The quick answer
On a $500 purchase in Quebec you pay $25.00 GST and $49.88 QST, so the total is $574.88.
Step by step
- GST: $500 × 5% = $25.00.
- QST: $500 × 9.975% = $49.875, rounded to $49.88.
- Total: $500 + $25.00 + $49.88 = $574.88.
Both taxes are worked out on the price before tax. That was not always so — until 2013 the QST was charged on the price including GST — so older guides may show slightly different figures. Together the two make 14.975%.
Quebec sales tax on common amounts
| Before tax | GST 5% | QST 9.975% | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| $20.00 | $1.00 | $2.00 | $23.00 |
| $50.00 | $2.50 | $4.99 | $57.49 |
| $100.00 | $5.00 | $9.98 | $114.98 |
| $250.00 | $12.50 | $24.94 | $287.44 |
| $500.00 | $25.00 | $49.88 | $574.88 |
| $1,000.00 | $50.00 | $99.75 | $1,149.75 |
| $2,500.00 | $125.00 | $249.38 | $2,874.38 |
| $5,000.00 | $250.00 | $498.75 | $5,748.75 |
Removing tax from a Quebec total
Divide the total by 1.14975. A $574.88 receipt ÷ 1.14975 = $500.00. The GST part is the pre-tax price × 5% and the QST part × 9.975%.
Who collects the taxes?
In Quebec, Revenu Québec administers both the QST and the GST for most businesses, so a Quebec business files one combined return. Basic groceries and prescription drugs are zero-rated for both taxes, and books are QST-exempt (GST still applies).
Shopping online from another province? The tax follows where the item is delivered: a laptop shipped to Montreal is charged GST + QST, while the same laptop shipped to Toronto is charged 13% HST.
Quick reference: sales tax mistakes to avoid
- Subtracting the rate from a total. Always divide by 1 + rate to go backwards.
- Using your home province for online orders. Tax follows the delivery address, not where you or the seller live.
- Adding PST on top of GST-included prices. In B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec both taxes are calculated on the pre-tax price, never one on top of the other.
- Forgetting zero-rated items. A grocery receipt often mixes taxable snacks with tax-free basics, so the total tax is rarely a neat 13%.
- Rounding item by item. Stores calculate tax on the receipt subtotal, so your own sum can differ by a cent.
For small businesses and freelancers
You must register for a GST/HST account once your worldwide taxable sales pass $30,000 in a single calendar quarter or over four consecutive quarters (the “small supplier” limit). Before that, registering is optional — some freelancers register early so they can claim back the GST/HST they pay on equipment and software. Once registered, you charge the rate of the customer’s province, file returns (annually, quarterly or monthly) and keep receipts for six years. Quebec businesses also register for the QST with Revenu Québec, and B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba each have their own PST registration rules.
Rates in this guide were checked against the CRA’s GST/HST rate table on 5 November 2026; provincial budgets can change PST rates, usually with a few weeks’ notice.
FAQ
How much is GST and QST on $500?
GST $25.00 and QST $49.88, for a total of $574.88.
What is the total sales tax rate in Quebec?
14.975%: 5% GST plus 9.975% QST, both on the price before tax.
How much is $100 with tax in Quebec?
$114.98 ($5.00 GST and $9.98 QST).
Sources (checked 5 November 2026): Canada Revenue Agency, “GST/HST provincial rates table” (canada.ca, 13% Ontario, 14% Nova Scotia from April 1, 2025, 15% NB/NL/PE); Revenu Québec, QST rate 9.975%; B.C. Ministry of Finance, PST 7%; Saskatchewan PST 6%; Manitoba RST 7%; cross-checked with TaxTips.ca “2026 sales tax rates” (revised Aug 28, 2026).