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NCDOR »   Taxes & Forms »   Sales and Use Tax »   Who Should Register for Sales and Use Tax?

Who Should Register for Sales and Use Tax?

Every business, person, or facilitator engaged in business in North Carolina of one or more of the following must register online or by mail with the Department to obtain a Certificate of Registration:

  • Selling tangible personal property at retail.
  • Selling and providing taxable services.
  • Renting or leasing taxable tangible personal property in this State.
  • Selling certain digital property.
  • Operating a dry cleaner, laundry, or other similar business.
  • Providing rentals of accommodations.
  • Selling tangible personal property, certain digital property, or providing a taxable service at a specialty market or other event.
  • Selling taxable service contracts.
  • Charging admission to an entertainment activity.
  • Making marketplace-facilitated sales.

Every business that buys taxable tangible personal property, services, or certain digital property for storage, use, or consumption in this State where the correct amount of sales tax has not been paid is required to file and remit the use tax due. A business must register to file and remit use tax unless:

  1. The business is already registered to file and pay sales tax and is therefore already registered to remit use tax, or
  2. The business has paid its vendors all North Carolina sales and use taxes due on its purchases.

(NEW) All remote sellers having gross sales in excess of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) sourced to North Carolina or two hundred (200) or more separate transactions sourced to North Carolina in the previous or current calendar year must register to collect and remit sales and use tax to North Carolina effective November 1, 2018.  Review our Remote Sales web page for guidance and resources for persons required to collect sales tax on remote sales.

A wholesale merchant must register with the Department and obtain a Certificate of Registration before engaging in business in this State. A wholesale merchant that does not make taxable retail sales or purchases should select "wholesale only" when registering and the person will not be required to file sales and use tax returns.

Are individuals who don't operate a business required to register and file for sales and use tax if they make purchases without paying sales tax?

Individuals are required to report and remit the use tax due on their North Carolina Individual Income Tax Return, Consumer Use Tax Return, or Boat and Aircraft Use Tax Return. Refer to our use tax web page for details.

See the Sales and Use Tax Frequently Asked Questions for additional information.

 

Sales and Use Tax

  • Who Should Register for Sales and Use Tax?
  • Overview of Sales and Use Taxes
  • General Sales and Use Tax
  • Admission Charges
  • Aircraft and Qualified Jet Engines
  • Aviation Gasoline and Jet Fuel
  • Boats
  • Certain Digital Property
  • Dry Cleaners, Laundries, Apparel and Linen Rental Businesses, and Other Similar Businesses
  • Electricity
  • Food, Non-Qualifying Food, and Prepaid Meal Plans
  • Lease or Rental of Tangible Personal Property
  • Manufactured and Modular Homes
  • Piped Natural Gas
  • Prepaid Telephone Calling Service
  • Real Property Contracts
  • Rentals of Accommodations
  • Repair, Maintenance, and Installation Services; and Other Repair Information
  • Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service
  • Service Contracts
  • Specialty Markets or Other Events
  • Spirituous Liquor
  • Telecommunications Service and Ancillary Service
  • Use Tax
  • Video Programming Service
  • Sales and Use Tax Filing Requirements & Payment Options
  • Sale and Purchase Exemptions
  • Sales and Use Tax Rates & Other Information
  • Sales and Use Tax Forms and Certificates
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • How to Amend Your Return
  • Accepted Wastewater Dispersal System
  • Important Notice – Disaster Assistance Payments
  • Sales and Use Tax Technical References
  • Accompanying Schedules/Attachments
  • Streamlined Sales Tax Information
  • Sales and Use Tax Registration
  • Amended Returns and Refund Claims
  • Sales and Use Tax Revenue Law
  • Written Determinations Sales and Use Tax
  • How to File Sales and Use Tax Resources
  • Remote Sales

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Contact Information

North Carolina Department of Revenue

PO Box 25000
Raleigh, NC 27640-0640
General information: 1-877-252-3052
Individual income tax refund inquiries:
1-877-252-4052

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https://www.ncdor.gov/taxes-forms/sales-and-use-tax/who-should-register-sales-and-use-tax