Do I need a separate sales tax permit for every state?

Technically yes: each state issues its own permit and requires separate registration. But the Streamlined Sales Tax (SST) unified registration covers all 24 SST member states in a single application, dramatically reducing the per-state burden for sellers with broad nexus footprints.

The practical breakdown

SST member states (24 states): One registration covers all of them. When you register through a Certified Service Provider (CSP) like TaxCloud, a single application registers you in every SST state where you have nexus. The CSP transmits the registration data to each participating state, you don’t submit 24 separate DOR applications.

Non-SST states: Each requires its own registration through the state’s DOR portal. The major non-SST states include California, New York, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Colorado, Virginia, and others.

A seller with nexus in 30 states might have 18 SST states handled in one registration, plus 12 individual state applications, not 30 separate applications.

SST member states (as of 2025)

The 24 current SST member states include: Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. (Confirm current membership at the SST Governing Board website.)

What each registration requires

Whether through SST or directly with a state DOR, each registration asks for essentially the same information:

• Business legal name and EIN
• Business address and structure
• Date nexus began in the state
• Product categories sold

For SST states, the CSP collects this once and transmits it. For non-SST states, you enter it into each state’s DOR registration portal individually.

NOMAD states: no registration needed

The five states with no statewide sales tax — New Hampshire, Oregon, Montana, Alaska (except certain local jurisdictions), and Delaware, don’t require sales tax registration for remote sellers. If your nexus footprint includes only these states plus your home state, your registration burden is minimal.

Permit renewal

Most sales tax permits do not expire and don’t require renewal. A few states require periodic renewal — Iowa and a handful of others send notices when renewal is due. If you receive a renewal notice from a state DOR, respond promptly to keep the permit active.