Go Green: Netfile your income tax return to Revenue Canada

NETFILE is one of Revenue Canada's electronic tax-filing options. This transmission service allows you to file your personal income tax and benefit return directly to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) using the Internet. You can only transmit your own tax return to the CRA using NETFILE. You cannot transmit tax returns on behalf of your clients.

When you use NETFILE, you cannot change any of your personal information such as your name, address, date of birth, or direct deposit information.

NETFILE is intended for the millions of individuals who use commercial software such as Quicktax to manage their financial affairs and prepare their tax returns. These individuals can transmit their own tax returns using the CRA's free Internet transmission service, NETFILE. In the past, they had to print and mail their tax returns.

The NETFILE transmission service to electronically file your 2007 personal income tax and benefit return is open from February 11, 2008, until September 30, 2008.

Once you have prepared your personal income tax and benefit return using NETFILE-certified tax preparation software or Web application, you simply need to follow the software developer's instructions to save your tax return in the proper format for NETFILE. This will save your file with a ".tax" extension. You are now ready to file your tax return.

On the NETFILE Web site, click on Ready to file from the left side menu; read and agree to the terms and conditions; this will bring you to the NETFILE transmission page; enter your social insurance number, date of birth, and access code. Attach your ".tax" file.

We suggest you use the "browse" or "choose" option to find and attach your ".tax" file; you can also copy and paste the name of the ".tax" file in the appropriate box. Should you decide to type the name of the ".tax" file, ensure you type the name correctly, including any spaces or underscores that are part of the folder structure.

Your four-digit access code along with your social insurance number and date of birth become your electronic signature.

Your NETFILE access code is printed on the information sheet of your T1 personal income tax return package. If you didn't receive an access code, you can use the access code on-line service, or you can call the e-service Helpdesk, at 1-800-714-7257 (from anywhere in Canada and the United States) to get one.