How to pay business taxes in Canada

Here are some step-by-step instructions on how to pay your federal and provincial corporate taxes, GST, payroll remittances and even your personal taxes — just skip to the part that is applicable to you. Have tax instalments to make? We can make these payments for you. We don't even need access to your bank or cheque books — ask us how.

Note: For the latest in making tax payments for business, consult the CRA website. 

Corporate tax payment – federal
Corporate tax payment – provincial
Goods and services tax (GST)
Payroll remittance (or payroll source deductions)
Personal taxes

VIDEO: Caitlyn at True North Accounting explains your options for paying corporate taxes in Canada and Alberta.

Corporate tax payment – federal

Learn how to pay your year-end balance owing and/or a corporate tax instalment.

Your main options are paying through online banking, CRA My Payment, paying in person or by mailing a cheque. See the CRA for additional payment options. 

Option 1: Online banking through your business bank account

What you’ll need: To pay corporate taxes, you’ll need to register for your bank’s tax and filing portal. Some banks ask you to register in person and sign a form. Others may have fees for this service ($20 set-up and $1-2 per month). 

(Disclaimer: Some of the wording and fields may be different depending on your bank. If you’re having trouble figuring this out, give your bank a call — they’ll walk you through it.

1. Find “Tax Filing Service” under Pay Bills and Transfer Funds.
(This service is a separate login from your actual online banking, and requires registration through your bank.) 

2. Click Continue. You will be taken into this screen: 



3. Add Payment Type as follows:

Federal – Corporation Income Tax Balance Due – TX BAL – (RC177). Select this if you are paying a balance owing for the year-end.

Federal – Corporation Tax Payments – TXINS. Select this if you are paying a tax instalment.

• Period ending is the year-end date for a year-end balance owing or, for an instalment payment, the final date of the quarter (e.g. if you are making an instalment payment for the July 1 to September 30 quarter, enter 2023-09-30.)
• If you are paying your taxes owing for last year, input the amount under Amount Owing. If you are paying instalment taxes for the current fiscal year, input the amount under Interim.
• Payment date is the date the amount will be withdrawn from your bank account. The earliest payment date is always tomorrow’s date.

9. Click Next and confirm the details of your payment.

You can also set up future payments here. You can always cancel future payments as long as you do it before the payment day.

Option 2: CRA My Payment

What you’ll need: This option requires a Visa Debit card. 

Option 3: Pay in person at your bank

What you’ll need: You need to bring your original Notice of Assessment to the bank, which means you need to file your taxes and GST at least two weeks before your payment deadline. 

You must also bring in a remittance voucher. You will receive your remittance voucher in the mail from the CRA a few days before your fiscal year-end.

Option 4: Mail in a cheque

What you’ll need: Take into consideration the time to mail your payment. Remember your cheque needs to arrive at CRA before the payment deadline.

Corporate tax payment – provincial 

Learn how to pay your provincial taxes. Your main options are paying through online banking, mailing a cheque or paying in person. See the Government of Alberta for additional payment options. 

Option 1: Online banking through your business bank account

What you’ll need: To pay corporate taxes, you’ll need to register for your bank’s tax and filing portal. Some banks ask you to register in person and sign a form. Others may have fees for this service ($20 set-up and $1-2 per month). 

(Some of the wording and fields may be different depending on the bank. If you’re having trouble getting this set up, give your bank a call. The Government of Alberta has a list of participating financial institutions on their website.)

1. Find the “Tax Filing Service” under Pay Bills and Transfer Funds.

2. Click Continue.

3. Add Payment Type as follows:

Provincial Tax – Alberta Finance – Corporate Income Tax – ABCIT

4. Click Next.

5. Input your Alberta Corporate Number.

6. Click Done. This will take you back to the home page of the Tax Filing Service.

7. Select the payment type that you have just added – (Alberta Finance – Corporate Income Tax – ABCIT) and click Pay.

This is the next screen: 

•  Period ending is the year-end date that you are paying.
•  If you are paying your taxes owing for last year, input the amount under Amount Owing. If you are paying instalment taxes for the current fiscal year, input the amount under Interim.
• Payment date is the date the amount will be withdrawn from your bank account. The earliest payment date is always tomorrow’s date.

