RC552: Register as Representative for a Deceased Person
Form RC552 registers you with the Canada Revenue Agency as the representative for a person who has died, so you can deal with their tax matters. Download the official PDF below and open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader to fill it in.
This is the genuine CRA PDF, unmodified. Source: CRA official page.
What is RC552?
When someone dies, a legal representative is responsible for filing their final returns and settling their tax affairs. RC552 is how that person asks the CRA to record them as the representative for the deceased, which lets them get information and act on the deceased’s tax accounts. The form asks for the deceased person’s identifying details and social insurance number, the date of death, and the representative’s details and the capacity in which they act, such as executor, estate administrator or, in Quebec, liquidator.
You have to attach a complete copy of the legal document that shows your authority, such as the will, the grant of probate or the letters of administration, so the CRA can confirm you are entitled to act. This is a dynamic Adobe LiveCycle PDF that renders only in Adobe Acrobat Reader and will look blank in a browser. Download it, open it in Adobe Reader, and complete it before sending it with the supporting document.
Who files RC552?
- Executors named in the will of the person who died
- Estate administrators appointed where there is no will
- Liquidators of a succession in Quebec
- Anyone the CRA needs to recognise before releasing a deceased person’s tax information
How to fill out RC552
- Open the downloaded RC552 in Adobe Acrobat Reader, since the dynamic PDF will not fill in a browser.
- Enter the deceased person’s full name, social insurance number, last address and date of death.
- Enter your own details and the capacity in which you act, such as executor, administrator or liquidator.
- Attach a complete copy of the legal document that proves your authority, such as the will or the grant of probate.
- Send the completed RC552 with the supporting document to the CRA so it can register you as the representative for the deceased.
Get RC552
This is a dynamic PDF from CRA: it only fills in correctly in Adobe Acrobat Reader, so there is no in-browser fill here. Download the genuine RC552 below and open it in the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to complete and save it.
Download the official RC552 PDFFrequently asked questions
What document proves I can act?
A complete copy of the will, the grant of probate, or the letters of administration, depending on the estate. In Quebec, the document appointing the liquidator. The CRA uses it to confirm your authority before registering you.
Why is the RC552 blank when I open it?
It is a dynamic Adobe LiveCycle form and only displays in Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download the file and open it in Adobe Reader rather than in a browser or a preview window.
What can I do once I am registered?
Being registered as the representative lets you get the deceased person’s tax information from the CRA and manage their tax accounts, which you need to do to file the final return and settle the estate’s tax affairs.