
General sales taxes are separate from selective sales taxes on specific purchases such as alcohol, motor fuel, and tobacco. The Census Bureauincludes revenue from gross receipts taxes in its revenue totals for either general sales taxes or "other selective sales taxes."
What costs are subject to sales tax?
In addition, some service and labor costs are subject to sales tax if they result in the creation of tangible personal property. In some instances, retailers must report use tax, rather than sales tax, to the BOE.
What is sales tax and how does it work?
Sales taxes are state-driven. That is, sales taxes are imposed by states on transactions involving products and services sold by businesses who have a sales tax presence (called a tax nexus) in that state. Your home business is a tax nexus because it's located within the state. Most states collect sales taxes on products on services.
What is the difference between general and selective sales taxes?
General sales taxes are separate from selective sales taxes on specific purchases such as alcohol, motor fuel, and tobacco. The Census Bureauincludes revenue from gross receipts taxes in its revenue totals for either general sales taxes or "other selective sales taxes."
What sales are exempt from sales and use tax?
Some sales and purchases are exempt from sales and use tax. Examples of exempt sales include, but are not limited to, sales of certain food products for human consumption, sales to the U.S. Government and sales of prescription medicine.

What are taxes on specific goods?
In general, an excise tax is a tax is imposed on the sale of specific goods or services, or on certain uses. Federal excise tax is usually imposed on the sale of things like fuel, airline tickets, heavy trucks and highway tractors, indoor tanning, tires, tobacco and other goods and services.
What are three examples of sales taxes?
Types of sales taxes include general sales taxes, excise taxes, and value-added taxes (VAT).
What is the difference between general and selective sales tax?
General sales taxes are taxes on goods and services purchased by consumers. The tax is a calculated as a percentage of the retail price and added to the final purchase price paid by the consumer. General sales taxes are separate from selective sales taxes on specific purchases such as alcohol, motor fuel, and tobacco.
What goods do most states exempt from sales taxes?
Accordingly, most states offer product-specific exemptions for items such as food, clothing, prescription medicines, and medical (prosthetic) devices. Those states that don't provide a complete exemption for these items often impose a lower tax rate on them.
What is the example of sales tax?
Sales tax is an additional amount of money you pay based on a percentage of the selling price of goods and services that are purchased. For example, if you purchase a new television for $400 and live in an area where the sales tax is 7%, you would pay $28 in sales tax. Your total bill would be $428.
Which is an example of a sales tax quizlet?
Sales tax is used by the government to pay for public services and programs such as the police, libraries, prisons, firefighters, hospitals, and highways. In Texas, the state sales tax is 6.25%.
What is selective sales tax?
A typical selective sales tax—which may have a different rate than the general sales tax—is a tax on the purchase of alcohol, tobacco, or gasoline, or a tax on utilities, such as electricity and telephone service.
Is FET the same as sales tax?
Excise tax differs from sales tax in two fundamental ways. First, it is only on specific goods. Whereas sales tax applies to just about everything you buy (usually with specific exceptions such as unprepared food and clothing), excise taxes are applied to specific goods.
Which state in USA has no sales tax?
While most states require you to pay sales tax on goods and services, there are five states that don't: Delaware, Alaska, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon. However, just because a state doesn't impose a state sales tax, doesn't mean its cities, parishes, municipalities or localities won't either.
What are 3 items that are not taxable?
The following items are deemed nontaxable by the IRS:Inheritances, gifts and bequests.Cash rebates on items you purchase from a retailer, manufacturer or dealer.Alimony payments (for divorce decrees finalized after 2018)Child support payments.Most healthcare benefits.Money that is reimbursed from qualifying adoptions.More items...•
What products have no tax?
In general, clothing, groceries, medicines and medical devices and industrial equipment are sales tax exempt in many states (but don't assume they'll be exempt in all states. Every state is different when it comes to sales tax!)
What are non taxable goods?
Contraceptives, semen, human blood, vaccines, organic manure, earthen pots, beehives, live animals (except horses), maps, books, journals, newspapers, non-judicial stamps, kites, and pooja props.
