What is a Payroll Program Account?
A payroll program account is an account number assigned to an employer to identify themselves when dealing with the Canada Revenue Agency for payroll deductions.
The payroll program account number consists of:
the nine-digit Business Number
a two-letter code for the type of program (for payroll program, the letters are "RP")
a four-digit reference number to identify each account in a program a business may have
How to register Payroll for sole proprietorships
Sole proprietorships have to request the Payroll Program Account Number directly from the CRA. Follow the instructions on the Open or manage a payroll account page.
How to register Payroll for corporations
Ownr allows you to register for a Payroll Program Account Number through your Ownr Dashboard.
If you do not yet have a GST/HST number, you will need to add that first in order to register for a Payroll Program Account Number through the Ownr Dashboard.
You can register for GST/HST and a Payroll Program Account Number at the same time on Ownr.
Learn more about registering for a GST/HST number here.
Follow the steps below to register for a Payroll Program Account Number on Ownr:
1. On the sidebar, go to Company Info page under the Organization tab
2. Click Add Payroll Program Account.
3. The Add Payroll Deduction Number window will appear. Click the drop down arrow. Select I want to register for Payroll Deduction to launch the Business Registration Dashboard.
If you already have a Payroll Program Account Number, you can add it here by selecting I already have a number.
4. The Business Registration Dashboard will walk you through the process of applying. You will be required to provide some information as identification. Follow the steps to complete your application.
5. When finished, click submit and your application will be automatically filed with the government.
The processing time for the application is typically 1-2 weeks.
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