Recently, a long-standing Supreme Court ruling was overturned in the case of South Dakota vs. Wayfair. (Review the case here) The overture of this ruling now allows states by law to collect sales tax from online purchases made from business entities such as Heat Press Nation who do not have a physical presence in those states. Heat Press Nation as a company has determined that it is in our best interest and practice to be in compliance with all future tax laws ahead of others who will also be required to charge sales tax in the very near future.
Heat Press Nation Tax-Exemption Program FAQ
I didn't have to pay sales tax before and other companies do not charge me sales tax, why am I paying sales tax on my orders with Heat Press Nation?
What does Heat Press Nation charge sales tax on?
Typically, tax-exemption only applies to products in which the customer is not the end-user. These include supply items such as vinyl, materials, transfer paper, etc.
Items that are ineligible for tax-exemption (unless otherwise exempt based on your certificate reason) include equipment such as heat presses, vinyl cutters, printers, and other items that are used in your business. Typically, since you are the end-user of these products, you are considered liable for the sales tax.
Please note, Heat Press Nation understands that our customer base is unique as some customers operate as businesses and others as personal use and therefore holds the right to charge sales tax on products we have determined to be used in specific means. These are non-negotiable and subject to change at any time.
How does Heat Press Nation determine the amount of sales tax?
Heat Press Nation works with Avalara, the largest and most experienced 3rd party tax compliance software company in the United States to determine sales tax based on thousands of rates, rules, and jurisdictional boundaries. The tax rules are applied based on your specific state's local and state-level tax jurisdictions through Avalara's tax compliance software.
Will my order be subject to sales tax?
Sales tax on orders varies based on many variables including state and local level tax laws. Sales tax is applied to the product cost as well as shipping costs in most cases. The best way to determine if sales tax is being applied is to first identify whether Heat Press Nation charges sales tax in your state by referring to the list here (hyperlink). If so, the amount of sales tax is always displayed at the end of the checkout process prior to making payment for your order. If your state is listed and your cart is not displaying sales tax, please give us a call at (800) 215-0894 so that a customer service representative can review your order and ensure that you are being charged appropriately or if there is an underlying issue.
How can I become a tax-exempt customer?
Becoming a tax-exempt customer is a straightforward process requiring that you as a customer carry a tax-exemption certificate or resellers permit within the state that you operate your business.
Secondly, you must create or currently have a free customer account with Heat Press Nation. Creating an account is easy and also allows you to keep a record of all your business purchases in one place. Creating an account also allows you to view tracking information, billing and shipping details, and more. You can create a free account by clicking the icon at the top right corner of the page and select Create Your Account.
Lastly, you will want to visit our tax exemption portal here or, you may visit our website link https://www.heatpressnation.com/pages/tax-exemption. Determine if sales tax is applied to your state and if so, follow the steps on the page to become a Heat Press Nation Tax Exempt customer. Unlisted states may, in the future, require sales tax so please note to check periodically if sales tax is applied to your future purchases.
I already filed my reseller's permit with Heat Press Nation before October 1, 2019. Am I still paying sales tax?
Maybe. Even though you may have filed a tax exemption with Heat Press Nation prior to October 1, 2019, if you have not submitted your tax exemption through our portal, or, your exemption was not moved over during our transition, your account may no longer be eligible for tax-exemption. Please note that prior to October 1, 2019, Heat Press Nation launched a campaign for all current reseller permit holders to refile. If you did not receive this email, or, if you did not resubmit an exemption, it is likely that your account has not been validated and you must re-submit your tax exemption.
Does my tax-exemption expire?
Yes, typically, re-sellers permits carry an expiration or renewal date which is added to your validation and customer account. Once your account reaches this date, you will have to re-validate your account with an updated permit.
If I made a purchase but didn't file an exemption, can I be refunded for sales tax?
Do I have to check out with my account in order to be exempt from paying sales tax?
Yes. This is very important when placing an order on Heat Press Nation. When you submit a tax exemption certificate, your account on Heat Press Nation, as well as your certificate, is validated together in our system. If you are not logged into your account, you may notice that tax is being applied; simply ensure that you are logged in and if an issue persists, please call us at (800) 215-0894 or reach us at support@heatpressnation.com and a customer service representative will look into this issue for you.
I received a validation notice but am still being charged sales tax, what is the issue?
In a small number of cases, we may be unable to validate a customer account or there may be an underlying issue that requires further investigation. In these cases, please reach out to us directly so that we may look into this issue further and rectify the issue. As long as everything is valid, Heat Press Nation will do everything possible to ensure you are taken care of.
I have a business and have many employees who make purchases on behalf of our company, are they tax-exempt as well? What if an employee leaves?
Since your account is directly linked to your validated resellers permit, each employee must also have an account on our website and also provide a resellers permit in order to be validated, however, this can also be the same permit but it must be validated again under their individual account. If an employee leaves, you must contact us in order to deactivate their exemption or their account.
I am a government agency, educational organization, or other completely tax-exempt entity, how do I receive tax-exemption on my equipment purchase?
Simply follow the same steps on our tax-exemption portal here and when the form requests your exemption reason, simply select the one most appropriate for your entity. Avalara will take care of the rest when you are placing orders on our website.
If there are any questions that have not been referenced in the above FAQ, please feel free to contact us directly during normal operating hours: Monday-Friday from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM (PST) or by email at support@heatpressnation.com.