State-by-State Guide: How to Register for Sales Tax Permits in Each State

It is vital that you register for a sales tax permit before collecting sales tax in a state. We know that applying for sales tax permits can sometimes be confusing and overwhelming.  That is exactly why we wrote this blog. In this blog, you will be able to access instructions about how to register for sales tax permits in every state as an out-of-state retailer on your own.  

If you decide this task is too much for you to handle, please check out our Done-for-You Sales Tax Service.  Also important, you should first really determine whether or not you actually need a sales tax permit in the state in which you are wanting to apply. Feel free to check out our other blogs about sales tax nexus to know more about that (just type “nexus” in the search bar at the top of the page). 

What You Need to Register for Sales Tax Permits

Before you get started, we suggest you gather a few essential documents.  You may not need these for every state, but they are commonly required. These include the following:  

• Federal tax ID, typically called the EIN, issued by the IRS 
• Knowledge of your business entity structure 
• Business owner information
• North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) number
• Start date in the state where you will be permitted
• Your estimated yearly/quarterly/monthly tax liability or gross sales
• Your business address
• The names, titles, home address, and Social Security numbers of the proprietor, partners, or principal officers (mandatory)
• Any former entity Information
• The addresses for all locations where you will collect sales tax 
• Some states will also require copies of Articles of Organization/Incorporation, Certificate of Trade Name, driver’s licenses or passports.

International Companies Wanting to Register for Sales Tax Permits in the U.S.

There are different considerations for international businesses registering for sales tax permits in the United States. Essential to sales tax permit registration, international companies must have a Federal Tax ID (FEIN).  If you have a FEIN and are ready to register, you can move forward with gathering all of the information listed above. 

Most states will allow you to register for a sales tax permit without a social security number (SSN) or an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN), but almost all of those applications will need to be paper applications.  However, we have discovered that one state, the state of Maryland, will not approve any sales tax permit application without a SSN or ITIN.  The only way to register with Maryland without a SSN or ITIN is to submit a notarized affidavit to the state that lists a responsible party who has a SSN or ITIN. While this person will be responsible for the business’s sales tax, they do not have to be an owner or officer of the company.

State-by-State Permit Registration and Fee Information

Click on the link for each state to access detailed information on how to register for a sales tax permit in that state.