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How to set up GST, PST and HST in your POS

Canadian sales tax depends on your province: GST alone, HST, or GST plus a provincial tax. Set up the right rates once, group them where two taxes apply, mark exempt items, and the POS will charge and report each tax correctly.

October 20, 2026·8 min read
  1. Confirm what applies in your province Check whether you charge GST only, HST, GST plus PST, or GST plus QST, and confirm the current rates with the CRA or the province.
  2. Register and note your numbers Register for GST/HST (and PST or QST where it applies) and keep the registration numbers for your receipts.
  3. Create each tax rate Add each tax as its own rate in the POS, for example GST 5% and PST 7%, so they report separately.
  4. Build tax groups Combine rates that apply together into a group, such as GST + PST, and use it as the default.
  5. Set up exempt and zero-rated items Create a 0% rate or a single-tax rate for items exempt from one or both taxes, and assign it to those products.
  6. Decide tax-inclusive or tax-added pricing Decide whether shelf and menu prices include tax, and set products to match.
  7. Test receipts and reports Ring one item from each tax situation and check each receipt line and the tax report.

Which taxes apply where

As of 2026, Alberta and the territories charge GST only, at 5%. Ontario charges 13% HST. Nova Scotia charges 14% HST, and New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island charge 15% HST. British Columbia (7% PST), Saskatchewan (6% PST) and Manitoba (7% RST) charge 5% GST plus their own provincial tax. Quebec charges 5% GST plus 9.975% QST.

Rates change from time to time, so check the CRA's GST/HST rates page and your province's guidance before you set up, and again whenever a budget is announced. For in-store sales you charge the tax of the province where the store is.

Separate rates, then groups

Create each tax as its own rate even when two apply to the same sale. In British Columbia that means GST 5% and PST 7% as two rates, combined into a group. Separate rates let the receipt show each tax on its own line, which is required, and let the tax report total GST and PST separately, which you need because they are remitted to different governments.

In HST provinces, one HST rate is enough, because HST is a single tax remitted to the CRA. Make the group or rate you use most the default, so new products pick it up automatically.

Exempt, zero-rated and special cases

Not everything is taxed the same way. Basic groceries are generally zero-rated for GST/HST. Some items are exempt from the provincial tax but not GST; in BC, for example, restaurant food is PST-exempt while liquor carries 10% PST. Children's clothing, books and some other items have their own rules in several provinces. Create a rate or group for each situation you actually sell and assign it to those products.

Ontario has a point-of-sale rebate that removes the provincial part of HST from prepared food and drinks sold for $4 or less. Cafes and bakeries should check how it applies to their menu and how their POS should handle it.

Prices with or without tax

Most Canadian businesses show prices before tax and add tax at the till. Some, such as bars and events, prefer round prices with tax included. Either works, but be consistent: if a product's price includes tax, the POS must know, or it will add tax on top and overcharge. Test both a tax-added and a tax-included item before you open.

Doing it in SeroPOS

Taxes can be set up in the app's Admin or the web back office; both use the same rates.

  • Back office, Settings, then Business Settings, then Tax: enter your tax names and GST/HST (and PST or QST) numbers for receipts.
  • Settings, then Tax Rates: add each rate, for example GST 5% and PST 7%. A 0% rate marks items as exempt.
  • Settings, then Tax Groups: combine sub-taxes, for example GST + PST. In the app, Admin, then Taxes shows the same, for example 'BC TAX = GST 5% + PST 7%', and sets the default tax.
  • On each product, choose the tax and whether the price includes tax.
  • Check the results in the Tax Report (input, output and expense tax) and the Daily Sales Report, which shows GST and PST separately and a tax summary for remittance.
  • If you use QuickBooks, map each rate in the QuickBooks tax setup so the tax lands in the right account.

Frequently asked questions

Do I charge my province's tax or my customer's province's tax?

For sales made in your store, you charge the tax of the province where the store is. Sales shipped to another province follow place-of-supply rules, which are more complex. Check CRA guidance or ask an accountant if you ship across provinces.

Why set up GST and PST as two rates instead of one 12% rate?

Because they are separate taxes paid to different governments. Receipts must show each one, and your filings need each total. In SeroPOS, two rates combined in a tax group give one selection on the product but two lines on the receipt and in the reports.

How do I make an item tax-exempt?

Create a 0% rate, or a rate with only the tax that applies, and assign it to that product. In SeroPOS a 0% tax rate means exempt. For an item exempt from PST but not GST, assign GST alone.

Which SeroPOS report do I use for my GST/HST return?

The back office Tax Report shows output tax collected, input tax paid on purchases and expense tax, with the net for the period. The Daily Sales Report also has a tax summary for remittance. Your accountant may also want the Profit / Loss report for the same period.

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