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Electrician charge-out rate calculator

Find the hourly charge-out rate that covers your pay, both halves of CPP, your overheads and a profit, then see it with your province's sales tax.

Your pay

What you want to pay yourself per year Set aside CPP for the self-employed (11.9%)CPP maximum pensionable earnings2025 figure; the first $3,500 is exempt. Update it each January. CPP2 above this is not included.Staff wages and on-costs per yearApprentice or labourer

Overheads per year

Van, fuel and upkeepInsuranceTools and test gearLicence, ESA/association and WCB feesPhone, software, officeEverything else

Billable time

Weeks worked per yearAfter holidays and sick daysHours worked per weekBillable share (%)Time you can charge for, after travel, quoting and adminHours in a charged dayProfit margin on top (%)Money the business keeps after paying you

Tax

Province or territoryProvincial tax (%)

Hourly rate

Your hourly charge-out rate

Before GST/HST. Covers your pay, overheads and profit.

Day rate

Break-even hourly rate (no profit)

Billable hours per year

Total yearly cost to cover

CPP set aside

Overheads

Hourly rate with sales tax

Day rate with sales tax

See the Electrician Kit

Rounded to the cent line by line. A guide, not tax advice.

How it works

CPP: self-employed, you pay both the employee and employer share, 11.9% of earnings between $3,500 and the yearly maximum. The enhanced CPP2 tier above the maximum is not included.
Yearly cost = your pay + CPP + staff + overheads.
Charge-out rate = yearly cost ÷ billable hours ÷ (1 − profit margin).
With tax: your province's GST or HST is added, plus QST in Quebec.

GST/HST registration is required once your taxable sales pass $30,000 over four consecutive quarters. Overheads for an electrical contractor in Canada usually include provincial licensing (ESA in Ontario, the RBQ and CMEQ in Quebec), workers' compensation and liability insurance. Income tax is not included; set your pay target to allow for it.

Three worked examples

Each one was checked against an independent calculation. Type the same numbers above and you will get the same results.

Example 1

Ontario sole proprietor with CPP (HST 13%)

Your pay$75,000

Overheads$21,000

Billable46 wk × 40 h × 72%

Profit margin12%

CPP$8,068.20

Yearly cost$104,068.20

Billable hours1,324.8

Hourly rate$89.27

Day rate$714.16

Hourly with tax$100.88

Example 2

British Columbia, GST only on labour

Your pay$85,000

Overheads$25,000

Billable46 wk × 42 h × 75%

Profit margin15%

CPP$8,068.20

Yearly cost$118,068.20

Billable hours1,449

Hourly rate$95.86

Day rate$766.88

Hourly with tax$100.65

Example 3

Quebec, GST + QST, one helper

Your pay$70,000

Overheads$22,000

Staff$40,000

Billable46 wk × 40 h × 80%

Profit margin10%

Yearly cost$132,000

Billable hours1,472

Hourly rate$99.64

Day rate$797.12

Hourly with tax$114.56

Canada (GST/HST)

Now do it for every job.

CA$39.99

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Questions

Do I charge GST or HST on labour?

Yes. Once you are registered, GST or HST applies to your labour and materials alike. The rate depends on where the work is done, not where your shop is.

What billable share is realistic?

For a one-person shop, 65% to 75% of hours worked is typical once you count driving, quoting, supply runs and invoicing. Track a month of your own hours and use that.

Is CPP really 11.9%?

On the first tier, yes: 5.95% as the employee plus 5.95% as the employer. Earnings above the yearly maximum attract CPP2, which this calculator leaves out, so the result is slightly low for higher earners.