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How to Get a Seller’s Permit in Pennsylvania

  • Compliance
Published on February 20, 2024
 Learn how to register your business in the state and obtain a seller’s permit in Pennsylvania with our step-by-step guide.
Starting a business in Pennsylvania is an exciting venture, but it’s crucial to understand the legal requirements that come with it. A common area of confusion for many new business owners is understanding the need for a Sales, Use, and Hotel Occupancy Retail Tax License in Pennsylvania, also known as a sales tax permit or seller’s permit. This permit allows you to collect sales tax on taxable products and services from customers in Pennsylvania.
This blog will guide you through each step of applying for a sales tax permit, with clear instructions to help you and your business begin collecting sales tax effortlessly.
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Who Needs a Seller’s Permit in Pennsylvania?

A business must register for a sales tax permit in Pennsylvania if:

How to Register for a Seller’s Permit in Pennsylvania?

When applying for a seller’s permit in Pennsylvania, you can use the online application process on the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue website to complete your sales tax registration.
  

1. Where to Apply for a Seller’s Permit in Pennsylvania?

The first step to register for a sales tax permit online is to go to myPATH website and click the title “Pennsylvania Online Business Tax Registration” under the ‘Registration’ section.
Choose Business Tax Registration to register for a Sales, Use, and Hotel Occupancy Tax. You will then follow through the prompts that walk you through your registration process and provide the necessary information.

2. What Information Do You Need To Get A Seller’s Permit in Pennsylvania?

To successfully acquire a seller’s permit in Pennsylvania, it’s important to prepare and provide specific information and documents. The following is a list of the necessary information and documents required to register a sales tax permit in Pennsylvania:
  • Business Identification Information: Legal Business Name, Physical Address, mailing address 
  • Business Entity Structure (i.e., sole proprietorship, partnership, Subchapter S Corp., corporation, LLC, etc.)
  • Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN or FEIN)
  • Name, Address, and SSN of owners, partners, or officers
  • Business Activity Details: Date & State of Incorporation, start date with the State of Pennsylvania  (nexus start date), Month of Fiscal Year End
  • NAICS Code
It’s important to highlight that in Pennsylvania, you must demonstrate full ownership of your business or designate a responsible party.

3. How Much are the Fees for Applying for and Renewing a Seller’s Permit in Pennsylvania?

Registering for a sales tax permit in Pennsylvania is free.
Pennsylvania sales tax permits are renewed automatically every five years, provided there are no outstanding filing obligations or tax liabilities.
  

4. What are Other Ways to Register for a Seller’s Permit in Pennsylvania?

  • Use TaxHero. Registering for a seller’s permit, mainly when it involves multiple permits, can be a tedious and time-consuming task requiring much effort. Let the experts at TaxHero save you from this hassle, and let us handle the registration process in all states where you have nexus as part of our all-inclusive sales tax service.
 

What’s Next?

After you submit your sales tax registration,  you will receive an email confirmation within 24-48 hours with your sales tax account number. Typically, most businesses will receive this on the same day of registering. You will need this to create an online user profile at myPATH to access your sales tax account.
Go to https://mypath.pa.gov and then click on ‘Sign Up’ under ‘New to myPath’. You will then create a username and password for your online account and enter the FEIN and account number for your sales tax license to link your account. After that is created, you will be able to file and make payments for sales tax.
Within 7 – 10 business days, you will receive your physical sales tax permit to your mailing address. Once that is received, you should also be able to access your sales tax permit electronically in your account as well. The document will also specify your filing frequency for sales tax returns and due dates.
 Obtaining a sales tax license requires you to collect sales tax for eligible sales in Pennsylvania.
If you ever encounter any difficulties, have any questions, or prefer TaxHero to manage these tasks on your behalf, don’t hesitate to reach out! Contact us today.