Are you ready for December? In retail, it’s often a mad dash to the end of the year as you try to outmaneuver your competitors on pricing and fulfill orders fast enough so they’ll arrive in time for the holidays.
This year, you’ll also have to remember all the irregular sales tax filing dates in December. With a number of state’s typical days falling on holidays or weekends, many states have moved their typical deadlines. That’s going to become complicated for companies who have to file in multiple states.
Here’s our guide for helping you make sense of the holiday sales tax chaos.
Sales Tax Filing Due Date: December 15
Maine starts things off with the earliest deadline. Set a reminder in your calendar so you don’t forget.
- Maine: Monthly sales tax due
Sales Tax Filing Due Date: December 20
If you’re making your sales tax filing deadline list and checking it twice, don’t forget to circle Wednesday, December 20. It’s the monthly deadline for most states.
Here’s the full list of states expected to file by that date:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Nebraska
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
Sales Tax Filing Due Date: December 23
Ohio likes to do things a little differently and has its filing date on the 23rd of every month.
- Ohio: Monthly sales tax due
Sales Tax Filing Due Date: December 26th
You might have been wondering what would happen with states whose sales tax filing deadlines generally fall on the 25th of the month. Well, it depends on what state you’re filing in. New Mexico and Vermont give you an additional day to file as a Christmas gift.
- New Mexico: Monthly sales tax due
- Vermont: Monthly sales tax due
Sales Tax Filing Due Date: December 28
These states typically have filing deadlines on the 25th of the month but are a little more generous than New Mexico and Vermont. They give you three extra days as a gift.
- Kansas: Monthly sales tax due
- Washington: Monthly sales tax due.
Sales Tax Filing Due Date: December 30
Massachusetts requires you to file your sales tax on the 30th day of the month. One problem: This falls on a Saturday in December. You’ll likely want to do it on the 29th so you can enjoy your last moments of 2023 without having to stress about sales tax.
- Massachusetts: Monthly sales tax due
Sales Tax Filing Due Date: December 31
These states have filing deadlines on the last day of the following month. You can file your sales tax while ringing in the new year!
- Alaska: Monthly sales tax due (Note: Alaska as a state doesn’t have a state sales tax, but many cities do.)
- California: Monthly sales tax due
- Connecticut: Monthly sales tax due
- North Dakota: Monthly sales tax due
- Utah: Monthly sales tax due
- Wyoming: Monthly sales tax due
Sales Tax Filing Due Date: January 2
Since December 31 is a Sunday, Missouri and Nevada give you an extension for filing your sales taxes until January 2nd. That’s a great way to start off the year.
- Missouri: Monthly sales tax due
- Nevada: Monthly sales tax due
Never Miss a Sales Tax Due Date with TaxCloud
December isn’t just a busy month for sales in ecommerce, it’s also a time when many of us take time off with family. If you want to be able to relax this year without having to worry about your sales tax returns between holiday parties and time spent with family, TaxCloud can handle sales tax filing for you. That way, you can focus on finishing the year with family and friends.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do I have to file sales tax?
How often you have to file sales tax depends on the state you need to file taxes in. States often have criteria on their websites that will help you determine if you need to file sales and use tax returns on a quarterly, monthly, or annual basis. The criteria that different states use to decide how often you file varies from state to state so it’s best to search for that information on each state tax website. If that sounds overwhelming, check out our Sales Tax State Guides for a state-by-state breakdown.
Is the tax deadline at midnight?
The tax deadline is indeed at midnight on the date a state tells you sales tax is due. That means so long as you file your taxes before the clock strikes twelve, you’ll be fine. But we wouldn’t recommend leaving it that late! Need help keeping track of filing due dates and remitting on time? We’ve got you covered. Get in touch with our team today.
What states have zero sales tax?
There are five states that have zero sales tax. They are Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. However, despite there being no statewide sales taxes in these states that doesn’t mean that they don’t charge any sales taxes. For example, Alaska has municipalities that impose sales taxes of between 3% and 6%. Montana and Oregon also allow municipalities to charge sales taxes.
