Can I give my tax advisor access to my Revenu Québec file? This is a question many Quebec entrepreneurs ask themselves. Managing a company's tax obligations can be complex, and it is often wise to call upon a trusted accountant or tax specialist. The good news is that Revenu Québec allows you to securely and officially delegate access to your business tax file to a representative (a tax representative). In other words, you can grant a mandate to a representative to act on your behalf with Revenu Québec, without ever having to share your personal login credentials. This tax service delegation feature is very useful for businesses that want to facilitate the work of their accountant or tax advisor while maintaining control over their file.
In this article, we will explain how to delegate access to Revenu Québec for an accountant or other representative in a concrete and detailed manner. We will cover the different options available: using the "My Account for businesses" online portal (via clicSÉQUR authentication), creating secondary users as needed, and using official paper forms (like the MR-69 authorization form). You will discover the differences between a Revenu Québec authorization and a power of attorney, the step-by-step process for adding a tax representative to your online file, and how to manage this access (duration, modification, revocation). The goal is to guide you, in a formal yet accessible way, so that managing your company's Revenu Québec access is simple, efficient, and fully compliant.
Authorization vs. Power of Attorney: Understanding Tax Mandates
Before starting the process, it's important to understand what it means to authorize a representative and the type of access you can grant them. Revenu Québec distinguishes between two levels of mandate: authorization and power of attorney.
Authorization – This is a limited mandate: you authorize the designated representative to view your confidential tax information and the documents in your file. For example, with an authorization, your advisor can see your returns, notices of assessment, tax or income tax balances, etc., but cannot take action on these items. An authorization, therefore, corresponds to read-only access (consultation).
Power of Attorney – This is a general mandate (sometimes called a tax mandate). In addition to viewing your information, a power of attorney allows the representative to act on your behalf with Revenu Québec. Concretely, the designated person can, as if they were you, perform operations in your file: for example, participate in negotiations with Revenu Québec, make corrections or modifications to your tax file, file returns, make payments, etc. A power of attorney thus confers more extensive power than a simple authorization.
In short, granting an authorization means allowing the viewing of your tax data, while granting a power of attorney means delegating the management of your tax obligations (within the limits you set). It is important to choose the type of access carefully based on your needs and your level of trust in the representative. In most cases involving a professional accountant or tax specialist, a general power of attorney is desired so that they can not only see your information but also take the necessary steps on your behalf (for example, filing your tax returns or negotiating a payment arrangement). If you want more restricted control (for example, allowing an internal collaborator to simply view notices without changing anything), an authorization might be sufficient.
Note: The authorization or power of attorney you grant is valid until revoked. By default, it has no expiration date. However, you have the option to make it temporary by specifying an end date from the outset. Indeed, the authorization or power of attorney is valid for an indefinite period, unless you indicate the date on which you want it to end. This flexibility is useful if, for example, you mandate a representative for a specific one-time task (you can then set a "temporary authorization" valid until the end of the mission). In all cases, you remain in control: you decide who has access, to what, and for how long.
Options for Delegating Access to Your Revenu Québec File
Revenu Québec offers several ways to grant an authorization or power of attorney to a representative. We will detail the three main options for delegating access to your business file here:
Via the "My Account for businesses" portal (online) – This is the fastest and most recommended method. By using your secure online account, you can add a representative and grant them an electronic authorization or power of attorney in just a few clicks. This delegation will be immediately recorded in Revenu Québec's systems, allowing the representative to access your information without delay (according to the rights you have granted them). Revenu Québec strongly encourages this approach: if you use the online service to grant an authorization or power of attorney, the information provided will be processed more quickly than if you send Form MR-69 by mail. In other words, delegating online is more efficient than the paper route.
Via user management in clicSÉQUR – Entreprises – This option is primarily for adding internal collaborators from your company (employees, co-administrators, etc.) who may need access to your tax file. Rather than considering them as "external representatives," you can create them as secondary users of your business account. The clicSÉQUR – Entreprises portal (the government authentication service) allows you to manage the company's user accounts and their access rights: "Management of the business's user accounts: Allows you to create accounts for each user..."; "Management of access rights: Allows you to assign each of the business's users access rights to the online services to which it is registered." In practice, this option is useful if, for example, you want an employee from the accounting department to be able to view and even transact in the company's file. We will see how this user access management works a little later. (Many administrators wonder, "Revenu Québec clicSÉQUR: how to add a user?" – we will answer that in the dedicated section.)
Via paper forms (written mandate) – If you prefer or need to use a traditional method, it is possible to fill out a Revenu Québec authorization form to officially designate a representative. The standard form is the MR-69 – Authorization to Communicate Information or Power of Attorney. By completing it and sending it to Revenu Québec, you grant the named person or company the mandate to act on your behalf (authorization or power of attorney, depending on what you indicate). This is a slower and more manual way to proceed, but it remains legally valid. We will explain how to fill out this form and what the conditions are (for example, the signatory must be authorized to legally bind the company). However, be aware that the online option generally makes sending paper unnecessary, except in special cases.
