How to keep track of receipts for taxes (Canada)
What the CRA requires for receipts, whether photos count, how long to keep them, and a system that stops the shoebox before tax time.
Receipts are how you prove your expenses and claim input tax credits. Lose them and you lose the deduction. Here’s how to keep them straight.
Do photos of receipts count?
Yes — the CRA accepts clear electronic images of receipts. If an image is an accurate, readable reproduction, you can rely on it and even destroy the paper. Keep the images somewhere they’ll survive six years.
What a receipt has to show
For input tax credits the CRA sets requirements by amount: under $100 needs the supplier, date and total; $100–$499.99 adds the tax and the supplier’s registration number; $500+ adds your name and a description.
A system that actually works
- Capture the receipt the moment you get it — a photo, not a promise to sort it later.
- File it against the actual expense, with the image attached.
- Flag anything unclear (personal vs business, equipment vs supplies) instead of guessing.
That’s exactly how our receipt and expense tracking works — send a photo, it’s read, categorised and filed against a real entry.
This is general information, not tax advice. Rules and thresholds change and depend on your situation — your accountant makes the final call.