Ontario Sales Tax Calculator — 13% HST, both directions
One tax, one rate: Ontario charges 13% HST on most goods and services. Add it to a price, or start from a tax-included total and split out exactly what was tax — to the cent.
Ontario's 13%, explained in one paragraph
Since 2010, Ontario's sales tax has been a single Harmonized Sales Tax of 13% — the 5% federal GST and an 8% provincial portion collected together as one line, administered by the CRA. You never charge GST and PST separately in Ontario; it's one 13% calculation on the pre-tax price, which is what makes both directions of the math clean: multiply by 1.13 going forward, divide by 1.13 going back.
Common amounts at 13%
| Before tax | HST (13%) | Total |
|---|---|---|
| $75.00 | $9.75 | $84.75 |
| $250.00 | $32.50 | $282.50 |
| $1,200.00 | $156.00 | $1,356.00 |
| $4,999.00 | $649.87 | $5,648.87 |
Not everything is 13%
Basic groceries are zero-rated, and many health and education services are exempt entirely. Ontario also keeps a list of point-of-sale rebates where the 8% provincial portion is waived and only 5% applies — children's clothing and footwear, books, newspapers, and prepared food and drinks sold for $4.00 or less. If a receipt shows 5% in Ontario, one of those rebates is usually why.
Invoicing with Ontario HST
Registered businesses show HST as its own line with the rate and their GST/HST number — the CRA's requirements add more fields as the sale amount grows. Our free invoice generator applies Ontario's 13% automatically: tap “Create an invoice with this tax” above and every tax line, subtotal, and total is computed for you — no signup, no watermark, no caps.
Frequently asked questions
How much is sales tax in Ontario?
Ontario charges 13% HST — a single harmonized tax combining the 5% federal GST with an 8% provincial portion. There is no separate PST line: one 13% tax covers everything taxable. On a $100 purchase, tax is $13.00 and the total is $113.00.
How do I calculate Ontario HST on a price?
Multiply the pre-tax amount by 0.13 and add it on. A $480 repair bill carries $62.40 of HST for a $542.40 total. The calculator above does it to the cent and also works in reverse for tax-included totals.
How do I remove HST from an Ontario total?
Divide the tax-included total by 1.13 to recover the pre-tax amount; the difference is the HST. For example, $542.40 ÷ 1.13 = $480.00, so $62.40 was tax. Switch the calculator to “Remove tax (reverse)” to do this automatically.
What is exempt from sales tax in Ontario?
Basic groceries are zero-rated at 0%, and most health, dental, educational, and child-care services are exempt. Ontario also rebates the 8% provincial portion at the point of sale on items like children's clothing, books, and prepared food under $4 — those are effectively taxed at just 5%.
Do Ontario freelancers and contractors charge 13% HST?
Yes, once registered. Registration becomes mandatory when your taxable sales pass $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters; from then on you add 13% HST to invoices for Ontario clients and show your GST/HST number. Below the threshold you may register voluntarily to claim input tax credits.
Do I charge 13% to customers outside Ontario?
Usually not. Under the place-of-supply rules you charge the rate of the province where the customer takes delivery of the goods or services — 5% to Alberta, 14.975% combined to Quebec, 15% to New Brunswick. The 13% applies to supplies made in Ontario.
How do I show Ontario HST on an invoice?
One line reading “HST (13%)” with the dollar amount, plus your GST/HST registration number once you're registered — your business customers need it for their input tax credits. The “Create an invoice with this tax” button above opens our free generator with Ontario pre-selected.