-individuals/account-individuals.html
🧾 Option 4: Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD)
You can schedule payments in advance.
Steps:
- Log into CRA My Account or My Business Account
- Select “Pre-authorized debit”
- Set:
- Amount
- Payment date
- Frequency (one-time or recurring)
📌 Great for avoiding missed deadlines.
🏪 Option 5: Pay in Person (Canada Post)
You can pay cash or debit at Canada Post.
Steps:
- Generate a QR code through CRA:
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/payments-cra/individual-payments/pay-person-canada-post.html
- Bring it to a participating Canada Post location
- Pay using cash or debit
⚠️ Important Tips
- Always choose the correct account type (T1, T2, or HST)
- Use the correct account number:
- SIN → personal tax
- BN (e.g., 123456789 RT0001) → HST
- Payments can take 1–3 business days to process
- Interest starts accumulating immediately after the deadline
- If you can’t pay in full, still file your return and pay what you can
📅 Common Deadlines
- Personal taxes (T1): April 30
- Self-employed: June 15 (payment still due April 30)
- HST: Depends on filing frequency (monthly, quarterly, annually)
- Corporate taxes (T2): Usually 2–3 months after year-end
💡 Need Help?
If you’re unsure how much to pay or which account to use, it’s always better to confirm before making a payment.
At Toro Accounting, we help clients:
- Calculate balances owing
- Set up CRA accounts
- File HST and income taxes
- Avoid penalties and interest
👉 Book a call:
https://toroaccounting.ca/