Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
The Newfoundland sales tax is a single 15% HST, charged on the price of most taxable goods and services. Buy a $1,000 item in St. John’s and you pay $150 of HST, which makes $1,150. There’s no separate provincial tax to add, because the federal and provincial parts are rolled into the one rate.
How does the HST work in Newfoundland and Labrador?
The CRA lists Newfoundland and Labrador as a participating province, where the harmonized sales tax replaces the GST and the provincial tax. One rate, one line on the receipt, and for a business, one return that covers the whole amount instead of two separate filings with different offices. The CRA’s table gives 15% and doesn’t split it. By subtraction we work the provincial share out as 10 points, but that split is our arithmetic, not a printed figure.
The CRA’s GST/HST rate calculator page shows the province at 15% today, with no separate PST. It also shows the rate was 13% until June 30, 2016, and 15% from July 1, 2016, so anything you read from before that is out of date.
| Price before tax | HST 15% | Total |
|---|---|---|
| $100 | $15.00 | $115.00 |
| $500 | $75.00 | $575.00 |
| $1,000 | $150.00 | $1,150.00 |
| $2,500 | $375.00 | $2,875.00 |
You can try your own amounts in the GST and HST calculator, then pick the province. Say Marie in Corner Brook sees a washer tagged at $1,200 before tax. The HST is $180 and she pays $1,380 at the till, so it pays to budget for the total, not the sticker.
How does 15% compare with other provinces?
It sits at the top of the range among the rates we looked at. The same $1,000 costs $1,050 in Alberta, where only the 5% GST applies. In Ontario the 13% HST gives $1,130. Nova Scotia’s 14% gives $1,140, after its cut on April 1, 2025. In British Columbia, 5% GST plus 7% PST gives $1,120.
So a Newfoundland shopper pays $30 more than an Ontario shopper on a $1,000 purchase. That’s real money on a fridge. But it’s only the rate gap, and on a $100 item it shrinks to $2, which is a couple of loonies.
How do you take the HST out of a total?
Divide by 1.15, because the 15% was worked out on the price before tax and the total already contains it, so any attempt to take 15% off the final figure will leave you short. A total of $1,150 becomes $1,000, with $150 of tax. Subtracting 15% from the total gives $977.50, which is wrong. The reverse tax calculator runs this for you when you’ve only got the receipt.
It’s a useful check when you’re pricing something for sale. If you want a $1,150 tag to land you a $1,000 sale, the maths above tells you so, and the profit margin calculator shows what’s left after costs.
Does it matter where the seller is?
Yes, and this is the part people don’t expect. The CRA says the rate a seller charges depends on the place of supply, meaning where the sale takes place. Its example is a BC retailer shipping to Ontario, which charges Ontario’s 13%. By the same logic a seller elsewhere shipping to a Newfoundland address charges 15%. A St. John’s business selling to Calgary should look at the Alberta side of the same rule. We haven’t read the detailed place-of-supply rules for every case, such as services and digital goods, so check those pages for a sale that isn’t a plain shipment.
What mistakes should you watch for?
A common one is adding 5% GST and then a provincial tax on top, out of habit from BC or Quebec. In Newfoundland that double counts, and you’d overcharge.
Second, people forget the small supplier rule. The CRA says a business is a small supplier if its taxable sales stay at or under $30,000 across four consecutive calendar quarters. Below that line you don’t have to charge HST, though you can register anyway. Above it you must register, and you have 29 days from your effective date.
The third is treating HST as your income. It belongs to the government until you file. Keep it apart, in its own account if you can, so a slow month doesn’t tempt you to spend it.
We didn’t find a provincial HST rebate in Newfoundland and Labrador on the CRA pages we checked, so we don’t claim one exists. The CRA’s general list includes provincial point-of-sale rebates, and its GST/HST credit was renamed the CGEB in July 2026. Our GST/HST credit calculator estimates that one.
What should you do if a bill looks wrong?
Work it backwards. Divide the total by 1.15 to get the pre-tax price, then check that the HST line matches the difference. If the store charged 5% plus something extra, ask them to explain before you pay. For a big purchase like a car or appliance, ask for an itemized invoice.
Where the numbers come from
The 15% HST rate and the place-of-supply rule come from the Canada Revenue Agency‘s GST/HST rate pages. The $30,000 small supplier limit and the 29-day registration window come from the CRA’s registration page. The other provinces’ rates come from the same CRA table. Everything was read in September 2026, and rates can change.
Frequently asked questions
What is the sales tax in Newfoundland and Labrador?
A single 15% HST. It replaces the separate GST and provincial tax.
How much HST is on $100 in Newfoundland?
$15, so the total is $115.
Is there a separate provincial sales tax on top of the HST?
No. The CRA table lists 15% as the combined rate for the province.
When does a small business have to charge HST?
Once taxable sales go over $30,000 across four consecutive calendar quarters. Below that, registering is optional.
How do I find the pre-tax price from a total?
Divide the total by 1.15. A $1,150 total comes from a $1,000 price.
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