You must have a transmitter number (composed of the letters NP and six digits) in order to send RL-slip XML files.

Once you have registered as a transmitter, we send you a letter by mid-December of each year. The letter confirms:

• your transmitter number; and
• your series of sequential numbers for each type of RL slip. 

• you need a series of sequential numbers for a type of RL slip not listed in the letter;
• the series of sequential numbers for a given type of RL slip is insufficient;
• there are changes to your contact information, the software you use or the resource person(s) given in the registration form.

Be sure to have your transmitter number on hand.

See RL Slips for information on the data to be entered in the boxes of each RL slip.

Transmitter number

You must enter your transmitter number in each RL-slip XML file you send us using our online service.

Sequential numbers

A sequential number must be entered on each RL slip in your RL-slip XML files. The sequential numbers have nine digits:

• We assign the first eight digits.
• The ninth digit is a check digit that is calculated by your software.

The sequential numbers identify each RL slip you send us using our online service. These unique numbers are mandatory, non-repeating and assigned to the same filer number for all types of RL slips.

The series of sequential numbers is reused each year, provided there are enough numbers for the number of RL slips the issuer must file. You begin with the first number in the series each year.

To obtain a series of sequential numbers, contact the Division de l'acquisition des données électroniques:

Employer's identification and file numbers

The employer's identification and file numbers, which identify the issuer of each RL slip, must be entered in each RL-slip XML file you send, with the exception of the RL-8, RL-15, RL-24 and RL-31 slips. The XML file will be rejected if the numbers are invalid or omitted.

The employer's identification number is composed of 10 digits, and the file number contains the letters “RS,” followed by four digits. "RS" indicates the business is registered for source deductions. This number appears on the Summary of Source Deductions and Employer Contributions (RLZ-1.S-V). An employer's identification and file number looks like this: 0000000000RS0001.

Québec enterprise number of the RL slip issuer

The Québec enterprise number (NEQ) of the RL slip issuer can be entered in the RL-slip XML files you send, with the exception of the RL-8 and RL-31 slips.

The NEQ has 10 digits.

Social insurance number of the recipient

If you are filing an RL slip for an individual, the individual's social insurance number must be entered in the RL-slip XML file you send, except in the case of an RL-31 slip.

Individuals are required to provide their social insurance number to any person who must file an RL slip (other than an RL-31 slip) on their behalf. Individuals who do not have a social insurance number must apply to Service Canada to obtain one. Failure to provide this number may result in a penalty for both the individual and the person filing the RL slip on the individual's behalf.

Entering amounts

When entering amounts, never enter a space or dollar sign ($).

You can use either a comma or a period to separate whole-dollar amounts from cents. For example $12,100.36 can be entered as 12100,36 or 12100.36.

If the amount to enter in an RL-slip box exceeds the character limit, break it down into smaller figures that do not exceed that limit. File a separate RL slip for each of the figures. In this case, make sure the RL slips have different sequential numbers.

Entering additional information

Boxes for additional information can contain the following:

• the additional information code;
• the amount or information corresponding to the additional information code.

The RL-slip XML files you prepare using your software must meet our requirements for online data transmission and be certified by Revenu Québec for that purpose. You must obtain a new certification number for each taxation year (for example, RQ-99-99-999).

Name of RL-slip XML files

The name of the RL-slip XML file you send using our Transmitting RL Slips online service must have fewer than 30 characters. You can select a name of your choice. A file name looks like this: 2022NP123456RL01Original001.xml.

Size of RL-slip XML files

RL-slip XML files must not contain more than 1,000 RL-slip groups, each composed of one or more RL slips of the same type and an RL-slip totals record (tag T). There should be one group per issuer. In addition, the file size must not exceed 300 MB. However, you can send your data in a compressed ZIP file. We recommend you compress all files over 10 MB.

A compressed  ZIP file can reduce the size of an XML file by 92% to 96%. For example, a 300-MB compressed file would contain the equivalent of 3.6 GB of data.

Compressed files cannot be password protected. In addition, our service will not accept encrypted RL-slip XML files. Our data transmission network is already secure.

Types of RL-slip XML file packages

The table below shows the types of RL-slip XML file packages.

To send us RL-slip XML files, you must use our Transmitting RL Slips online service. If you can access the service using your software, follow the instructions provided by the service. Make sure that you have selected the right file before sending it.

Once your RL-slip XML file has been sent using our Transmitting RL Slips online service, a page providing a reference number will display. This number confirms that we have received your file.

You must keep this number as we will use it as a reference when informing you of the status of your files (valid, valid in part, invalid or rejected).

Once your RL-slip XML file has been processed, you will receive an email informing you of its status (valid, valid in part, invalid, rejected or resubmitted) provided that:

• you entered a valid email address in your RL-slip XML file; or
• your transmitter file contains a valid email address. 

If you have received confirmation that the RL-slip XML file you sent is valid, you can prepare the RL slips to be distributed to the recipients.

We will mail you an RL-slip XML file validation report for each RL-slip XML file that you sent us only if a file contains errors (valid in part, invalid or rejected). The report will list the error messages (S) and warning messages (A).

The files for which the letter S (error message) appears in the first column (Record-seriousness) of the validation report must be corrected and resent. You must resend the entire RL-slip XML file that contains the corrected RL slips, not just the individual corrected RL slips.

The letter A (warning message) in the first column indicates that corrections may have to be made in the future.

We do not send RL-slip XML file validation reports for valid, error-free XML files.