What you mean by sales tax?
Definition of sales tax : a tax levied on the sale of goods and services that is usually calculated as a percentage of the purchase price and collected by the seller.
What is a sales tax called?
It's a type of consumption tax, meaning it taxes people for spending money. It's categorized as a consumption tax because sales taxes are generally passed along to consumers at the point of sale. A sales tax is also a type of indirect tax, which means it isn't paid directly to the government as is income tax.
What is sales tax in the US?
Most states have a sales tax ranging between 4% and 7%. The average sales tax for a state is 5.09%. 32 states fall above this average, and 18 states fall below this average, suggesting that the few states with a sales tax of 0% bring down the average.
What is another name for sales tax?
excise tax, indirect tax, value-added tax, excise.
What are some examples of exempt sales?
Examples of exempt sales include, but are not limited to, sales of certain food products for human consumption, sales to the U.S. Government and sales of prescription medicine.
What do you need to know as a registered seller?
As a registered seller, you will need to take the time to learn how to properly apply the sales and use tax law in your business operations. And you must keep adequate records that document your sales and purchases.
What is a seller's permit in California?
A seller's permit is a state license that allows you to sell items at the wholesale or retail level and to issue resale certificates to suppliers. You cannot legally make sales of taxable products in California until you are issued a seller's permit. The requirement to obtain a seller's permit applies to individuals as well as corporations, firms, partnerships, and so forth. Both wholesalers and retailers must apply for a permit. As a permit holder, you are required to:
What is the publication number for sales for resale?
For more information, please see Sales for Resale (Publication 103 ).
What is required to obtain a seller's permit?
Both wholesalers and retailers must apply for a permit. As a permit holder, you are required to: Report and pay sales and use taxes. Keep adequate records.
Is there sales tax on furniture in California?
Retail sales of tangible personal property in California are generally subject to sales tax. Examples of tangible personal property include such items as furniture, giftware, toys, antiques and clothing. In addition, some service and labor costs are subject to sales tax if they result in the creation of tangible personal property.
Do you report gross sales on your tax return?
You must report your total gross sales for the reporting period on your sales and use tax return. If your total sales include amounts you received from sales for resale, you should take a deduction for those amounts on the line set aside for sales to other retailers for purposes of resale.
What is general sales tax?
General sales taxes are taxes on goods and services purchased by consumers. The tax is a calculated as a percentage of the retail price and added to the final purchase price paid by the consumer. General sales taxes are separate from selective sales taxes on specific purchases such as alcohol, motor fuel, and tobacco .
Which states tax grocery food?
Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Oklahoma, and South Dakota tax grocery food but offer individual income tax credits to low-income residents to help offset the tax. Many states also exempt nonprescription drugs, textbooks, or clothing from general sales taxes.
What is the sales tax rate in Hawaii?
As of 2018, the maximum sales tax rates levied by a state’s local governments (excluding the state tax rate) ranged from 0.5 percent in Hawaii to 8.3 percent in Colorado. The number of taxing jurisdictions also varies significantly across states. For example, only three localities in Hawaii levy general sales taxes while thousands of localities levy the tax with different rates in California and Iowa.
What states do not tax food?
The state does not tax grocery food in Georgia, Louisiana, and North Carolina, but local governments can. Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, and Oklahoma tax grocery food but offer individual income tax credits to low-income residents to help offset the tax. Many states also exempt nonprescription drugs, textbooks, or clothing from general sales taxes. Additionally, 16 states have sales tax holidays, where specific purchases, often clothes and school supplies right before the start of a new school year, are sold tax free for a short period of time.
What is the state sales tax rate for 2020?
State general sales tax rates in 2020 range from 2.9 percent in Colorado to 7.25 percent in California. After Colorado, the next-lowest state general sales tax rate is 4.0 percent in Alabama, Georgia, Hawaii, New York, and Wyoming.
Which states do not have sales tax?
