A Canadian invoice of $500 or more should show your business name, your GST/HST registration number, the invoice date, the buyer's name, a description of what you sold, the GST/HST charged, the total and the payment terms. Smaller invoices need fewer details. Not registered for GST/HST? Leave the tax line off.
Download the free template below in Word, PDF or Excel, or fill it in online and download a PDF in about two minutes, without signing up.
Free Canadian Invoice Template (GST/HST)
Use the filled-in example to see the layout, or the blank version for your own details.
The online editor opens in Canadian dollars with HST at 13% and a line for your GST/HST number. Change the rate for your province and download your PDF.
The Word file opens in Word, Google Docs (File → Open → Upload), Pages and LibreOffice.
What a Canadian invoice must include (CRA requirements)
The CRA sets out the information a GST/HST registrant's client needs to claim input tax credits. The more the sale is worth, the more the invoice has to show:
| Information | Under $100 | $100 to $499.99 | $500 or more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your business or trading name | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Invoice date | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Total amount paid or payable | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Your GST/HST registration number | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| GST/HST charged, or a statement that the price includes it (with the rate) | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Which items are taxable, if the invoice mixes taxable and exempt items | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Buyer's name (or trading name, or their authorized representative) | — | — | ✓ |
| Brief description of what you sold | — | — | ✓ |
| Payment terms | — | — | ✓ |
Most freelance invoices are over $500, so the template includes everything in the last column. Add an invoice number and a due date too: they aren't on the CRA's list, but your client's accounts team will expect them.
Canadian invoice example (filled-in sample)
This is the example from the PDF above: a web developer in Toronto, registered for GST/HST, billing an Ontario clinic. Ontario's HST is 13%.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website development (hours) | 25 | $85.00 | $2,125.00 |
| Hosting and domain setup | 1 | $150.00 | $150.00 |
| Subtotal | $2,275.00 | ||
| HST (13%) | $295.75 | ||
| Total due (CAD) | $2,570.75 | ||
Above the table: the business name with "GST/HST no.: 123456789 RT0001", the client's name and address, invoice number MB-2026-033 and the invoice date. Below it: "Payment due within 30 days (Net 30). Interac e-Transfer. Please use invoice number MB-2026-033 as the payment reference."
GST/HST rates by province
| Province or territory | Rate to charge |
|---|---|
| Ontario | 13% HST |
| Nova Scotia | 14% HST (since April 1, 2025) |
| New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island | 15% HST |
| Alberta, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon | 5% GST |
| British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Quebec | 5% GST, plus provincial sales tax where it applies |
The rate depends on where the sale is made, which is usually where your client is. Provincial sales tax (PST in BC, Manitoba and Saskatchewan; QST in Quebec) has its own registration and rules, so check with the province if it could apply to you.
Not registered for GST/HST? (small suppliers)
You generally have to register once your taxable revenue is more than $30,000 in a single calendar quarter or over the last four consecutive quarters. Below that you are a small supplier and registration is optional. If you're not registered, don't charge GST/HST and don't put a registration number on your invoice: delete the tax line in the template, or set the rate to 0% in the spreadsheet.
How to create a Canadian invoice online
Open the template
Open the Canadian invoice template. It starts in CAD with HST at 13% and a line for your GST/HST number. No sign-up is needed to try it.
Add your details
Your business name, contact details, logo and GST/HST number. They are saved for every future invoice.
Add your client
The client's name and address, saved for one-click auto-fill next time.
List your work and set the rate
One line per service with quantity and rate. Set the tax to your province's rate (5, 13, 14 or 15), or 0 if you're not registered.
Download the PDF or email it
Download the PDF or email it to your client straight from the app.
Getting paid on time
- Put payment terms on every invoice — for example "Net 30" — and how to pay you (Interac e-Transfer or direct deposit).
- Invoice as soon as the work is done, or monthly for ongoing work.
- Follow up when it's late — here are payment reminder emails you can copy, or let Pro send reminders automatically 1, 7 and 14 days after the due date.
Free invoice generator for Canadian freelancers
- Professional PDF with your logo
- CAD and eight other currencies, chosen per invoice
- Email invoices to clients straight from the app
- Track status — draft, unpaid, paid, overdue
- Automatic payment reminders 1, 7 and 14 days after the due date (Pro)
The free plan includes 3 invoices with no credit card. Pro is US$9 a month for unlimited invoices. It shows one tax line per invoice, so if you need GST and PST as separate lines, list the PST in the notes or use accounting software.
This is general information from the CRA, checked on 27 October 2026, not tax advice. Check your situation with the CRA or an accountant.
Make your Canadian invoice now
CAD, GST/HST and a line for your registration number, ready to fill in. No sign-up needed to try it.
Open the Canadian TemplateFrequently asked questions
What must be on a GST/HST invoice in Canada?
It depends on the total. Under $100: your business or trading name, the invoice date and the total. From $100 to $499.99, also your GST/HST registration number and the GST/HST charged (or a statement that the price includes it, with the rate). At $500 or more, also the buyer's name, a brief description of what you sold, and the payment terms. These are the details your client needs to claim input tax credits.
Do I have to charge GST/HST?
Only once you are registered. Most businesses must register once their taxable revenue is more than $30,000 in a single calendar quarter or over the last four consecutive quarters; below that you are a small supplier and registration is optional. If you are not registered, leave the tax line and the registration number off your invoices.
What GST/HST rate do I charge?
It depends on the province where the sale is made: 13% HST in Ontario, 14% in Nova Scotia, 15% in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island, and 5% GST in the other provinces and territories. Quebec, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan also have provincial sales taxes with their own rules.
What does a GST/HST number look like?
Your GST/HST registration number is your 9-digit business number followed by the program identifier RT and four digits, for example 123456789 RT0001.
Is there a free Canadian invoice template in Word?
Yes. The Word template on this page (.docx) opens in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice. There are also blank and filled-in PDFs, an Excel spreadsheet that works out GST/HST, and an online editor that opens in Canadian dollars with 13% HST already set.