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Yes. A painter registered for GST/HST charges Ontario's 13% HST on the whole job, labour and paint together. Canadian law lets painters advertise prices before sales tax, so HST should appear as its own line. Only a business below the CRA's small-supplier limit can skip registering, and an unregistered painter charges no HST.
How much HST do you pay on a painting job in Ontario?
You pay 13% on the painter's price before tax. Ontario's HST combines the 5% federal GST with an 8% provincial portion. The rate is the same in Toronto, Mississauga, Markham and every other GTA city. It applies to labour and paint alike, and to prep, repairs, primer and cleanup.
To work it out, multiply the pre-tax price by 0.13 for the tax, or by 1.13 for the total. Great North's minimum job, for example, is $750 + HST. The 13% is worked out on the price before tax. Our guide to the cost to paint a room lists the pre-tax prices room by room.
Who buys the paint changes where you pay the tax, not whether you pay it:
| Who supplies the paint | Where the 13% HST is paid |
|---|---|
| A registered painter supplies labour and paint | On the painter's full price |
| You buy the paint, and a registered painter supplies labour | At the paint store, then on the painter's labour |
| A small, unregistered painter supplies both | No HST line on the bill, but the painter paid tax on the paint and usually prices it in |
Buying the paint yourself doesn't avoid HST. It just moves part of the tax to the paint store's till.
Why are painting prices shown before HST?
Because Canadian law allows it for sales tax, and only for sales tax. Since 2022, the Competition Act has explicitly treated an advertised price that leaves out mandatory fees as misleading. Taxes that a government charges buyers, such as HST, are the exception.
So a painter can publish prices before HST, but any other fee you must pay belongs in the advertised price. A mandatory "materials fee" or "setup fee" added after the fact is the kind of hidden charge the rules target.
Great North's published prices include every mandatory fee. The full list is on the pricing page.
Pre-tax prices also make quotes easier to compare. Put pre-tax totals side by side, or add 13% to every quote, but don't mix the two.
Does every painter have to charge HST?
No. A painter whose taxable sales stay under the CRA's small-supplier threshold doesn't have to register. An unregistered business doesn't charge HST. Once a painter registers, or passes the threshold, HST applies to every taxable job.
Small supplier:
a business whose taxable sales stay under the CRA's threshold, so it doesn't have to register for GST/HST or charge it.
The CRA measures the threshold over four consecutive calendar quarters, or within a single quarter. A painter who passes it in one busy quarter must start charging HST on the job that took them over.
So a painter with no HST line isn't automatically doing anything wrong. Ask whether they are registered, and get the answer in writing on the quote.
The reverse matters too. A painter who adds HST should be able to give you a GST/HST number. No number, no HST line.
How can you check a painter's HST number?
Ask for it, then check it with the CRA's free online GST/HST Registry. A real number is the nine-digit business number, the letters RT and four more digits. The registry asks for the first nine digits, the business name and the date on the contract, invoice or other paperwork.
A number looks like this: 123456789 RT0001. If the registry finds no match for the name on the quote, ask the painter for the exact name they gave the CRA. A legal name and an operating name can differ, and a genuine painter can tell you which is which.
The registry only confirms that a business is registered for GST/HST. It says nothing about the quality of its work, so treat it as one check among several.
Can you avoid HST by paying a painter in cash?
Not if the painter is registered. A registered painter must charge HST on the job however you pay, whether by cash, cheque or e-transfer. A "no tax for cash" offer is a sign the job may never be recorded at all.
That can cost you more than the tax saves. Off-the-books jobs tend to skip the paperwork that protects you. That means no itemized quote, no signed contract and no written warranty. Paying by cheque or e-transfer also leaves a record of what you paid, which helps if you ever need a warranty repair. If one quote looks cheaper only because the tax is missing, add 13% before you compare. Our guide on how to choose a house painter in Toronto covers the other checks worth making.
Can you claim the HST back on painting your home?
Generally, no. HST on painting your own home is a cost you carry, like the tax on new furniture. The GST/HST new housing rebate covers new homes and substantial renovations. The CRA says painting and drywall patching don't count toward a substantial renovation.
Input tax credit:
a GST/HST registrant's claim to recover the tax it paid on business purchases, made on its GST/HST return.
Businesses are different. A registrant painting its office or shop may be able to claim the tax back as an input tax credit. Landlords and business owners should ask their accountant, because the answer depends on how the property is used.
What should the tax line on your painting quote show?
It should show the price before tax, the 13% HST on its own line, and the total with tax. The painter's GST/HST number should appear on the quote or invoice. If you pay a deposit, the quote should say whether it includes HST.
A clear quote lays the money out in this order:
- Each room or item, priced before tax
- A subtotal before tax
- HST at 13%, on its own line
- The total with HST
- The painter's GST/HST number
- The deposit and payment schedule, with HST shown
Extra work agreed later carries HST too. When you sign a change order, check that it shows its own tax.
Great North's written, itemized quotes show the price plus HST and arrive within 24 hours of seeing the job. Every published price is before HST. A bedroom's walls start at $450 for interior painting, and a bungalow's exterior painting runs $4,000–$8,000. Get a range for your own job with the estimator. Our checklist of what a painting quote should include covers the other lines.