Income Tax Information Circular IC05-1R1 — June 2010
Preamble
This circular gives information and guidance to persons who use electronic business systems and who are required by law to keep books and records according to sections 230 and 230.1 of the Income Tax Act.
Retention of records
Record retention requirements are outlined in the Income Tax Act as follows:
- Subsection 230(4) requires that you must keep your business records for a minimum of six years from the end of the latest year to which they relate.
- Subsection 230(4.1) requires that persons who keep records in an electronic format retain them in an electronically readable format for the prescribed period even when hard copy is available.
Location of records
Records may be located anywhere provided they can be retrieved and produced to the CRA on demand.
Record keeping
Persons using electronic business systems must ensure that such systems are designed to:
- Record transactions in chronological order.
- Provide an audit trail back to the source documents.
- Ensure data integrity and prevent unauthorized alteration.
Backups and disaster recovery
Regular backups must be made and stored off-site; restoration procedures must be tested periodically.
Offences and penalties
If the CRA finds that books and records are inadequate, penalties may apply under sections 230.4 and 231.7 of the Income Tax Act.
Advice
The CRA is prepared to offer advice on electronic record issues including system changes and legislative updates. Most CRA publications are available at www.cra-arc.gc.ca under “Forms and Publications.”