About the Ontario HST Calculator
Ontario has used a 13% Harmonized Sales Tax since 1 July 2010, when the old 8% provincial sales tax was combined with the 5% federal GST. Shoppers see one HST line on their receipt, but behind it are two parts: 5% that goes to the federal government and 8% that goes to Ontario. This calculator adds HST to a price or reverses it out of a total, so you can find the pre-tax amount on a receipt, price a quote, or check an invoice.
How to use the Ontario HST Calculator
- Choose "Add HST" for a price before tax, or "Remove HST" for a total that includes HST.
- Enter the amount in Canadian dollars.
- Read the price before HST, the HST and the total.
The formula behind it
Add 13% HST to a price: multiply by 1.13
The quickest way to get an Ontario price including HST is to multiply the pre-tax price by 1.13. The 1 keeps the original price and the 0.13 adds the 13% HST. For example, $160 × 1.13 = $180.80, of which $20.80 is HST.
Cash registers round the HST to the nearest cent, so the table below is rounded the same way.
| Price before HST | HST (13%) | Total (price × 1.13) |
|---|---|---|
| $3.99 | $0.52 | $4.51 |
| $5.99 | $0.78 | $6.77 |
| $13.99 | $1.82 | $15.81 |
| $25.99 | $3.38 | $29.37 |
| $89.99 | $11.70 | $101.69 |
| $100.00 | $13.00 | $113.00 |
| $160.00 | $20.80 | $180.80 |
| $260.00 | $33.80 | $293.80 |
| $1,000.00 | $130.00 | $1,130.00 |
Items that only pay 5% in Ontario
Ontario gives an instant point-of-sale rebate of its 8% part of the HST on certain items, so you pay only the 5% federal portion:
- Children’s clothing and footwear (up to girls’ size 16, boys’ size 20, and children’s shoe size 6).
- Children’s car seats and booster seats that meet Transport Canada standards.
- Diapers.
- Printed books, audiobooks and print newspapers.
- Prepared food and drinks with a total pre-tax price of $4 or less.
How to reverse HST correctly
To find the price before HST, divide by 1.13 — don’t subtract 13% from the total. For a $56.50 receipt, $56.50 ÷ 1.13 = $50.00 before tax, so the HST is $6.50. Subtracting 13% of $56.50 would give $49.16, which is wrong.
Buying in Ontario from another province
GST/HST is charged based on where goods are delivered. If you order from a business in Alberta and have it shipped to Ontario, a GST/HST-registered seller should charge 13% HST, not Alberta’s 5% GST.
For sales tax in the other provinces and territories, including GST plus PST in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, use the Canada-wide calculator.
Examples
Contractor quote
$2,000 of work plus HST: $2,000 × 1.13 = $2,260, of which $260 is HST.
Receipt
A $33.90 receipt: $33.90 ÷ 1.13 = $30.00 before tax and $3.90 HST.
Frequently asked questions
What is the HST rate in Ontario?
13%, made up of a 5% federal part and an 8% provincial part.
How do I add 13% HST to a price?
Multiply the price by 1.13. For example, $89.99 × 1.13 = $101.69, so the HST is $11.70.
How do I calculate HST backwards?
Divide the total by 1.13 to get the price before tax. The difference is the HST.
When did Ontario switch to HST?
On 1 July 2010, replacing the separate 8% provincial sales tax and 5% GST.
What if a store didn’t give me the point-of-sale rebate?
You can claim the Ontario portion back from the Canada Revenue Agency using form GST189.
Sources
About the author: Ahmed Bilal
Ahmed Bilal is the founder of VolexTool and builds and maintains every calculator on the site. Tax rates and thresholds are taken directly from official sources such as GOV.UK, HMRC, the Canada Revenue Agency and the Australian Taxation Office, the formula is shown on every page, and each update must pass more than 600 automated checks before it goes live. Ahmed is not a tax adviser: for decisions about your own situation, speak to a qualified accountant or financial adviser.