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon do not levy a general state sales tax. However, Alaska allows local governments to levy their own general sales taxes, and those taxes accounted for 2 percent of its combined state and local general revenue in 2018. Delaware levies a gross receipts tax but Census counts its revenue as "other ...
Why are services not taxed?
And very few states tax professional services such as those rendered by doctors and lawyers. Hawaii and New Mexico are exceptions to the rule and tax a wide range of services. The reason many services are not taxed is because services often do not fall under states existing definitions of "tangible goods" (most of these rules were written nearly a century ago) and thus must be added to the tax base via legislation (a politically challenging task). For the same reason, state taxation has only become more complicated as consumers increasingly purchase digital products.
How many states have sales tax?
A. Forty-five states and the District of Columbia levy general sales taxes that apply (with some exemptions) to all goods and certain services. Thirty-seven states (including, Alaska, which has no state tax) also allow general sales taxes at the local level. Most states apply separate sales taxes to particular goods, including tobacco, alcohol, and motor fuels.
How much is cigarette tax in 2020?
In six states (Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, New York, Tennessee, and Virginia), some local governments levy an additional cigarette tax. Local cigarette tax rates range from 1 cent per pack in Alabama and Tennessee to $4.18 per pack in Chicago (a Cook County tax of $3.00, plus a city tax of $1.18).
Is alcohol taxed per gallon?
The excise taxes are levied per gallon (not as a percentage of the price), and beer, wine, and distilled spirits have different tax rates. In addition to the excise tax, many states also levy a general sales tax on the final purchase price of alcohol, and some states and cities have special sales tax rates for alcohol.

Sales and Use Taxes - What Is Taxable?
- Retail sales of tangible personal property in California are generally subject to sales tax. Examples of tangible personal property include such items as furniture, giftware, toys, antiques and clothing. In addition, some service and labor costs are subject to sales tax if they result in the creation of tangible personal property. In some instances...
Resale Certificates
- If you purchase tangible personal property for resale, the transaction is not subject to sales or use tax provided the sale is properly documented. As a result, your supplier will ask you to provide a resale certificate to document that the property was purchased for resale. As explained below, the certificate must be taken in good faith and on a timely basis, and it must include specific inform…
District Taxes
- The sales and use tax rate is not the same in all California locations. While the standard statewide rate is currently 7.25 percent, the total sales and use tax rate is higher in areas where there are voter-approved special transactions (sales) and use tax districts. In those districts, the total tax rate includes the standard statewide tax rate plus the district tax rate, which varies from distr…
How to Register with Boe
- When you sell or lease merchandise, vehicles, or other tangible personal property in California, even temporarily, you are generally required to register with the BOE and to pay sales tax on your taxable sales. When you register, you will be issued a seller's permit, sometimes mistakenly called a resale number or resale permit. A seller's permit is a state license that allows you to sell items …
Applying For A Seller's Permit
- You may obtain a seller's permit application(BOE-400 series) from the BOE website or call our Information Center at (800) 400-7115. Representatives at our Information Center are available to assist you with permit registration questions Monday through Friday (except State holidays) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you are hearing-impaired, you may call: From TDD phones: 800) 735-2929 Fro…
Temporary Permits
- If you make sales of a temporary nature (such as Christmas tree sales or sales at craft fairs), you may apply for a temporary seller's permit. Temporary permits are issued to those whose sales activity will last no longer than 30 days. Please refer to Obtaining a Seller's Permitpage for more information on Temporary Permits.
Other Boe Administered Tax and Fee Programs
- The BOE administers several taxes and fees in addition to the state's sales and use taxes. The following list includes some of the other tax and fee programs we administer and describes who is generally required to register. For further information or to register for a particular program, please call the BOE Information Center at (800) 400-7115. For a listing of all tax and fee progra…
Additional Requirements For Your Business
- The state and federal governments have additional requirements for businesses. Certain businesses are required to obtain permits from the California Department of Consumer Affairs and state and local environmental agencies. You will probably need to obtain a business license or other permits from the county or city where you operate. California's Environmental Protectio…