Car Sales Tax Calculator

Enter the vehicle price, trade-in value, and your province to estimate the sales tax on your next vehicle purchase.

Estimate Sales Tax on Your Next Vehicle

Enter the vehicle price, your trade-in value (if any), and your province to estimate the sales tax on a dealer purchase.

How Vehicle Sales Tax Works in Canada

Every province and territory in Canada charges tax on a vehicle purchase, but how much you pay depends entirely on where you buy. Some provinces charge only the federal 5% GST, others add a provincial sales tax on top, and a few use a single combined HST rate instead of splitting federal and provincial tax into two separate charges. That's why the same $30,000 vehicle can cost a very different amount in tax depending on your province.

When you buy from a licensed dealer, most provinces — including British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba — let the dealer subtract your trade-in's value from the vehicle's price before calculating tax. That means if you trade in a car worth $10,000 toward a $30,000 purchase, you're typically taxed on $20,000, not the full $30,000. Private vehicle sales between individuals follow different rules in most provinces and usually don't get this trade-in credit.

Sales Tax Rates by Province

Here's the approximate combined tax rate you can expect on a typical dealer vehicle purchase in each province and territory:

Province / Territory	Combined Rate	Breakdown
Alberta	5%	5% GST (no PST)
Yukon	5%	5% GST (no territorial tax)
Northwest Territories	5%	5% GST (no territorial tax)
Nunavut	5%	5% GST (no territorial tax)
Saskatchewan	11%	5% GST + 6% PST
British Columbia	12%	5% GST + 7% PST
Manitoba	12%	5% GST + 7% RST
Ontario	13%	13% HST
Quebec	14.975%	5% GST + 9.975% QST
New Brunswick	15%	15% HST
Nova Scotia	15%	15% HST
Prince Edward Island	15%	15% HST
Newfoundland and Labrador	15%	15% HST

Auto Lending Canada's financing focuses on British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan — and it's worth noting these three provinces sit at very different points on the scale. Alberta's 5% GST-only rate is among the lowest in the country, while BC's 12% and Saskatchewan's 11% are closer to the middle. If you're financing across a provincial line (for example, buying in Alberta but registering in BC), tax generally follows the province where the vehicle is registered, not where it's purchased.

This calculator gives a general estimate for a typical dealer purchase and doesn't account for luxury vehicle surtaxes (which kick in above certain price thresholds in BC and a few other provinces), zero-emission vehicle incentives, private-sale tax rules, or any provincial exemptions that might apply to your situation. Always confirm the exact amount with your dealer or your province's tax authority before signing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my trade-in reduce the tax I pay?

In most provinces, yes — trading in a vehicle with a dealer typically reduces the amount you're taxed on, since tax is calculated on the price minus your trade-in's value. Private sales usually don't offer this credit.

Why is Alberta's rate so much lower?

Alberta is one of the only provinces with no provincial sales tax at all, so vehicle purchases there are only subject to the 5% federal GST — the same is true in Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.

Is buying a used car taxed differently than a new one?

The tax rate itself is usually the same for new and used vehicles bought from a dealer. Private used-car sales between individuals are taxed differently in several provinces, often at a flat PST rate with no GST applied.

Can I finance the tax along with the vehicle?

Many lenders will roll sales tax, along with fees like registration and documentation, into your auto loan so you don't need to pay it separately upfront. See what that could look like with our car loan calculator.

Does this apply to leased vehicles too?

Leases are usually taxed on each monthly payment rather than the full vehicle price upfront, so the total tax paid over a lease can differ from what you'd pay financing the same vehicle. Try our car lease calculator to see estimated lease payments before tax.

More calculators to help you plan:

Car Loan Calculator Car Lease Calculator Car Depreciation Calculator

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