How To Notify The CRA Of An Address Change

January 18, 2022 Andrew AdolphCRA

When it’s time for your business to move, you should immediately make a CRA address change. Notifying them at least two weeks before relocating can help you avoid significant complications later. 

CRA Address Change For Businesses

Moving your business to a new location is no easy feat. You have to deal with packing, movers, your staff — the list goes on. Of course, one of the most important tasks is making a CRA address change. But when you have a dozen factors to coordinate, it can be easy to forget.

To make the process a little easier, here are tips to keep the process smooth and straightforward, including making a CRA address change.  

4 Types Of Business Addresses

1. Physical Address

Your physical address refers to the location that holds your business’s day-to-day activities. Usually, this is the head office representing the physical location of your actual business. 

NOTE: Rural routes (RR) and post office (PO) boxes do not qualify as business addresses. 

But what if a street address isn’t available? In this case, you can use the legal description of the business area instead (for example, Lot 5, Concession 4).

2. Mailing Address

Your business’s mailing address can differ from its physical address. When you make an address change with the CRA, you can register your home, accountant, or wherever receives your business’s mai as a mailing address.

3. Books And Records Address

The CRA should also get this specific address if your records and books are located separately from your physical address.  

4. Mailing Addresses For Other Business Accounts

If you have multiple registered business accounts with separate mailing addresses for each one, you must also notify the CRA of these. 

3 Ways To Notify The CRA Of An Address Change

1. Online

Visit My Business Account on the CRA’s website and click “Manage Address” to change your business address. Business representatives with level 2 authorization can also do so by selecting “Represent a Client.”

2. Over The Phone

Before you contact the CRA over the phone, make sure you have the following information about your business:

• Name
• Phone number
• Previous & existing addresses
• Open business accounts, assessed return, a notice of assessment, reassessment, or another tax document

If you’re calling the CRA on someone’s behalf, you must be an authorized representative.

Number: 1-800-959-5525

• Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut: 1-866-841-1876
• Outside Canada and US: 613-940-8497

Hours

• Monday – Friday: 8 AM to 8 PM (local time)
• Saturday: 9 AM to 5 PM (local time)
• Sundays: Closed
• Closed on public holidays

3. Mail

Prefer to send your CRA address change over the mail? Here’s what you should include in the letter:

• Your signature
• Business name
• Business number (BN)
• Old address
• New address
• The effective date of the change

You must update CRA program accounts with the new address. If you need to update all statements, mention that to the representative.

If you’re changing more than one address related to your business, provide all addresses on file that need updating.

You can send your letter via mail or fax to your tax centre. Check out Find a CRA address on the CRA website to find your local tax centre.

Bottom Line

Updating your address is easier than you think and only takes a couple of minutes to finish! Checking it off ASAP is worth avoiding serious consequences and unnecessary hassle later. 

If you have questions on the process of your CRA address change or have other tax questions, help is here — call 604-204-6173 to book a free consultation today.

Visit the Blog to find more answers to your tax questions.

Sources

• Canada Revenue Agency. (2021, October 15). Change a business address. Canada.ca. Retrieved December 10, 2021, from https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/changes-your-business/change-address.html
• IndiaFilings. (2021, October 27). GST Registration Amendment – Changing GST Data. IndiaFilings. Retrieved December 10, 2021, from https://www.indiafilings.com/learn/gst-registration-amendment/
• Macho Movers. (2021, March 11). Why Should I Change My Address When I Move? And Where? Macho Movers. Retrieved December 10, 2021, from https://machomovers.ca/why-should-i-change-my-address-when-i-move-and-where/

Andrew Adolph

Andrew Adolph is a CPA and former CRA auditor with 25 Years of experience. He helps businesses to not par any more in sales taxs than the law says they must and acts as an advocate for you if you are being audited, so you can fous on your business.