How to file sales tax in each state

by Sarah Craig February 1, 2021

You’ve done the hard work of calculating and collecting sales tax from your customers. Now what do you do with it? Turns out – like most things when it comes to sales tax — each state has a different process for filing. So, if you are looking for how to file sales tax in each state and ensure it ends up in the right place — we’ve got your back. Below you’ll find each state (that has sales tax!) and the information you need to file your sales tax returns correctly. 

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Alabama 

The Alabama Department of Revenue requires that online sellers file sales tax online. You can file My Alabama Taxes (MAT).

If you are remitting more than $750 in one payment, Alabama requires you to pay via electronic funds transfer (EFT) through My Alabama Taxes ONE SPOT.

Note: If paying by EFT Alabama requires that the funds must be transmitted on or before 4pm CT on the day that sales tax is due or be considered late.

But if you are remitting less than $750 and want to pay by mail, just mail your check to this address: Alabama Department of Revenue Sales & Use Tax Division P. O. Box 327790 Montgomery, AL 36132-7790

Alaska 

File online at the Alaska Remote Seller Sales Tax Commision. You can remit your payment through their online system.

Arizona 

You have two options for filing and paying your Arizona sales tax:

  • File online – File online at the Arizona Department of Revenue. You can remit your payment through their online system.
  • File by mail – You can use Form TPT-EZ if you live in-state, or TPT-2 if you live out-of-state and file and pay through the mail, though you must file and pay online if your tax liability in the previous year was $1,000,000 or more.

Arkansas

You have two options for filing and paying your Arkansas sales tax:

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California 

You have two options for filing your sales tax:

Colorado

You have two options for filing your sales tax:

As an added bonus, Colorado has also provided a list of common sales tax filing errors you may want to be on the lookout for.

Connecticut 

File online at the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services. Connecticut requires that taxpayers pay electronically through their online system.

District of Columbia

You have a few options for filing and paying your Washington, D.C. sales tax:

Florida 

You have two options for filing and paying your Florida sales tax:

Georgia 

You have two options for filing and paying your Georgia sales tax:

Hawaii

File online at the Hawaii Tax Online. You can remit your payment through their online system.

Idaho

You have two options for filing and paying your Idaho sales tax:

Illinois 

You have two options for filing and paying your Illinois sales tax:

  • File online – File online at MyTax Illinois. You can remit your payment through their online system.
  • File by mail – You can use Form ST-1 and file and pay through the mail.

Indiana 

File online at the Indiana Department of Revenue. You can remit your payment through their online system.

Iowa

File online at the Iowa Department of Revenue. You can remit your payment through their online system.

Kansas 

You have two options for filing and paying your Kansas sales tax:

  • File online – File online at the Kansas Department of Revenue. You can remit your payment through their online system. (If you’ve never used this system before, you may have to contact the Kansas Department of Revenue for your access code.)
  • File by mail – You can use Form ST-16 for single jurisdiction filers or Form ST-36 for multiple jurisdiction filers and file and pay through the mail.

Kentucky 

File online at the Kentucky Department of Revenue. You can remit your payment through their online system. 

Louisiana

To file and pay your Louisiana sales tax you have some options:

Maine

To file and pay your Maine sales tax you have some options:

Maryland 

File online File online at the Maryland Department of Revenue. You can remit your payment through their online system.

Massachusetts 

You have two options for filing and paying your Massachusetts sales tax:

Michigan 

You have two options for filing and paying your Michigan sales tax:

Minnesota 

You have two options for filing and paying your Minnesota sales tax:

  • File online – File online at the Minnesota Department of Revenue. You can remit your payment through their online system. If you have a sales and use tax liability of $10,000 or more in the state’s fiscal year (July 1 June 30), you must pay all taxes electronically beginning with the next calendar year.
  • File by phone – Call 1-800- 570-3329 to file by touch-tone phone. If you have a sales and use tax liability of $10,000 or more in the state’s fiscal year (July 1 – June 30), you must pay all taxes electronically beginning with the next calendar year.

Mississippi

File online at the Mississippi Department of Revenue. You can remit your payment through their online system

Missouri

You have two options for filing and paying your Missouri sales tax:

  • File online – File online at the Missouri Department of Revenue. (If filing from out of state, choose “Vendor’s Use Tax.”) You can remit your payment through their online system. High-volume sellers (who have made payments of $8,000 or more in the prior tax year) are required to file online. In some cases, quarterly filers may be required to pay online, too.
  • File by mail – You can use Form 53-1 and file and pay through the mail. The Missouri Department of Revenue will issue you this form. You will not receive paper returns in the mail if you have previously filed electronically (unless you contact the department and request future paper returns.)

Nebraska

You have two options for filing and paying your Nebraska sales tax:

Nevada 

You have two options for filing and paying your Nevada sales tax:

New Jersey 

You have two options for filing and paying your New Jersey sales tax:

New Mexico

Click the E-File link and file online. 

New York

File online at the New York Department of Taxation and Finance. You must also remit your payment through their online system.

North Carolina

You have two options for filing and paying your North Carolina sales tax:

  • File online at the North Carolina Department of Revenue. You can remit your payment through their online system.
  • You can use form E-500 and file and pay through the mail, but North Carolina encourages all sellers to pay online.

North Dakota

You have two options for filing and paying your North Dakota sales tax:

Ohio 

You have two options for filing and paying your Ohio sales tax:

Oklahoma

You have two options for filing and paying your Oklahoma sales tax:

  • File online at OK Tap. You can remit your payment through their online system.
  • You can use form STS-20002 to file on paper and by mail. Keep in mind that filers who pay more than $2500 per month are required by Oklahoma to file online.

Pennsylvania 

You have two options for filing and paying your Pennsylvania sales tax:

Rhode Island

You have two options for filing and paying your Rhode Island sales tax:

South Carolina 

File online at the South Carolina Department of Revenue. You can remit your payment through their online system. 

South Dakota

File online at the South Dakota Department of Revenue. You can remit your payment through their online system.

Tennessee 

You have two options for filing and paying your Tennessee sales tax:

Texas 

You have two options for filing and paying your Texas sales tax:

Utah

You have two options for filing and paying your Utah sales tax:

  • File and Pay Online
  • After a sales tax license has been issued, the Tax Commission will mail a personalized return to each seller, unless the seller has elected to not receive paper returns. If a seller does not receive a paper return, it is the seller’s responsibility to obtain blank forms, file all appropriate return forms, and remit taxes by the due date. Returns must be filed even if no tax liability is due for a particular filing period.

Vermont

You have two options for filing and paying your Vermont sales tax:

Virginia 

You have two options for filing and paying your Virginia sales tax:

Washington 

You have two options for filing and paying your Washington sales tax:

West Virginia

You have a few options for filing and paying your West Virginia sales tax:

Wisconsin 

You have two options for filing and paying your Wisconsin sales tax:

Wyoming

You have a few options for filing and paying your Wyoming sales tax:


Try TaxJar for free

TaxJar offers one platform to manage every aspect of sales tax compliance from calculations to reporting to filing. Try our sales tax compliance platform for 30 days, completely free with no obligation.