Plumbing is a compulsory trade in Ontario, and the work runs from same-day service calls to multi-month new-construction rough-ins. The same Construction Act applies to the bigger jobs: a proper invoice starts the 28-day clock, and the lien deadline runs 60 days. Markup formats both service-call and proper invoices and tracks the deadlines that come with the larger work.
Tax
13% HST
Lien deadline
60 days
Lien statute
Construction Act, SO 2017 c.10 Sch.1, s.31
Holdback
10% statutory holdback on the pre-tax value of each draw
Ontario runs a 28-day prompt-payment clock that starts when the payer receives a proper invoice under section 6.1 of the Construction Act.
Plumbing as a compulsory trade in Ontario
Plumbing is a compulsory trade in Ontario, which means the work requires a Certificate of Qualification administered by Skilled Trades Ontario. Markup is your invoicing and compliance software; it does not manage trade certification or apprenticeship records. You can store your business details and tax numbers and have them appear on every invoice.
What Markup does for plumbers in Ontario
- Formats Construction Act proper invoices so the 28-day clock starts on renovation and new-construction work.
- Handles quick service-call invoices without forcing the full proper-invoice format.
- Tracks the 60-day lien preservation deadline per job, with alerts at 14 and 7 days.
- Calculates 13% HST and separates it from the base amount on every invoice.
- Keeps a running T5018 total for any subbed plumber, flagging the $500 line.
Plumbers in Ontario: common questions
Do Construction Act proper invoices apply to plumbing service calls?
Generally the proper-invoice rules matter most on improvement contracts: renovation rough-ins, new construction, and commercial work. A quick service call is a standard invoice. Markup asks which applies when you create the invoice and formats each correctly.
How long do I have to file a lien on an Ontario plumbing job?
60 days from the last day of supply under section 31 of the Construction Act, then 90 more days to perfect the lien. Markup tracks both deadlines per project so neither one slips.
Does Markup track my plumbing trade certification?
No. Plumbing is a compulsory trade in Ontario with a Certificate of Qualification through Skilled Trades Ontario, but Markup is invoicing and compliance software, not a certification tracker. It handles your invoices, tax, liens, and T5018.
Built for plumbers in Ontario.
Proper invoices, lien deadlines, holdback, T5018, and 13% HST. Free for 14 days, no card.