GST/HST · Canada

GST/HST filing, start to finish

Registration, returns, remittances, and the input tax credits most businesses forget to claim. We file on whatever schedule the CRA put you on, and we answer their letters.

Scope

What's covered

Six things. Registration through to the awkward letter from the CRA about a return you filed two years ago.

01

GST/HST registration

We register your business with the CRA when you cross the $30,000 threshold, or earlier if voluntary registration lets you recover more tax than you collect.

02

Returns prepared and filed

Quarterly, semi-annual, or annual returns, filed electronically with the CRA before the due date. You get the numbers to review first.

03

Input tax credit recovery

We go through your expenses line by line and claim every credit you're entitled to. Most businesses leave some on the table because nobody looked.

04

Remittance calculations

Net tax worked out for each reporting period, so you know what you owe or what's coming back well before the payment deadline.

05

Prior period fixes

Missed credits or errors in old returns get corrected through amended returns or a voluntary disclosure. Money already paid can often come back.

06

CRA correspondence

Notices, review requests, and audit questions on your GST/HST account come to us. You get told what happened, not a form to fill in.

Rates

The rate depends on where your customer is

Not where you are. Getting the place of supply wrong is the most common GST/HST mistake we clean up. Current rates:

Ontario
13%
HST
BC
5%
GST only
Alberta
5%
GST only
Nova Scotia
15%
HST
NB / NL / PEI
15%
HST
Manitoba
5%
GST only
Saskatchewan
5%
GST only
Territories
5%
GST only

Quebec administers its own QST separately, under Revenu Québec rather than the CRA.

FAQ

Questions we get a lot

The five that come up in almost every first call about GST/HST.

When do I need to register for GST/HST in Canada?
You must register once your worldwide taxable revenues exceed $30,000 in a single calendar quarter or over four consecutive quarters. You then have 29 days to register with the CRA. Registering voluntarily before you hit $30,000 can pay off if you have real business expenses, because you can start claiming input tax credits right away.
What is the GST/HST small supplier threshold?
The threshold is $30,000 in annual taxable revenues. Below it you are a small supplier and registration is optional. Cross $30,000 in any single quarter and you must register within 29 days. Once registered, you collect and remit GST/HST on every taxable sale going forward.
What is an input tax credit (ITC)?
An input tax credit lets you recover the GST/HST you paid on eligible business expenses. Pay $113 for a business supply in Ontario and $13 of that is HST, which you claim back on your return. ITCs come straight off what you remit to the CRA, so tracking them properly is worth real money.
How often do I need to file GST/HST returns?
The CRA assigns your filing frequency by revenue: annual under $1.5M, quarterly from $1.5M to $6M, monthly above $6M. You can ask for a more frequent period. Businesses that usually end up in a refund position often move to monthly filing to get the money back sooner.
What happens if I file my GST/HST return late?
Late filing penalties start at 1% of the balance owing, plus 0.25% per month for up to 12 months. Repeat late filing triggers higher graduated penalties, and interest accrues daily on unpaid balances. File on time even if you can't pay, because the filing penalty and the arrears interest are separate charges.
Get started

Behind on filings? Start here.

Registration, catch-up returns, or steady quarterly compliance. Tell us roughly where things stand and we'll come back with a price and a timeline before any work begins.