OpenCart and Canadian Taxes

Here are the steps to setup Taxes in OpenCart if your eCommerce site is in Canada:

1. Find the latest information on Canadian Tax Rates.

2. Create One Zone per Province

  • System -> Localization -> Geo Zone List
  • Click Add Geo Zones Button (Blue button on the right top corner)
  • Add Geo Zone Name, Description e.g. British Columbia (GST & PST) in both fields
  • Underneath Click the + button in the blue square to add country and the Zone
  • Select Canada under Country and the corresponding Zone from the zone (in this case British Columbia)
  • Press the Save icon to save your entry

Note: the description for the Geo Zone can be entered based on the Taxes in the province e.g. in Albert you may just enter Alberta (GST)

3. Create a GST Zone for Provinces where you have Provincial and Federal Taxes adding up e.g. GST + PST

  • Add another Geo Zone
  • Add Geo Zone Name and Description as Canada (Provincial Taxes)
  • Underneath Click the + button in the blue square to enter Country and Zone (there will be four entries here)
    • Country: Canada Zone: British Columbia
    • Country: Canada Zone: Manitoba
    • Country: Canada Zone: Saskatchewan
    • Country: Canada Zone: Quebec

4. Create the Tax Rates for each province and one for the GST.

  • System -> Localization -> Taxes -> Tax Rates
  • Add a record by clicking the Add Button
  • Here is a sample entry and do the same for each province
    • Tax Name: Alberta Tax Rate: 5 Type: Percentage Customer Group: Default Geo Zone: Alberta (GST)
  • Do an Entry for the GST as follow:
  • Tax Name: Canada (GST 5%) Tax Rate: 5 Type: Percentage Customer Group: Default Geo Zone: Canada (Provincial Taxes)

5. Create the Tax Class for Canada

  • System -> Localization -> Taxes -> Tax Class
  • Add a Record by clicking the Add Button
  • Tax Class Title: Canada Taxes Description: Canada Taxes
  • Underneath you will need to add all the Tax Rates that you have created
  • Select Based on Shipping Address & Priority 1 for each entry

6. Make sure you change the Tax Class in the Product (Data Tab) to Canadian Taxes