Getting paid
GST/HST for Canadian trades: what to charge and how to invoice it right
By The Servtide Team · May 12, 2026 · 5 min read
Sales tax trips up a lot of trades businesses — not because the work is hard, but because the rules change at the provincial border. Here’s the short version, plus how to make sure every invoice charges the right amount without you doing the math.
The three taxes you might see
- GST (Goods and Services Tax) — 5%, federal, applies across Canada.
- HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) — combines GST and the provincial portion into one rate in provinces like Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and PEI.
- PST/QST — a separate provincial sales tax in BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Quebec (QST), charged on top of GST.
Which one you charge depends on where the work is done and how your business is registered. Most established shops register for a GST/HST number once they pass the small-supplier threshold, then charge tax and claim input tax credits on what they buy.
Where shops get it wrong
- Charging the wrong rate after taking on work in a different province.
- Forgetting PST/QST in provinces where it applies separately from GST.
- Hand-calculating tax on paper estimates and getting it slightly off — which adds up.
Make it automatic
In Servtide you set your GST/HST rate (and PST/QST where it applies) once, and it’s calculated on every estimate and invoice — shown clearly for the customer and ready for your books and QuickBooks. No mental math, no missed tax, no awkward corrections later.
Set the rate once. Every quote and invoice gets it right — in Canadian dollars.
This is general guidance, not tax advice — confirm your specific obligations with your accountant or the CRA. But once you know your rate, the software should handle it from there.