We will now detail each of these options, starting with the digital route via the My Account portal – undoubtedly the most relevant for most businesses.
Option 1: Using the My Account for businesses Portal (Online Delegation)
My Account for businesses is Revenu Québec's secure online portal for businesses. It allows an owner, director, or designated manager to access all online services related to the company's tax accounts (GST/QST, corporate income tax, source deductions, etc.). It is also in this portal that you can manage access for other parties involved in the file. Delegating access to an accountant or tax specialist via My Account is very efficient because you can do it yourself and the change takes effect immediately once the authorization is registered.
To use this option, your business must be registered for clicSÉQUR – Entreprises (the related government authentication service). ClicSÉQUR – Entreprises is the gateway: it provides you with a user code and a business password that are used to log in to My Account. If you do not yet have an account, you must first register the business on clicSÉQUR (this initial step only needs to be done once). Once your account is created and activated, you can access My Account online with your clicSÉQUR business credentials. In short, clicSÉQUR authenticates you, and My Account is the interface where you manage your tax file.
Once logged into your business's My Account, access management is done in the business's Profile section. There you will find an option called "Manage the business's authorizations and powers of attorney." This is where you can add, view, or delete the mandates your company grants to external representatives. In parallel, there is an option to "Manage user accounts" for internal users (we will return to this in Option 2), but let's first focus on adding an external representative (your accountant, for example).
Steps to Authorize a Representative in Revenu Québec's My Account
Adding a representative via the portal is done in a few simple steps:
Log in to My Account – Go to the Revenu Québec website, click on My Account for businesses, then identify yourself via clicSÉQUR – Entreprises with your user code (usually a code starting with "E...") and your password. Once logged in, access your online business file.
Navigate to access management – In the My Account interface, find the menu or tab related to the business's Profile. Then click on the "Manage authorizations and powers of attorney" option for the business (this option may also be titled Mandate Management depending on the version). This section is dedicated to delegating access to third parties.
Select "Add a representative" – Once in the authorization/power of attorney management section, choose the action to add a new representative. The portal will then guide you by asking for several pieces of information about the mandate you wish to create.
Provide the required information about the representative – You will need to fill in the details about the person or organization to whom you are delegating access. If your representative is a professional accountant or a tax firm (an external entity), they are very likely registered as a professional representative with Revenu Québec. In this case, they have a professional representative number assigned by Revenu Québec (a unique identifier). This number is used to link your authorization to their representative profile in the system. The online form will likely ask for this representative number (for example, the field corresponding to "line 16" of the MR-69 form if compared to the paper version). Example: An accounting firm XYZ might have a representative number like "12345" or a specific code – your accountant can provide this to you. If, on the other hand, the representative is not a registered professional (a rarer case for a business, but possible, for example, a close collaborator not officially registered), you will need to provide their personal information (name, SIN, or other identifier) as requested.
Specify the nature and scope of the mandate – The interface will ask you to indicate the type of access granted (authorization or power of attorney). Check the appropriate option according to your decision (limited authorization or general power of attorney). You may also be able to specify the scope of the mandate. For example, My Account might allow you to choose whether the representative will have access to all services in your business file or only to certain specific accounts. You could limit access to a specific area (e.g., only Taxes – GST/QST – and not others) or even opt for read-only access without the ability to make transactions, depending on the available options. Take the time to select the authorizations according to your needs. Finally, if you want this mandate to expire automatically, indicate an end date (otherwise, the mandate will remain in effect until you manually revoke it). This expiration possibility allows you to create a temporary authorization if necessary.
Confirm and submit the request – Review the information entered and then validate the addition of the representative. A confirmation should appear on the screen, indicating that the authorization/power of attorney is now registered in your business file with Revenu Québec.
Once these steps are completed, your representative is officially authorized. What happens next? For the representative, things are simple: they will not need to use your codes to access your file (and should never ask for them). Instead, the representative will use their own secure access to view or manage your file, with the rights you have just granted them. For example, if it is a professional accountant, they will log in via My Account for professional representatives – a portal reserved for firms and professionals who manage third-party files. Once logged into their account, they will see your company in their list of authorized clients and will be able to act according to the mandate granted. Thus, you have not compromised the security of your access (you have not disclosed your credentials), while allowing this person to do their job efficiently.
Advantages of online delegation: This delegation feature via My Account is extremely beneficial for a business. On one hand, it gives you complete control over who can access your sensitive tax information and what they can do with it. On the other hand, it facilitates collaboration with your business partners (accountant, tax specialist, etc.) by giving them the tools to work directly on your online files, officially and approved. For example, your accountant can file returns or correct situations directly in your file, rather than sending you instructions to follow. You gain in efficiency and processing speed, while reducing the risk of errors. At any time, you can also revoke the power of attorney or modify the rights granted from My Account, in just a few clicks, if the collaboration ends or if you wish to adjust the access. You therefore maintain control at all times.
Finally, let's highlight a security point: it is strongly discouraged to share your own clicSÉQUR access codes with anyone (even with a trusted partner). The best practice is to never share your credentials. Instead, always use the official procedure for adding a representative. Revenu Québec states this clearly: rather than giving your credentials to someone (which would pose confidentiality problems), grant them a power of attorney in your business's My Account. This way, everything is officially recorded and each party uses their own personal access. Your tax advisor becomes a duly authorized tax representative with Revenu Québec, nothing more, nothing less.
Option 2: Adding a User via clicSÉQUR – Entreprises (Internal Access)
The previous option concerned an external representative (someone who acts for you with Revenu Québec, like an accounting firm). But there are cases where the person to whom you want to delegate access is part of your company: for example, a new employee in accounting, a partner, or an internal administrative manager. In this case, we are not really talking about "authorizing an external representative," but rather creating an additional user access linked to your company in the portal.
The clicSÉQUR – Entreprises service allows you to manage this via User Account Management. Only the primary manager (called the Electronic Services Manager, often the owner or director) can create new user accounts for the business. In practice, this means giving the person their own identifier (a secondary user code) and assigning them rights to the company's online services. This management is done in the clicSÉQUR space as follows: go to the User File Management option, then use the Create a user function and fill in the requested information (name, email, etc.). Once the profile is created, the new user receives a user code and a temporary password. You must then grant access rights to this user account by selecting the services or files to which they will have access (taxes, income tax, etc.). It is a kind of internal power of attorney: the user will need a power of attorney to be able to access the various services of the company. Fortunately, this assignment of rights can be done immediately online, without additional formalities – the manager simply has to check the necessary authorizations for the new user.
In other words, via clicSÉQUR – Entreprises, you can add accounts for your colleagues in a few minutes. This feature precisely answers searches like "Revenu Québec clicSÉQUR how to add a user?". The answer is: log in to your clicSÉQUR – Entreprises account (as the manager), open user management, and use the account creation option. Don't forget to then define the new user's access rights to Revenu Québec's online services (via the associated Access Rights Management option). Each internal user thus created will have their own login credentials and can access the company's My Account with the permissions granted to them, without needing to disturb you.
This approach is ideal for delegating work within your own company. For example, your financial controller or your administrative assistant can thus consult the company's tax account and even file returns if you give them the right, all using an account in their own name. You can granularize access: some users may only have read-only access, others the ability to submit forms, etc., depending on their role. My Account for businesses offers these tools to easily manage user access and authorizations within your organization. And of course, at any time, you can modify access or delete a user if their role changes or they leave the company.
Option 3: Delegating Access via a Paper Form (MR-69)
Despite the availability of online services, some businesses or situations still require the use of paper. Revenu Québec therefore provides the option of granting an authorization or power of attorney by form. The standard form is titled MR-69 – Authorization to Communicate Information or Power of Attorney. It can be obtained from the Revenu Québec website (Forms section) or from your tax advisor.
This form is intended for any person (or business) who wishes to authorize another person (or entity) to act on their behalf. It contains several sections to be completed: identification of the person granting the authorization (your company, in this case), identification of the designated representative, type of mandate granted (authorization or power of attorney, possibly with the scope or tax years covered), and signatures. For a business, the form must be signed by a person with the authority to legally represent it (e.g., a director or owner). The representative is not always required to sign the MR-69 form itself, but in practice, it is common for them to countersign for acceptance, especially if they are a professional. Check the form's instructions on this matter.
Here are some important points when using Form MR-69:
Professional Representative Number: If your representative is a registered firm or professional (e.g., a CPA representing multiple clients), you must enter their professional representative number assigned by Revenu Québec in the indicated space (box provided for this purpose, corresponds to line 16 of the form). This will allow Revenu Québec to associate your authorization with their profile in their system, in the same way as if you had done it online. If the representative is a non-professional individual, you will indicate their personal contact information instead.
Scope of the Mandate: The form allows you to specify whether the authorization/power of attorney is general or limited. For example, you can check that it concerns "all taxation years and all files" for a general power of attorney, or on the contrary, indicate a specific fiscal year or type of tax if you wish to limit it. Be sure to fill out this part correctly to reflect your intentions (your accountant can guide you if needed).