You can set up future payments. You can always cancel future payments as long as you do it before the payment day.

Option 2: Mail in a cheque

What you’ll need: Take into consideration the time to mail your payment. Remember your cheque needs to arrive at CRA before the payment deadline.

• Alberta Corporate Number or your BIN number (if you do not know this number, we can provide it for you) 
• The period you are making a payment for (e.g. 2023-01-01 to 2023-12-31)

Tax and Revenue Administration
Alberta Treasury Board and Finance 
9811 - 109 Street
Edmonton, AB T5K 2L5

Post-dated cheques are acceptable. Make sure you mail your cheque well in advance. The Alberta government considers the date of payment for interest calculation purposes to be the date payment was received, not the date of mailing. Do not send cash in the mail.

Option 3: Pay in person at your bank

What you’ll need: You need to bring your original Notice of Assessment to the bank, which means you need to file your taxes and GST at least two weeks before your payment deadline. 

To do this, you must bring in a remittance voucher. You should receive one of these in the mail from the Government of Alberta about 10 days after filing your taxes. .

Note: You can also pay by credit card through a third party provider (Plastiq or Pay Simply), however it’s expensive and can be a hassle. We recommend paying through online banking, by cheque or at your bank.

Goods and Services Tax (GST)

Learn how to pay your GST. Your main options are paying through online banking, CRA My Payment, paying in person or mailing a cheque. See the CRA for additional payment options. 

Option 1: Online banking through your business bank account

What you’ll need: To pay corporate taxes, you’ll need to register for your bank’s tax and filing portal. Some banks ask you to register in person and sign a form. Others may have fees for this service ($20 set-up and $1-2 per month). 

(Some of the wording and fields may be different depending on your bank. Give your bank a call if you have questions.)

1. Find “Tax Filing Service” under Pay Bills and Transfer Funds.

2. Click Continue.

3. Add Payment Type as follows:

Federal - GST/HST Balance Due -- GST B -- (RC177)

Federal - GST/HST Balance Due -- GST B -- (RC177)

Format example: 876543219RT0001 

Option 2: CRA My Payment

What you’ll need: This option requires a Visa Debit card. 

1. Go to the CRA My Payment website and click Pay now.

2. Under Businesses, select GST/HST, then follow the six steps to complete your payment.

Option 3: Pay in person at your bank

What you’ll need: You need to bring your original Notice of Assessment to the bank, which means you need to file your taxes and GST at least two weeks before your payment deadline. 

To do this, you must bring in the personalized remittance voucher that you received in the mail. If you gave it to us, we’ll return it filled out for you. If you did not get one in the mail, you should receive one a few days before your GST period ending or a few days after we have filed the GST Return. We do not have generic remittance vouchers for GST — the CRA does not issue these anymore and will not accept a photocopy.

Option 4: Mail in a cheque

What you’ll need: Take into consideration the time to mail your payment. Remember your cheque needs to arrive at CRA before the payment deadline.

1. Make your cheque payable to “Receiver General for Canada.” 

2. Write your GST number (e.g. XXXXX XXXX RT 0001) and the period you are making a payment for (e.g. 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31) on the cheque.

3. Mail your cheque to:
Canada Revenue Agency
PO Box 3800 STN A
Sudbury ON P3A 0C3

Payroll remittance (or payroll source deductions)

Learn how to pay your payroll source deductions. Your main options are paying through online banking, CRA My Payment, paying in person or mailing a cheque. See the CRA for additional payment options. 

Option 1: Online banking through your business bank account

What you’ll need: To pay corporate taxes, you’ll need to register for your bank’s tax and filing portal. Some banks ask you to register in person and sign a form. Others may have fees for this service ($20 set-up and $1-2 per month).

