Why Canadian Founders Hit GST/HST Registration Without Realizing It

Eimservices06 Nov, 2025Finance

The $30,000 threshold isn't measured quarterly; it's cumulative over four consecutive calendar quarters. That's the detail most founders miss. If you're earning $7,500 per month, you'll cross the mandatory registration line in just four months. The CRA doesn't wait for you to hit $30,000 in a single quarter. They track your rolling 12-month total, and once you exceed $30,000, you have 30 days to register. Here's where it gets tactical: the obligation starts on the exact sale that pushes you over the threshold, not the next quarter. Close a $3,000 project when you're already at $29,000? That transaction triggers registration, and every sale after must include GST/HST, even before your registration number arrives.