I am new to displaying at craft fairs, etc. My ? Is:does anyone have experience with fairs in numerous states. Do you have to have a license in each state, city, county, etc. I just found out that mine is only good in my county.
You mean like a sales tax license? I have a sales tax license for each state I do shows in (CA, TX and MD). You need a sales tax license for each state you sell in, although not for online sales. What sort of license do you have?
You need a sales tax license for each state you sell in. You might be able to get short term tax licenses, for special events/fairs. I know that most counties offer it, but I don't know about the state level.
You will need a tax license for every juristiction that you are selling in.
Here in the valley the Phoenix metropolitan area is comprised of more than 30 distinct cities, towns and villages. If I sell in the City of Phoenix I'm required to have a City of Phoenix tax license. But if I cross the road and sell in Glendale, I also need a Glendale license as well.
This is in addition to my own city's license.
However, my state business license is good wherever I go in the state.
I have a sales tax license for both GA and SC. In SC it is a sale tax license specifically for people coming in from out of state to do shows. If you call that state's department of revenue they will tell you what you need to do.
I was not aware of the city/county licensing thing, I'm not sure we have that in TX. Not one single show I've ever done has required anything other than a state sales tax permit, so I guess it varies from state to state. *shrug*
You don't necessary need a business license for other states. In Virginia if you do 3 or less shows as an out of state vendor you do not need a business license (but you do have to submit sales tax -- there's a special form).
Some show promoters obtain their own separate special event license and require that you submit sales tax revenue to them at the end of the show. I sell at two shows per year in Utah where the promoters obtain temporary state permits for each seller and pass them out at the shows. Sellers then remit sales tax directly to the State of Utah.
Most sales tax info and remittance requirements are spelled out in the contract, so there's no hard and fast rule.
Wow... things are tough in the states! Thats crazy! You need different sales tax and licenses for different states? How do you cope with all that? And you have so many more events and people travel all over to do shows! My respect for you traveling full timers just increased 10fold!
Up here in the great white north its the same in all provinces, also, we don't need to worry about sales tax unless our sales are more than $30k per quarter.
Knitspin, those requirements must be a local thing. I live in a rural area of downstate Illinois. I've had an Illinois tax i.d. for 30 years but have never been required to have a business license and no one has asked for proof of liability insurance except some show promoters.
I think this is a good example of the need to ask someone knowledgeable in your own community and also in the location where you are going to sell. Most larger shows will distribute information about the legal requirements for selling at their location. Some even provide the sales tax forms along with a deadline for submitting the tax. Their main purpose is to make sure out of state sellers comply but they also target Illinois residents who do not have a tax i.d. I have even been at shows in Illinois where someone from the Illinois Department of Revenue will go booth to booth checking for compliance.
Some communities have art societies or co-ops and they will sometimes have the current information. Asking an experienced craft seller doesn't work. I know some of them who have somehow avoided paying required taxes for many years. It's pretty traumatic if the State catches them before they voluntarily make amends.
Starting to sell crafts can be pretty simple, but doing it legally can be a lot more complicated.
Landfilldesigns, I am moving to your city. I wish it were like that everwhere. My guess is it is just another money maker for the government. Mine small city charged me $100 for a city license that is only good here in this county/city. Highway robbery!
