Canada
Invoicing Quebec clients: GST, QST and invoices in French
Invoicing a client in Quebec — GST 5% and QST 9.975% on separate lines, both tax numbers, and a French or bilingual invoice under the Charter of the French Language.
Last updated · Invoice Native team
Quebec is the one province where an invoice has two things to get right beyond the price: two separate taxes, GST and QST, each with its own registration number, and the language. The Charter of the French Language says invoices are drawn up in French, and the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) fines businesses that don't follow it.
This guide covers what a Quebec invoice must show for GST and QST, how the two taxes are worked out, and how to meet the French-language rule with a bilingual invoice. The free invoice generator makes the PDF bilingual, with French first, as soon as your client is in Quebec.
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GST and QST: two taxes, two lines
A registered business supplying a client in Quebec charges:
| Tax | French name | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Goods and Services Tax | TPS | 5% |
| Quebec Sales Tax | TVQ | 9.975% |
Both taxes are worked out on the selling price before tax. The QST is not charged on the GST. On a $1,000.00 job:
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Subtotal | $1,000.00 |
| TPS / GST 5% | $50.00 |
| TVQ / QST 9.975% | $99.75 |
| Total / Total | $1,149.75 |
Show each tax on its own line. Don't print a combined rate such as 14.975%, or a rounded one such as 9.97% or 14.97%. If you ever show a price that includes the taxes, say that it includes GST and QST. Invoice Native always shows prices before tax, so the two tax lines are always there.
You charge QST only if you're registered for it. Quebec uses the same $30,000 small supplier rule as GST/HST; see invoicing as a small supplier.
What a Quebec invoice must show
Revenu Québec's requirements follow the CRA's three GST/HST tiers, with two differences:
- From $100, the invoice must show both your GST number and your QST number.
- The QST amount and a description of what you supplied are needed at every amount, even under $100.
A QST number is 10 digits, then TQ and a 4-digit reference, for example 1234567890 TQ0001. Your GST number is your Business Number with RT0001. Invoice Native prints both under your name, and a client can check a QST number with Revenu Québec's validation service.
Revenu Québec also administers the GST for most Quebec-based businesses, which file one combined return (FPZ-500) for both taxes.
The French-language rule
Section 57 of the Charter of the French Language says invoices are drawn up in French. Since Bill 96 (2022), you may use another language as well only if the French version is available on terms at least as favourable. In practice, the OQLF says:
- invoices to clients in Quebec must be in French;
- a bilingual invoice is fine if the French is at least as prominent as the other language;
- clients outside Quebec may be invoiced in another language only.
The rule is enforced. The OQLF reported a $3,000 fine, imposed on May 13, 2026, on a business whose invoices were only in another language.
It isn't settled whether the rule binds a supplier based outside Quebec. The safe course is a French or bilingual invoice whenever your client is in Quebec.
How Invoice Native's bilingual PDF works
- Automatic for Quebec clients. When your client's billing province or the place of supply is Quebec, the document language switches to French / English. You can switch it back.
- French first. Every fixed label prints as "French / English": "Facture / Invoice", "Date d'échéance / Due date", "TPS / GST", "TVQ / QST", and the payment and tax wording.
- Numbers stay unambiguous. Amounts and dates keep one format, such as $1,149.75 and 2026-10-01, so the totals read the same in both languages.
- Your descriptions are yours to write. Invoice Native doesn't translate item descriptions or notes. The editor reminds you to write them in French, or in both languages, for Quebec clients.
- The editor stays in English. Only the PDF is bilingual.
Common mistakes
- A single "Taxes 14.975%" line instead of GST and QST separately.
- Missing the QST number, or showing only the GST number, on an invoice of $100 or more.
- An English-only invoice to a Quebec client.
- Bilingual labels with English item descriptions, which leaves the content of the invoice in English.
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Checklist
- ✅ GST 5% and QST 9.975% on separate lines, each on the pre-tax price
- ✅ Both your GST and QST numbers
- ✅ The QST amount and a description at every amount
- ✅ French or bilingual, with French at least as prominent
- ✅ Item descriptions written in French, or in both languages
Invoice Native doesn't give tax or legal advice. Check with Revenu Québec, the OQLF or an accountant about your situation.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I show GST and QST as one combined 14.975% tax?
No. Show GST 5% and QST 9.975% on separate lines, each with its own amount. Don't print a combined or rounded rate such as 14.975% or 14.97% on the invoice.
Does my invoice to a Quebec client have to be in French?
Under section 57 of the Charter of the French Language, invoices are drawn up in French. A bilingual invoice is fine as long as the French is at least as prominent as the other language.
I'm based outside Quebec. Does the French rule apply to me?
It isn't settled whether the rule binds a business based outside Quebec. The safe course is a French or bilingual invoice whenever your client is in Quebec, which is what Invoice Native does by default.
Does Invoice Native translate my item descriptions?
No. It prints every fixed label in French and English, but your item descriptions and notes are your own text, so write them in French, or in both languages.
What does a QST number look like?
Ten digits, then TQ and a four-digit reference, for example 1234567890 TQ0001. Revenu Québec has an online service for checking a QST number.
Sources
- Revenu Québec — Preparing invoices (GST/HST and QST)
- Revenu Québec — Calculating the taxes
- Office québécois de la langue française — Invoices, contracts and purchase orders (fact sheet, in French)
- Office québécois de la langue française — Fine for invoices not in French (news release, in French)
- CRA — Input tax credits, information requirements
This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. CRA, Revenu Québec and provincial rules change and depend on your situation, so check with them or ask an accountant.