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British Columbia Sales Tax (GST + PST) 2026 | 12% Total

Updated

British Columbia Sales Tax

BC charges GST + PST separately (not harmonized).

Tax Type Rate
Federal GST 5%
BC PST 7%
Total Sales Tax 12%

Sales Tax Quick Calculator

Price Before Tax GST (5%) PST (7%) Total
$10.00 $0.50 $0.70 $11.20
$50.00 $2.50 $3.50 $56.00
$100.00 $5.00 $7.00 $112.00
$500.00 $25.00 $35.00 $560.00
$1,000.00 $50.00 $70.00 $1,120.00

What’s Taxable in BC

Both GST (5%) + PST (7%) = 12%

  • Electronics and appliances
  • Adult clothing
  • Furniture
  • Household goods
  • Alcohol
  • Vehicles (plus additional taxes)
  • Gasoline

GST Only (5%) - PST Exempt

Item GST PST Total Tax
Children’s clothing 5% 0% 5%
Bicycles 5% 0% 5%
Books 5% 0% 5%
Magazines 5% 0% 5%
Basic groceries 0% 0% 0%
Prescription drugs 0% 0% 0%

BC PST Exemptions

PST-exempt items (pay GST only):

Category Examples
Children’s clothing Under size 16
Children’s footwear Up to size 6
Bicycles All bicycles
Books Printed books
School supplies Binders, calculator, etc.
Safety equipment Helmets, life jackets
Feminine hygiene Tampons, pads

Restaurant Meals in BC

Component Tax Rate
Food portion 5% GST only
Alcohol 5% GST + 10% liquor PST
Typical meal 5% on food

Restaurant food is PST-exempt in BC (unlike retail prepared food).

Vehicle Taxes in BC

Tax Type Rate
GST 5%
PST 7% (under $55,000)
PST (luxury) 8-10% (over $55,000)
Plus Various fees

PST on Vehicles by Value

Vehicle Price PST Rate
Up to $55,000 7%
$55,001 - $56,000 8%
$56,001 - $57,000 9%
Over $57,000 10%
Over $125,000 15%
Over $150,000 20%

BC vs Other Provinces

Province Sales Tax vs BC
Alberta 5% 7% less
Saskatchewan 11% 1% less
Manitoba 12% Same
Ontario 13% 1% more
Quebec 14.975% ~3% more
Atlantic (HST) 15% 3% more
BC 12% β€”

Large Purchase Comparison

Item ($1,000) BC (12%) Alberta (5%) Ontario (13%)
Tax $120 $50 $130
Total $1,120 $1,050 $1,130