Updated 6 September 2026
What to put on an invoice for GST/HST
GST/HST invoices fail in AP for boring reasons: the supplier name does not match CRA, the business number is missing, or tax is buried in a total. The CRA does not ship a federal invoice template. It does say what evidence you generally need to claim an input tax credit.
If you are not GST/HST registered, skip the tax-ID section. Printing a number you do not have is worse than a clean invoice with no tax line. Registration is its own decision — threshold, voluntary registration, place of supply — not something an invoice app should decide for you.
This is not tax advice. Read GST/HST Memorandum 8.4 for documentary requirements, or ask the person who files your return.
What AP and ITC claims usually need
For larger invoices, expect: your name as it is registered, your GST/HST account number (the BN with the RT extension), the date, a description of the supply, the total, and the tax amount or tax rate. Buyer name matters — CRA has disallowed credits when the name on the invoice did not match the claimant.
- Title the document Invoice, not “request” or a generic PDF.
- Give it a unique sequential number.
- Show subtotal, tax, and total as separate figures if you are charging tax.
- One invoice-level rate is enough for most solo operators. Multi-rate VAT matrices and QST engines are a different product.
Thresholds and exceptions exist, including lower information for small amounts. Treat a blog list as a checklist, not as law.
What you can leave off
You do not need Peppol, e-invoicing clearance, or a chart of accounts to satisfy a Canadian GST/HST invoice. You do not need the software to take the payment. How-to-pay (Interac, bank, PayPal) belongs on the PDF so they can settle; that is cash flow, not GST.
What justIssued prints
On Paid, justIssued stores a tax ID (GST/HST BN, VAT, or EIN) on the business profile and prints it on the PDF and share page. Each invoice has a single tax percentage. Free users can still number invoices and share a link; the BN on the PDF is a Paid field because that is the $12 SKU.
justIssued does not file GST/HST returns, does not sync QuickBooks, and does not put a Pay now button on the share page. You collect Interac or a wire and mark paid. For a full Canadian loop, see how to invoice as a freelancer in Canada.
justIssued is the billing loop, not a second set of books.
Numbered PDF, share link, outstanding. Free is 3 clients. Paid is $12/mo after a 7-day trial (card required). No Pay now. No cut of client payments.