--- title: "CRA Request for Information Letter: What to Send, By When" url: https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-request-for-information-letter description: "What a CRA request for information actually asks for, the deadline it sets, what to send and what to hold back, and what follows if it is ignored." type: guide updated: 2026-10-08 summary: "A CRA request for information letter asks for the receipts and records behind a claim on a filed return. It names the item under review, gives a reply deadline and a reference number, and lists where to send the documents. Answering fully and on time usually closes it." faq_count: 6 publisher: EverStone CPA Inc., a Chartered Professional Accountant firm registered with CPA British Columbia and CPA Alberta service_area: British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Manitoba language: en-CA contact: info@everstonecpa.com · https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online --- [Home](https://www.everstonecpa.com/) [Blog](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog) CRA Request for Information Letter: How to Respond CRA # CRA asked for backup *— answering a request for information* By EverStone CPA · Updated September 2026 · 7 min read **Quick answer:** A CRA request for information letter asks for the receipts and records behind a claim on a filed return. It names the item under review, gives a reply deadline and a reference number, and lists where to send the documents. Answering fully and on time usually closes it. It names one or two claims — not your whole file. **Rather have a CPA handle this?** A CPA at EverStone replies with a straight answer and a fixed fee for your situation. [Get My Fixed Quote →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) ## Key takeaways - The letter names one or two specific claims. It is not a review of your whole file. - Reply by the date in the letter and quote the reference number in the top corner. - Documents can be uploaded through My Account, My Business Account or Represent a Client. - If a receipt no longer exists, send a written explanation rather than nothing at all. A CRA letter asking for documents is not an audit or an accusation; it checks that a number on a return is supported. Most close once you send what was asked, by the date asked, with the reference number on top. Owners get hurt when they ignore it. ## What a CRA request for information is asking for These letters are narrow. The CRA names a line, credit or deduction and asks for the records behind it: receipts or invoices, proof of payment, bank statements or cancelled cheques, contracts, and mileage or usage logs where a claim depends on a business-use percentage. The CRA may ask for documents other than official receipts. Cancelled cheques and bank statements are explicitly acceptable as proof of a deduction or credit, which matters when the original receipt is long gone but the payment is still traceable. **CRA asking for documents?** Send us the letter. A CPA reads it, tells you exactly what to send, and can prepare the response for a fixed fee quoted before any work starts. See [our CRA support](https://www.everstonecpa.com/cra-review-and-audit-support), or [send us the letter](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online). [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) ## The three things every letter contains - **A reference number** in the upper right corner. Quote it on everything you send. Without it, your package can sit unmatched to your file. - **A reply deadline.** Reply within the time frame stated, to the address given in the letter. - **A phone number** at the bottom. That number reaches the program that sent the letter, and it is who you call if you need more time. ## How to send the documents Upload scans through My Account (individuals), My Business Account (corporations) or Represent a Client (authorized representatives). Online is faster and records receipt. Our guide to [CRA My Business Account](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-my-business-account-setup-guide) covers setup; do it before you need it. **Send what was asked for, and only what was asked for.** A tidy package that answers the specific question closes the file. A box of unsorted records invites a second look at things nobody was asking about. Not sure how this applies to you? Every situation is different. Send an enquiry to a CPA and get a straight answer, plus a fixed quote before any work starts. [Send an Enquiry →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) [See fixed fees](https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing) ## If you cannot find the documents Missing paperwork is not automatically fatal. If documents are unavailable, the CRA asks for a written explanation or a call to the number on the letter. Silence reads as no support, and the claim is removed. An explanation with secondary evidence — a bank record, supplier statement or contract — gives the reviewer something to work with. ## If you need more time Call the number on the letter before the deadline passes and ask. Extensions are handled by the same program that issued the request, and asking in advance is treated very differently from going quiet and responding weeks late. ## What happens after you reply One of three things: the claim is accepted; it is adjusted, with a notice of reassessment (see [reading a notice of assessment](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-notice-of-assessment-explained)); or the reviewer asks a follow-up. If the claim was changed and you later find documents, the CRA will look again. Otherwise the formal route is [a notice of objection](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-notice-of-objection-how-to-file). Other letters ask for different things on different deadlines; see [the full list, decoded](https://www.everstonecpa.com/cra-letters). ## How to make the next one easy Whether a letter is stressful or routine comes down to record-keeping. Any claim on a return should trace to a document