Staying informed about CRA’s online service availability can help you plan filings, account management, and client work with fewer disruptions. While the CRA continues to provide robust digital services, there are scheduled service windows and limitations that users should understand.
Online Access Hours and Scheduled Maintenance
CRA Sign-In Services Availability
CRA sign-in services (including CRA My Account, My Business Account, and Represent a Client) are generally available 21 hours a day.
However, due to daily maintenance, access is routinely unavailable between 3:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time, every day.
Scheduled longer maintenance periods are planned at times when traffic is expected to be low. Those include:
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Friday, February 6 to Monday, February 9, 2026
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Friday, May 8 to Monday, May 11, 2026
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Friday, October 16 to Monday, October 19, 2026
During these windows, some or all CRA online sign-in services may be offline or limited.
Best practice: Plan your online tasks (filing returns, updating information, authorizing representatives) outside these maintenance windows to avoid login or interruption issues.
Electronic Filing and Transmission (EFILE / ReFILE)
Annual Filing Cycle
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The EFILE and ReFILE transmission services are open from February 24, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. ET until January 30, 2026, after which transmissions stop so CRA can prepare systems for the next filing season.
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These services re-open on February 23, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. ET for the 2026 filing season.
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During internet filing, services are typically unavailable daily from 3:00 a.m.–6:00 a.m. ET due to maintenance.
Note: Because of this transition, electronic filing of returns like T1, T3, and T1135 must be completed before the service cutoff (January 30) or after the reopening date in late February.
Scheduled System Unavailability
Electronic Filing Maintenance
CRA’s Internet filing applications for slips and summaries (e.g., T4, T5) were unavailable between December 22, 2025 and January 12, 2026 for year-end maintenance.
This was a planned maintenance period to transition schema and validate updates before the new filing season.
Takeaway: Annual system maintenance at year end and early January is routine and allows CRA to prepare electronic filing systems for the new tax year.
Digital Services & Account Access Changes
Authorize a Representative (EFILE)
Effective July 15, 2025, the Authorize a Representative service within EFILE was removed for individual client accounts. Representatives now must use the Represent a Client portal for authorizations.
Backup MFA Requirement
Starting February 2026, CRA will require users to set up a backup multi-factor authentication (MFA) option when signing in. This is designed to improve security and reduce login issues.
Improved Self-Service Tools
CRA continues to improve its digital services, including enhanced self-serve options for account access recovery and balance management within CRA My Account and My Business Account.
Represent a Client also allows more secure and flexible representative access management.
What Remains Available During Maintenance
Even during scheduled downtime for some services, the CRA still offers:
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Web Forms — for certain filings and adjustments
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Represent a Client portal (may have intermittent limitations)
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Telephone service (during online outages, though wait times may be longer)
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Offline forms and paper submissions (as fallback when electronic options are unavailable)
Always check official CRA notices on Canada.ca before assuming outages reflect service discontinuation.
Practical Tips for Users
Here are proactive steps to avoid service disruptions:
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Schedule major online tasks (filings, authorizations, updates) outside the regular daily maintenance window (3–6 a.m. ET).
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Transmit returns well before the EFILE cutoff (January 30) or wait until services reopen in late February.
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Add backup MFA now to avoid access issues in February.
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Use Represent a Client for representative authorizations — EFILE’s internal service no longer applies for individuals.
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Keep contact details current to ensure notices and updates arrive promptly.
