Open or manage an account – Register
Register for a GST/HST account
A GST/HST account number is part of a business number (BN). If you don’t have a BN yet, you will receive one when you register for your GST/HST account.
If you are a non-resident and want to register for a GST/HST account, see Guide RC4027, Doing Business in Canada – GST/HST Information for Non-Residents.
For more information, see:
What you need before you start
Have all of the following information with you when you register:
1. Effective date of registration
Mandatory registration
The effective date of registration may be different depending on the type of business you are registering.
Your effective date of registration is usually the day you stop being a small supplier. It can also be an earlier date. For more information about the small-supplier limits for different types of businesses, see When to register for and start charging the GST/HST.
Taxi operator or commercial ride-sharing driver
Your effective date of registration is the day you start supplying taxable passenger transportation services, even if you are a small supplier.
Voluntary registration
If you request your GST/HST account when you are still a small supplier, your effective date of registration is usually the date of your request. It may also start up to 30 days before that day.
2. Fiscal year for GST/HST purposes
Know your fiscal year
Usually, your fiscal year for GST/HST purposes is the same as your tax year for income tax purposes. Generally, the tax year of the following persons is a calendar year:
- individuals and certain trusts
- professional corporations that are members of a partnership (such as a corporation that is the professional practice of an accountant, a lawyer, or a doctor)
- partnerships, where at least one member of the partnership is an individual, a professional corporation or another affected partnership
However, some persons use non-calendar tax years. If you are a person described above that uses a non-calendar tax year approved by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), you may want to use that same year as your GST/HST fiscal year.
A corporation generally uses the same fiscal year for both income tax purposes and GST/HST purposes. However, if a corporation has a non-calendar tax year for income tax purposes, it can elect to use a calendar year for its GST/HST fiscal year.
If you are a corporation that uses a non-calendar year for both income tax purposes and GST/HST purposes, and you change to another non-calendar tax year for income tax purposes, inform the CRA of the change as soon as possible and your GST/HST fiscal year will be changed to match it. For more information, see Open or manage an account – Make changes: Fiscal year.
3. Total annual revenue
To calculate your total annual revenue, include revenues from:
- your taxable sales, leases, and other supplies, including supplies that are zero-rated
- taxable supplies of all your associates
Do not include revenues from:
- exempt supplies
- financial services
- sales of capital property
- goodwill from the sale of the business
New businesses
If you are just starting your business, you may give the CRA a reasonable estimate of your income for the year.
4. Basic information
Personal information
If you are a business owner or third-party requester, you must provide the last name(s) of the business owner (s)'.
For digital applications, you also must provide all of the following information about the business owner(s):
- social insurance number (SIN)
- date of birth
- personal postal code (where you live)
How the CRA uses your personal postal code (where you live)
The CRA uses your personal postal code to verify your identity. The CRA check the postal code you enter against the postal code we have on file for you, not the one on file for your business.
If you have recently moved, you should make sure we have the right postal code on file for you by calling Individual Income Tax Enquiries.
Basic business information
You must provide the following information about your business:
- business name
- BN (if the business already has one)
- type of business or organization (such as sole proprietor, partnership, corporation, registered charity)
- name and SIN of all owners
- physical address
- mailing address (if different from the physical address)
- description of major business activity
How to register
You can register:
- online
- by mail or by fax
- by telephone
For more information, go to How to register for a business number or Canada Revenue Agency program accounts.
If you have already started charging the tax
If you charged the tax on your sales more than 30 days before registering, call 1-800-959-5525.
Open a separate program account for a branch or division
To open a separate GST/HST program account for a branch or division of your head office, fill out Form GST10, Application or Revocation of the Authorization to File Separate GST/HST Returns and Rebate Applications for Branches or Divisions.
Confirmation of registration
You will receive a GST/HST account number to confirm that your registration is complete.
Register for My Business Account to manage your program accounts online.
After you register
As a GST/HST registrant, you:
- Date modified: