
Etsy collects sales tax on behalf of the seller in some states, but not all. This means that sellers in those states don't have to worry about collecting sales tax from their buyers.
However, sellers are still responsible for reporting and paying sales tax to their state government. This can be a bit of a headache, but Etsy provides tools to help sellers manage their sales tax obligations.
Etsy has a list of states where it collects sales tax on behalf of the seller, which can be found in the seller's account settings.
States and Sales Tax
Etsy collects sales tax in many states, including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, and 36 others.
If you're selling physical items, Etsy will handle the sales tax collection and remittance for you, but you'll still need to stay on top of your earnings and expenses throughout the year.
Here's a list of states where Etsy collects sales tax:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Which States Collect Sales Tax
Etsy collects sales tax for a multitude of states, including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Etsy handles sales tax collection for both physical and digital items in many states. This means they take care of the sales tax choreography for your items, allowing you to focus on curating and creating.
Here's a list of states where Etsy collects sales tax:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
State Income Tax
So, you're wondering about state income tax? Well, it varies greatly from state to state. Some states have a flat tax rate, while others have a progressive tax system.
The top marginal tax rate in California is 13.3%, making it one of the highest in the country. In contrast, Alaska has no state income tax.
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Most states require individuals to file a state income tax return, but the filing deadline and requirements differ. For example, in New York, the deadline to file is April 18th, while in Texas, there is no state income tax return to file.
Some states offer tax credits or deductions for specific expenses, such as education or childcare. For instance, in Illinois, you can claim a credit for education expenses, but only if you itemize your deductions.
If you're self-employed, you may need to pay both state and federal income taxes. In New Jersey, for example, self-employed individuals must file a state income tax return and pay taxes on their net earnings from self-employment.
It's worth noting that some states exempt certain types of income from state income tax, such as social security benefits. In Florida, for example, social security benefits are exempt from state income tax.
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Destination-Based and Origin-Based
Most states, including the District of Columbia, use destination-based sales tax sourcing, which means you charge the buyer's local rate. This rate can include a combination of state, county, city, and district tax rates.
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For example, if you live in Greenville, South Carolina, and you're selling to a customer in Charleston, South Carolina, you'll charge the buyer's local combined sales tax rate in Charleston of 9%.
Destination-based states include Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, and many others. If your business is located in a destination-based sales tax state and you sell a product to a customer outside of your state, you won't charge sales tax on the item.
However, if your business is located in an origin-based sales tax state, you'll charge sales tax based on your business' location, even if the buyer resides in a different part of your state. For example, if you live in Phoenix, Arizona, you'll charge all customers located in your state the local sales tax rate of 8.6%, even if the buyer resides in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Origin-based states include Arizona, California, Illinois, and many others. California is a special case, where its state, city, and county sales taxes are origin-based, while its district sales taxes are destination-based.
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Adding Sales Tax on Etsy
Adding sales tax on Etsy can be a bit of a challenge, but it's essential to get it right. You'll need to specify a tax rate for each state and/or province if you're located in the US or Canada, and you can find this tool under Shop Manager -> Finances -> Payment Settings -> Sales Tax.
If you're located outside of the US or Canada, you'll have to calculate VAT on your own, which can be a bit more complicated. You'll need to consider the price of your product, how much VAT you must charge, and if you must charge VAT on shipping fees.
You must include the VAT total in the price of your listing on Etsy, and then you'll receive the money you charged when Etsy sends you a payment. However, you'll be responsible for remitting those taxes to the proper tax authorities.
Etsy will automatically calculate, charge, and remit sales tax when you're shipping products to certain states, specifically those that have marketplace facilitator laws. However, not all states have this law, so you'll need to check if you're required to collect sales tax on your own.
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Forty-five states and the District of Columbia levy a sales tax, so you'll need to determine where to charge sales tax. You have a sales tax nexus in a state where your business has a significant presence, such as a location or inventory.
Here's a list of states that don't impose a sales tax, but may still have local sales taxes:
- Alaska
- Delaware
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- Oregon
However, even in these states, you may still be required to collect sales tax for cities, counties, or special taxing districts. For example, the combined sales tax rate in Pasadena, California, is 10.25%.
Some states may also charge additional sales tax on gift wrapping and shipping costs, but others may exempt these charges. For example, Maine and Virginia don't tax shipping charges as long as the shipping charge is listed separately from the item price.
As an Etsy seller, you'll generally need to collect sales tax on most physical goods, but some items may be exempt from sales tax depending on the state and product category. For example, food, clothing, and textbooks are typically exempt from sales tax.
Here's a list of countries and regions where Etsy will automatically charge and remit VAT for digital products:
- Australia
- Belarus
- Chile
- the EU
- Georgia (country)
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Moldova
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Québec (Canada)
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- Serbia
- Singapore
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Turkey
- the United Arab Emirates
- the United Kingdom
Sales Tax and Fees
Etsy is responsible for collecting VAT in some countries and regions for physical products and digital products. VAT is also known as JCT, GST, SST, or QST in some countries.
In these countries, Etsy collects VAT on behalf of the seller, so you don't need to worry about it. However, you'll still need to report and pay your own VAT on your sales.
Etsy collects VAT in some countries and regions, but it's not responsible for collecting sales tax in the United States.
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Digital Products and Sales Tax
Etsy automatically charges and remits VAT when selling digital products in certain countries and regions. This includes Australia, Belarus, Chile, the EU, and 24 other countries.
If you're selling digital products to customers in these areas, you can rest assured that Etsy will handle the VAT charges for you. No need to worry about calculating and paying VAT yourself.
Here's a list of countries and regions where Etsy will automatically charge and remit VAT for digital products:
- Australia
- Belarus
- Chile
- the EU
- Georgia (country)
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Moldova
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Québec (Canada)
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- Serbia
- Singapore
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Turkey
- the United Arab Emirates
- the United Kingdom
Seller Responsibilities
As an Etsy seller, you're responsible for understanding and managing your sales tax obligations. Many states require you to collect sales tax in every state where you have nexus, meaning you meet certain sales thresholds. This can get complicated, especially if you're a multichannel seller.
You should still be on alert, as you can have nexus in a particular state, even if the marketplace doesn't. This is particularly true if you're a multi-channel seller and you also sell through your own website. If you're required to collect sales tax on your own, you'll need to register your business to receive a sales tax permit/ID/number.
You'll need this permit/ID/number before you start charging taxes, and you'll need to charge sales tax on your own if you sell to customers outside of states where Etsy charges and remits sales tax automatically.
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Applies to Sellers
As an Etsy seller, you're required to understand and manage your sales tax responsibilities. You don't need to add sales tax for states where Etsy charges and remits sales tax automatically.

Etsy sellers are typically required to collect and remit sales tax, but it's essential to understand your local tax laws and the tax laws of any country you ship products to. This will help you navigate the complex world of sales tax.
You may be required to calculate, charge, and remit taxes on your own for customers outside of states where Etsy collects sales tax. Most Etsy sellers need to register their business to receive a sales tax permit/ID/number to start charging taxes.
Whether you need to charge sales tax and how much you need to charge depends on various factors, including where you operate your business, where you ship your products, and how much revenue you earn per year. Visit your government's website for more information on sales tax laws for small businesses.
As a multichannel seller, you must collect sales tax in every state where you have nexus, meaning you meet certain sales thresholds. This can get complicated, especially if you sell through multiple channels and have nexus in a particular state, even if the marketplace doesn't.
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Do You Need an ID to Sell

In most states, you don't need an ID to sell, but you'll still need to follow local laws and regulations.
You'll need to obtain a sales tax permit, which varies by state and locality.
Some states require a seller's permit, while others require a resale certificate.
In California, for example, you'll need a resale certificate to sell most goods.
You'll also need to keep accurate records of your sales, including the date, time, and amount of each sale.
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Payment and Sales Tax
As an Etsy seller, you'll need to pay taxes on your earnings.
You'll face taxes as part of your Etsy business, and understanding these tax ins and outs is a smart move for thriving in the Etsy world.
Etsy doesn't charge sales tax directly, but you'll need to handle taxes on your earnings if your business meets the official criteria.
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Sales Tax Location and Selection
Forty-five states and the District of Columbia levy a sales tax, so you'll need to charge sales tax in most places. Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon don't impose a sales tax, but you may still be responsible for collecting sales tax from cities, counties, or special taxing districts in these states.
To determine where to charge sales tax, you must have a sales tax nexus in a state. A sales tax nexus is created when your business has a significant presence in a state, such as being based there or having an office or inventory.
Here are some common business activities that indicate a nexus:
- Your location: If your business is based in a state that collects sales tax, you'll need to charge sales tax.
- Inventory and storage locations: If you have inventory or are involved in fulfillment in a state, you may have a sales tax nexus.
- Personnel in other states: If you have an employee living in another state, you may have a sales tax nexus in that state.
- Affiliates in other states: If you have an affiliate promoting your products in exchange for a percentage of profits, you may have a sales tax nexus in their state.
The combined sales tax rate in Pasadena, California, is 10.25%, which is made up of state, city, and special taxing district taxes. Some states may also charge additional sales tax on gift wrapping and shipping costs, but not all states do.
Here's a breakdown of the states that don't tax shipping charges:
- Maine: Shipping charges are not taxed if listed separately from the item price.
- Virginia: Shipping charges are not taxed if listed separately from the item price.
Keep in mind that tax laws are subject to change, so it's essential to stay up-to-date on the latest laws and regulations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the downside on Etsy?
Selling on Etsy comes with fees, including a listing fee of $0.20 per item and a transaction fee of 6.5% of the item's price, plus payment processing fees. These costs can eat into your profit margins, making it essential to factor them into your pricing strategy.
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