A Quebec creator charges two taxes where the rest of Canada charges one. It is not complicated, but it is the first thing a corporate client checks on an invoice, and a mistake here sends the document back.

Two taxes, two numbers

The federal tax and the provincial tax both apply, with two separate registration numbers. Both have to appear on the invoice. An invoice showing a tax amount without its corresponding number will be refused by accounts payable, and you will not be paid until it is corrected.

The threshold changes everything

Below a certain revenue threshold, registration is not required and you invoice without taxes. Above it, registration becomes mandatory. Many creators cross that threshold without noticing because their income is irregular. Watch the rolling twelve month total, not the calendar year.

Registering early can pay

Registration also lets you recover the taxes paid on your business purchases: equipment, software, part of your costs. For a creator investing in gear, that can justify registering before being required to. It is a ten minute conversation with an accountant.

The client outside Quebec

Invoicing a client in another province or abroad does not follow the same rules as invoicing a Quebec client. This is exactly the kind of detail where an approximate answer is expensive, so ask an accountant once and apply the answer for years afterwards.

The line never to forget

The tax amount is not your income. Set it aside the day the payment lands, as money that does not belong to you. It is the simplest habit and the one that prevents the most unpleasant surprises.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I register from the first client?

No, there is a revenue threshold.

Which total should I watch?

The rolling twelve months, not the calendar year.

Are the taxes part of my income?

No, set them aside when payment lands.

What about a client outside Quebec?

The rules differ, check with an accountant.

Sources

Checked on 27 August 2026. Thresholds and rates change: where this guide and the official source disagree, the official source is right.