Blog

Grow Your Skills

Difference-Between-Sales-and-Use-Taxes

Difference Between Sales and Use Taxes

A very usual question in the community of tax is “What is the difference between sales tax and use tax?” 

 

From a common perspective, use tax and sales tax are the same, just implemented by different merchants. Sales tax comes in several modes, and use tax compliance is among them. A sales tax is collected by a trader in-state and use tax by the remote seller. 

 

Before moving forward, let’s understand what is sales and use tax are.

 

What is a Sales Tax?

Sales Tax is a consumption tax on the sale, exchange, or transfer of taxable service or item. It generally employs on the sale to the ultimate consumer or end-user. Sales tax is usually added to the selling price of the item and is charged by the purchaser. 

 

According to the definition, sales tax only applies to in-state sales. Sales taxes are contemplated as “trust taxes.” There the seller accumulates the tax from the customer and sends it to the relevant taxing authority. 

 

There are various kinds of sales taxes that are imposed by the states. There are some states that are Consumer Tax states while others are Seller Privilege Tax states. This factor directs who is primarily responsible for the tax payment. 

 

In Seller Privilege Tax states, the dealer is primarily responsible for the tax. The dealer needs to pay the tax whether the tax is received from the purchaser or not. The tax is usually imposed on the prerogative for doing trade in the state. As there is no need to pass the tax to the customer, that is why it is not required to be stated separately on the invoice. In the audit, the state only collects the tax received from the seller. 

 

In Consumer Tax states, the purchaser is imposed by the tax with the responsibility of collection by the dealer. The dealer still needs to pay the tax even though it is not obtained from the customer. Generally, the tax is imposed on the prerogative of consuming or using the services or products purchased. 

 

What is Use Tax?

Use Tax is the sales tax employed on the use, consumption, or storage of taxable service or item on which no other tax was obtained in the state of possession. 

 

Use tax is a compensating or complementary tax on the sales tax. It does not employ if the sales tax has been charged. Use tax employs to purchases done outside the taxing authority but practiced within the state. It also employs items purchased outside from tax which is afterward utilized in a taxable way. 

 

There are two types of use taxes; Retailer/Vendor Use Tax and Consumer Use Tax. Consumer Use Tax is collected on the purchaser. It is self-evaluated by the customer on taxable things bought where the merchant does not collect a vendor or sales use tax. The customer pays this tax straight to the taxing authority. Retailer or Vendor Use Tax employs sales by a merchant to a consumer located outside the merchant’s state.

 

Conclusion

Navigating the choppy streams of sales and use tax is not an easy task. Nomenclature still matters. It is crucial to know where you should collect and pay sales tax, seller use tax, or consumer use tax. 

 

For more detailed information about Sales tax and Use Tax, join the Compliance Prime webinar.

Be the first one to get latest industry news

SHARE NOW

Disclaimer:
We do not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability and accuracy of the information provided on this website. Any action you take upon the information on this website is strictly at your own risk, and Compliance Prime will not be liable for any losses and damages in connection with the
use of our website.

10 productivity hacks

Get Free E-book

Thanks, your free e-Books is on its way

Check your email to download the eBook. If you don't see the email, check in your spam folder as well.