How to Remit GST/QST via Online Banking or Credit Card — Montreal CPA Firm Near You

Remitting GST and QST through online banking or credit card is the fastest and safest way to stay compliant with CRA and Revenue

Québec. Manual payments, paper cheques, and last-minute in-person submissions often lead to delays, misapplied payments, penalties, and processing errors. Using online banking ensures your payment is timestamped, traceable, and properly applied to the correct reporting period. This guide walks you through how to remit GST/QST electronically using the same secure, audit-proof process that Mackisen CPA Montreal sets up for clients.

Why This Matters
GST/QST remittances must be paid on time to avoid penalties and daily compounding interest.
Online payment ensures:
Immediate confirmation
Correct application of payments
No mailing delays
No cheque-processing errors
No risk of RQ/CRA misplacing paper documents
A clean digital trail
Online payments reduce audit risk by eliminating the most common remittance mistakes.

Legal and Regulatory Framework
GST payments are governed by the Excise Tax Act, while QST payments are governed by the Tax Administration Act.
Penalties apply for late payment or misapplied payments:
5% penalty on balance owing

• 1% per month up to 12 months
  Interest compounded daily
  Hickman Motors (1997) confirms the taxpayer is responsible for proving accurate compliance.
  Lac d’Amiante (2001) confirms RQ’s right to reassess when payments are incorrect or late.

A business attempts to remit QST by mailing a cheque. Canada Post delays the delivery. Revenu Québec receives the payment late and automatically applies penalties and interest. The business calls RQ, but the law states that payment is considered received on the date RQ receives it, not when it was mailed. As a result, their refund is frozen and their next return is flagged for review. This could have been avoided by paying online.

Learning Section: Understanding How GST/QST Payments Flow
Your payment must match:
The correct reporting period
The correct tax account (RT for GST, TQ for QST)
The correct balance owing
Payment misapplication causes major reconciliation issues.
Online banking allows you to choose the correct institution and tax type.

SEO Learning: Primary and Secondary Keywords
Primary: remit GST online Canada, pay QST online Quebec, online tax payment Montreal.
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How to Remit GST Online (CRA)
Step 1: Log into your online banking
Step 2: Add new payee → “CRA GST/HST Payment” or similar
Step 3: Enter your RT program number (e.g., 123456789RT0001)
Step 4: Select the correct reporting period
Step 5: Enter the amount owing
Step 6: Submit the payment
Step 7: Save the digital confirmation receipt
CRA will process your payment within 24–48 hours.

How to Remit QST Online (Revenue Québec)
Step 1: Log into online banking
Step 2: Add payee → “Revenue Québec – TVQ” or “Revenue Québec – Taxes”
Step 3: Enter your TQ number (e.g., 1234567890TQ0001)
Step 4: Select the correct filing period
Step 5: Enter amount due
Step 6: Submit Payment
Step 7: Save confirmation
Revenue Québec posts payments quickly but may take 2–3 business days to reflect updates.

How to Pay GST/QST by Credit Card
You can use third-party payment processors (Plastic, PaySimply), but:
Fees apply (2–3%)
Processing delays may occur
Not recommended close to deadlines
Always ensure receipts are downloaded
This method is useful only when cash flow delays require additional flexibility.

Documentation Section: What You Must Keep
Bank payment confirmation
Email confirmation (if applicable)
Screenshot of payee setup
Copy of the GST/QST return filed
Merchant processor payout reconciliation
Bank statements showing payment
Filing confirmation from CRA/RQ
These documents must be kept for six years as proof of compliance.

Common Mistakes When Remitting GST/QST
Selecting the wrong payee (e.g., paying RQ income tax instead of QST)
Entering RT number incorrectly
Entering TQ number incorrectly
Paying the wrong period
Paying late
Not keeping confirmation receipts
Assuming online payments are instant
Not reconciling GST/QST accounts before paying
These mistakes cause penalties and refund delays.

Winning With Revenue Québec and Canada
Mackisen ensures GST/QST remittances are set up correctly, reconciled monthly, and paid on time. We configure your online banking payees, prepare remittance schedules, verify balances before payment, and match payments to tax accounts. If CRA or RQ misapply a payment, we correct it immediately.

Mackisen Service Hub
We manage:
GST/QST filing
Remittance scheduling
Online payment setup
Bank reconciliation
Audit defense
Refund release management
Compliance oversight
We ensure every remittance is accurate, timely, and fully documented.

Why Mackisen
With more than 35 years of CPA and compliance experience, Mackisen CPA Montreal ensures your GST/QST payments are made correctly, safely, and without stress. We protect you from penalties, interest, and misapplied payments — giving you peace of mind and strong financial control.