Duration: As with the online authorization, the paper form does not have a predefined period of effect. If you want it to be temporary, you will need to indicate an end date somewhere (it is possible to write an end date in the mandate description section or as an appendix if the form does not explicitly provide for it). Otherwise, the mandate will be considered valid until written revocation. Remember that the authorization or power of attorney is valid for an indefinite period, unless the person who granted it indicates an end date – this principle applies to both paper and online methods.
Once the MR-69 is duly completed, you must send it to Revenu Québec to be registered. The instructions at the bottom of the form will tell you where to send it (usually to your regional tax center or the address indicated). It can be sent by mail or by fax. Note that the processing is not instantaneous: it can take some time (several business days or even a few weeks depending on the period) for Revenu Québec to register the mandate in its systems. Only once it is registered can your representative access your file. If your need is urgent or if tax season is in full swing, prioritize the electronic route as much as possible. As mentioned, Revenu Québec indicates that using the online service significantly speeds up processing compared to sending the form by mail.
Form MR-69 also has its counterpart for revocation: Form MR-69.R – Revocation of an Authorization or Power of Attorney. If you initially used an MR-69 to mandate someone and you later wish to cancel this mandate, using the MR-69.R is recommended (unless you prefer to create a My Account and revoke it online, which is also possible). We will discuss revocation later. Finally, be aware that in the absence of a form, a signed handwritten letter can sometimes serve as a mandate (Revenu Québec theoretically accepts it), but it is strongly advised to use the official forms to avoid omissions and facilitate processing.
Management and Revocation of Granted Access
Delegating access to a representative does not mean giving up all control – quite the contrary. As the mandating company, you permanently have the ability to supervise, modify, or cancel the authorizations you have granted.
In My Account for businesses, the "Manage authorizations and powers of attorney" section allows you not only to add a representative but also to view a list of all active mandates you have granted. You can see, for example, that you have given a general power of attorney to "Accountant ABC Inc." since a certain date, and a limited authorization to "John Smith" (internal employee), etc. This visibility is important for keeping track of who has access to what. In case of doubt or a change in situation, you can revoke access in just a few clicks. The portal typically offers a "Remove" or "Revoke" function next to each authorized representative. If you confirm the revocation, the representative will immediately lose access to your online file. For example, if you change accounting firms, you will only have to delete the old power of attorney and possibly create a new one for the new firm. Similarly, if an employee leaves your company, remember to delete their user account or at least remove their access rights.
Legally, a revocation of an authorization/power of attorney can also be formalized in writing. If you used Form MR-69, you can send Form MR-69.R to signify the cancellation of the mandate. But, once again, the easiest method remains to use My Account online for cancellations: the online service for viewing or revoking an authorization or power of attorney, accessible in My Account, allows you to do so without paperwork.
Tip: Remember to terminate access that is no longer necessary. For example, if you had given temporary authorization to a consultant for a specific project and the project is finished, check that the deadline has been met or manually revoke the access if there was no time limit. This prevents a third party from unduly viewing your information longer than necessary. It is a matter of security and confidentiality. In general, periodically audit the Revenu Québec authorizations granted by your company to ensure they are all up-to-date and justified.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is entirely possible to give your tax advisor access to your Revenu Québec file in an official and secure manner. Thanks to the systems put in place by Revenu Québec, the delegation of tax services can be done either online via My Account for businesses, by adding users via clicSÉQUR – Entreprises (for your internal collaborators), or by written mandate using the appropriate forms (MR-69 for authorization/power of attorney and its eventual revocation). These tools offer flexibility and control to Quebec businesses.
By using the online portal, you benefit from a fast solution where everything is recorded electronically. How to delegate access to an accountant for Revenu Québec? – It only takes a few clicks in My Account to add your accountant as an authorized representative, grant them a Revenu Québec power of attorney adapted to their tasks, and thus allow them to manage your tax obligations efficiently. You will not have to share your passwords with them, and you can monitor what they have access to do, all within the framework provided by Revenu Québec. This digital collaboration between businesses and tax representatives greatly facilitates tax compliance, while leaving the final say on access to the business.
For cases where sending a paper form is preferred, the procedure remains accessible – a bit longer, but proven. The important thing is to always go through these official authorization channels. Never entrust the management of your taxes to a third party without having formally given them a mandate. In the event of an audit or communication with Revenu Québec, your duly authorized representative will be able to act on your behalf without hindrance, as their name will appear in your authorizations.
In short, whether you run a small family business or a larger company, you can add a tax representative to your file when you need one, and remove that access when you decide. Delegating access is a healthy practice that allows you to benefit from the expertise of your tax advisors while maintaining rigorous governance of your affairs. Do not hesitate to set up this delegated access to simplify the management of your tax obligations – Revenu Québec has made everything simple, secure, and adapted to your needs. If in doubt, you can consult Revenu Québec's online guides or contact their customer service for assistance with the steps, but with the detailed information presented in this article, you are now well-equipped to proceed with delegating access with full confidence.
