Credit card processing and merchant services in Ottawa, ON
Ottawa sits in a metro area that spans two provinces with different card fee and sales tax rules. We set up each of your locations for the province it is in.
In Ottawa, a short drive across the river changes the card rules. At the 2021 Census, the Ottawa - Gatineau census metropolitan area had 1,488,307 people, and 353,293 of them lived on the Quebec side, according to Statistics Canada. For payments, that split matters more than any other local fact.
On the Ottawa side, Ontario's rules apply. You can surcharge Visa and Mastercard credit cards up to 2.4% or your cost of acceptance, after 30 days' notice and with signs at the entrance and the till, and sales tax is 13% HST. Cross the river to Gatineau and both change. Quebec's Office de la protection du consommateur bars any fee for paying by debit or credit card, and sales tax becomes the 5% GST plus the 9.975% QST.
If you run locations on both sides, don't copy one terminal profile to the other. The Gatineau location needs surcharging switched off, Quebec tax rates, and receipts drawn up in French, as section 57 of Quebec's Charter of the French language requires. The Ottawa location can surcharge if you choose to. Online orders follow CRA's place-of-supply rules, so charge tax by delivery address.
Taxis in Ottawa have a card rule of their own. The City's Vehicle For Hire By-law (No. 2016-272) requires taxi drivers to accept debit and credit card payments, and the city's history of the by-law says it eliminated the $1.50 credit and debit card fee for taxi customers. Hotels, meanwhile, collect a 6% Municipal Accommodation Tax on the overnight portion of the bill.
Whichever side of the river you sell on, we can set you up remotely, with interchange-plus pricing and a dedicated rep. Our Ontario and Quebec pages have the provincial detail, or you can start with a free statement review.
Rules that matter in Ottawa
Taxis must accept cards
Section 38 of the City of Ottawa's Vehicle For Hire By-law (No. 2016-272) requires taxi drivers to accept debit and credit card payments, and the by-law's schedule of passenger rights says passengers may use a valid credit card as displayed in the cab. The city's history of the by-law says it also eliminated the $1.50 credit and debit card fee for clients.
Sources: City of Ottawa, Vehicle For Hire (By-law No. 2016-272); City of Ottawa, History: taxi, limousine and private transportation companies
Locations in Gatineau follow Quebec law
A location across the river in Gatineau can't charge any fee for paying by debit or credit card, charges the 5% GST plus the 9.975% QST, and must draw up its invoices and receipts in French. Keep its terminals on their own settings rather than copying an Ottawa profile.
Sources: Office de la protection du consommateur, Paiement par carte : frais interdits; Canada Revenue Agency, Charge and collect the GST/HST: which rate to charge; LegisQuébec, Charter of the French language, CQLR c C-11, s. 57
Payment services we provide
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Common questions
Can I surcharge at my Ottawa store if I also have a store in Gatineau?
Yes at the Ottawa store, within Visa and Mastercard's rules: credit cards only, up to 2.4% or your cost of acceptance, after 30 days' notice. Not at the Gatineau store. Quebec's Office de la protection du consommateur prohibits any fee for paying by debit or credit card, even with a sign. Set up each location's terminals separately.
What tax do I charge a Gatineau resident who shops at my Ottawa store?
The Ontario rate. Under CRA's place-of-supply rules, goods the customer takes delivery of in Ontario are supplied in Ontario, so the sale carries 13% HST wherever the customer lives. If you ship to an address in Quebec instead, the place of supply is Quebec, where the GST is 5%; ask your accountant whether you also need to collect QST.
Do Ottawa taxis have to accept credit and debit cards?
Yes. The City of Ottawa's Vehicle For Hire By-law (No. 2016-272) requires taxi drivers to accept debit and credit card payments, and the city says the by-law eliminated the $1.50 card fee taxi customers used to pay. If you drive or run a taxi business in Ottawa, a working card terminal isn't optional.
What is Ottawa's hotel tax?
The City of Ottawa's Municipal Accommodation Tax came into effect on January 1, 2018, and is charged at 6% on the overnight accommodation portion of the bill. Hotels and short-term rentals should set it up as its own line in their booking and payment systems.
Disclaimer: general information, not professional advice
This page is general educational information, not legal, tax, accounting or financial advice. Rules and rates vary by place and change, so confirm them with the official source and a qualified professional before you act. Full terms are in our Terms of Service.
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