without a search: receipts filed against transactions, records kept for the required period (see [how long to keep records](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-record-retention-how-long-to-keep-records)), and reconciling [books monthly](https://www.everstonecpa.com/monthly-bookkeeping-services) so return figures come from somewhere real. Clean, reconciled [bookkeeping](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accounting-services) makes these letters a ten-minute job. ## The bottom line Read the letter for the item, gather exactly that, quote the reference number and send it by the date given. Explain gaps in writing; if the deadline is tight, call. Handled that way, it is administration, not a crisis. Sources - [Canada Revenue Agency — Responding to us (review programs)](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/topics/about-your-tax-return/review-your-tax-return-cra/responding-us.html) - [Canada Revenue Agency — How tax returns are selected for review](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/topics/about-your-tax-return/review-your-tax-return-cra/tax-returns-selected-review.html) - [Canada Revenue Agency — Review of your tax return by the CRA](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/topics/about-your-tax-return/review-your-tax-return-cra.html) General information for Canadian business owners, current as of July 2026. It is not tax, legal or accounting advice and creates no client relationship. Rules change and every situation differs, so [speak with a CPA](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) before acting. About this article **EverStone CPA** Prepared and reviewed by a CPA at EverStone CPA, serving businesses in BC, Alberta, Ontario and Manitoba. [About the firm →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/about) · [Send an enquiry →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) ### Keep reading [CRA pre-assessment review: what to send →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-pre-assessment-review-what-to-send) [Reading your notice of assessment →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-notice-of-assessment-explained) [How long to keep your records →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-record-retention-how-long-to-keep-records)[Ask a CPA about your own situation →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question)[A CRA T4 mismatch letter: which one is wrong, the slip or the return? →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/cra-letter-t4-mismatch) FAQ ## Frequently asked questions **What is a CRA request for information letter?** A request for documents supporting a specific claim on your return. It names the item, gives a reply deadline and phone number, and shows a reference number in the upper right corner. It is verification, not an audit. **How long do I have to respond?** The deadline is the one in the letter. If you need longer, call the number at the bottom before it passes; the issuing program handles extensions. **How do I send documents to the CRA?** Upload scans through My Account (individuals), My Business Account (corporations) or Represent a Client (representatives), or mail them to the address in the letter. Include the reference number either way. **What if I lost the receipts?** Send a written explanation instead of sending nothing. The CRA accepts documents other than official receipts as proof, including cancelled cheques and bank statements, so gather whatever secondary evidence exists. You can also call the number on the letter to explain the situation. **What happens if I ignore the letter?** The claim under review is generally removed and you are reassessed without it, which means a balance owing plus interest. That reassessment can then be disputed, but doing so takes far longer than answering the original letter would have. **Is a request for information the same as an audit?** No. A request for information checks one or two items and is usually resolved by sending documents; an audit examines your books broadly. Answering promptly and completely helps keep it from becoming more. ## Got a letter from the CRA? Forward the letter and its deadline. A CPA replies by email within one business day with the documents to gather and a fixed fee to respond. [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online)[Book a Paid Advice Call](https://www.everstonecpa.com/advice-call) ## Have a question about this? Ask free through [the quick-question form](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question); a CPA replies within one business day. Need more? A 45-minute **Advice Call** is $225 plus GST, credited to your first invoice if you become a client within 60 days. Want us to take it on? [Send an enquiry](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online). [Ask a Free Question](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) [Book a Paid Advice Call](https://www.everstonecpa.com/advice-call) Email info@everstonecpa.com ★★★★★ “…We switched to him last year for both our personal and small-business taxes — responsive, knowledgeable and quick.” Heather Powers · Google review **Run your own numbers with the free calculators:** [compare salary against dividends](https://www.everstonecpa.com/salary-vs-dividends-calculator) · [check when your T2 is due](https://www.everstonecpa.com/t2-deadline-calculator) · [check whether instalments apply to you](https://www.everstonecpa.com/tax-instalment-calculator) [← How long do you have to keep business records?](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-record-retention-how-long-to-keep-records) [CRA reviews and audits: what actually triggers them — and how to respond →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-review-audit-small-business) --- Source: https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-request-for-information-letter Prices: https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing · Contact: info@everstonecpa.com · https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online