1. Find the “Tax Filing Service” under Pay Bills and Transfer Funds.

2. Click Continue.

3. Add Payment Type as follows:

Federal Payroll Deductions – Regular/Quarterly – EMPTX – (PD7A). Select this if you are paying the monthly or quarterly payroll remittance

Federal - Payroll Source Deduction - Balance Due - EMPBD - (PD4R). Select this if you are paying a balance due after the T4s are prepared

Federal Payroll Deductions - Arrears - EMPTX - (PD7D). Select this if you are paying interest and/or penalties

4. Click Next.

5. Input your tax account number and fiscal year start date. Your account number is your nine-digit business number immediately followed by RP0001, no spaces. Format example: 876543219RP0001.

6. Click Done. This will take you back to the home page of the Tax Filing Service.

 Select the payment type that you added in step 3, then click Pay.

 7. This is the next screen:

• Pay from: Bank account where payment will come from.
• Tax account to pay: Your 9-digit business number followed by RP0001.
• If you are paying for a specific month, input the payroll period you are paying under “Reporting month end” and then input the amount in “installment payment.”
• If you are the owner of the business and you are paying your decided salary for the year, or you are paying what is owing after preparing your T4, input your “fiscal year end” and input the amount in “payment on annual filing.”
• If you are paying arrears (interest and penalties), input the “fiscal year end” of the arrears, then input the amount under “arrears payment.”

8. Payment date is the date the amount will be withdrawn from your bank account. The earliest payment date is always tomorrow’s date.

9. Click Next and confirm the details of your payment.

You can set up future payments. You can cancel future payments as long as you do it before the payment day.

Option 2: CRA My Payment

What you’ll need: This option requires a Visa Debit card. 

1. Go to CRA My Payment website and click Pay now.

2. Under Businesses, select Payroll source deductions, then follow the six steps to complete your payment.

Option 3: Pay at your bank

What you’ll need: You need to bring your original Notice of Assessment to the bank, which means you need to file your taxes and GST at least two weeks before your payment deadline. 

To do this, you must bring in the personalized payroll remittance voucher that you received in the mail. 

Option 4: Mail in a cheque

What you’ll need: Take into consideration the time to mail your payment. Remember your cheque needs to arrive at CRA before the payment deadline. 

1. Make your cheque payable to “Receiver General for Canada.” 
2. On the cheque write your Payroll BIN number (e.g. XXXXX XXXX RP 0001) and the period you are making a payment for (e.g. 2015-01-01 to 2015-12-31).
3. Mail your cheque to:
   Canada Revenue Agency
   PO Box 3800 STN A
   Sudbury ON P3A 0C3

Remember to include a note clearly stating if you are making a payment for your arrears or balance owing.

Personal taxes

Learn how to pay your personal taxes. Your main options are paying through online banking, CRA My Payment, paying in person or mailing a cheque. See the CRA for additional payment options. 

Option 1: Online banking through your personal bank account

(Every bank is slightly different. Give your bank a call if you’re having trouble getting set up. They should be able to walk you through it.)

1. Go to Pay Bills.

2. Click Add Payee. Search for CRA.

3. Add payee as follows:

For year-end balance owing: CRA PIT - Tax Amount Owing

For personal tax instalment: Federal - Personal Tax Instalment - TXINS

If your search brings up a specific choice for the year you’re filing for (CRA PIT - 2019 Tax return) then select that option.

4. For the account number, input your SIN.

5. Once you’ve added the payee, pay your balance as you would your other bills.

Option 2: CRA My Payment

1. Go to CRA My Payment website and click Pay now.

2. Under Individuals, select Individual income tax (T1), then follow the six steps to complete your payment.

Option 3: Pay in person at your bank

What you’ll need: You need to bring your original Notice of Assessment to the bank, which means you need to file your taxes and GST at least two weeks before your payment deadline. 

Bring a remittance voucher to your bank and make your payment. We have these vouchers, so give us a call if you plan to pay this way.

Option 4: Mail in a cheque

1. Make your cheque payable to “Receiver General for Canada.” 
2. Write your social insurance number on the cheque. (This is important — your payment will not get processed correctly without your SIN.)
3. Mail your cheque to:
   Winnipeg Tax Centre
   Post Office Box 14001, Station Main
   Winnipeg, MB
   R3C 3M3

We hope you found this helpful! We have more advice and how-tos for Corporate and Personal taxes. If you have questions, contact us any time. 

Learn how to file your taxes in Alberta on our blog.